Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

33 reviews

jmiles758's review

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Murder, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

salemander's review against another edition

5.0

this shit absolutely broke my heart, emezi has such a gorgeous way with words. the way they immerse you into these worlds and make you sit in these feelings of discomfort is absolutely unmatched. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail

mirandyli's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

A beautiful story about transness and queerness in Nigeria. Very sad and will probably make you cry.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Lesbophobia, Outing, Toxic friendship, and Dysphoria

chekwube's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book was wow…just wow.
Started and finished it in the same day, not just because it’s a shorter book but because it was that good. The plot kept thickening, we kept learning more about the characters and it just altogether built in such a beautiful way. Akwaeke really keeps you on your toes throughout itching to understand the characters more and understand what exactly led to the death of Vivek Oji. It was amazing.
It was also very challenging because you rarely ever find books that make you really think about issues critically and challenge your set-in-stone ideals. This was one of those books and the whole time, I felt like I could relate with and connect to the characters.
Also the ending was literally spectacular. Like wow. Everyone should read this book. One critic said you leave the book feeling wiser and empathetic and I definitely agree. 
This book made me think a lot about the things people are going on beyond the surface that we really don’t see.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

sha's review against another edition

challenging emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Physical abuse, Violence, and Blood

tinyjude's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

I liked the writing style and the ending felt powerful and fulfilling despite it's tragedy after wondering so bad what happened to Vivek.

I wish that instead of seeing Vivek/Nnembi from everyone's points of view, we got more from her inner world and how she felt in those final months. Especially with all the gender fluidity and sexual identity that could have  been explored through her lens. My biggest complain is the incest like WHAT THE FUCK? they could have been childhood friends and that would have made this so much more enjoyable, but making them cousins... I hated every second of it. Also, why is everyone fucking everyone without their partners' knowing? WHY ARE YOU CHEATING AND SAYING YOU LOVE YOUR GIRLFRIEND/BOYFRIEND???? I DONT GET IT.
After so much transphobic comments from his parents, I am glad that his mom accepted him, even though it was too late and her reactions at first hurt so much to read.
The grandma was my favourite character. She rules even after death, she would have loved Vivek/Nnembi so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Dysphoria

stephmcoakley's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Outing, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

torturedreadersdept's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Abandonment, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Alcoholism, Miscarriage, Islamophobia, and Pregnancy

directorpurry's review

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Biphobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Physical abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Xenophobia and Fire/Fire injury

therainbowshelf's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This wasn't a pick for me because I don't love literary fiction because it's usually dismal, depressing, and has horrible things happen for no reason. Of course, with that understanding of both this genre and Emezi's work, I went into this with appropriately low expectations of joy. It seems like an intriguing book and takes a hard look at struggles, especially for women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Sexism, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Rape