Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

73 reviews

kjanet's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense 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

 This book was beautifully written. It was so sad.

Vivek at the end began to live as their true self. I wonder though, at the end, if they were willing to die for it. Why else take the risk of being in a dress and going to get puff puff when a riot is clearly starting? I can only take it as them preparing to be accepted or rejected from society as their true self, regardless of the consequences. The love story threw me all the way the fuck off though. I wonder, could it not have been told the same without them being cousins????

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, and Transphobia

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Sexual content

Minor: Sexual assault

ingridaleida's review against another edition

medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Incest, Blood, and Grief

Moderate: Homophobia, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Religious bigotry

Minor: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, and Rape

donyea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

While this was a well written book in terms of imagery and foreshadowing.  I also thought the progression of understanding Vivek’s identity and his transition was well done.  I loved the commentary on spiritual psychosis. HOWEVER….

there was really no need for the cousin incest to be described to that degree and portrayed as “true love”.  Upon reflection, Osita was repressed and he had an innocent crush on Vivek as a young child, growing up jealous of Vivek’s openness and identity—so his repression and reluctance to live his life freely as a gay man in Nigeria led him to turn to the only other queer male he knew and had a emotional relationship leading him to change the relationship to a physical one made sense.  However, that does not mean we have to pretend like incest is true love lol or have to describe the physicality to such a degree. Additionally, there were a couple plot holes like Vivek’s spells. Lastly, I actually hated the ending. I was hoping that, as the book went between pre- and post-death, Osita would not be in any way connected to Vivek’s death. To me that would have been too predictable. To make matters worse, Nnemdi died in the most ridiculous way possible.

In my opinion there were many unnecessary plot lines that actually had no effect on the plot.  So much went on in that book.  Like too much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

haley_mil_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Blood

aiirglow's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Vomit

ilianreads's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Homophobia, Incest, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Outing, and Dysphoria

michaelion's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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

4.5

Ever since this book came out all I've heard is people wahwahwah about the incest when there is a MUCH LARGER, MORE IMPORTANT THEME AND PLOT POINT to the story. AND!!! Emezi says the two books that inspired this one in the acknowledgements!!! They did the work for you and people still didn't get it!!!! You people make me sick. You lack media literacy, reading comprehension, AND critical thinking skills.

Akwaeke Emezi, the person that you are. You've done it yet again. I can't wait to read all their books. They are truly amazing.

In my notes I put Vivek was her grandma reincarnated. The grandma the baby. This may have been intentional but if it's not I'm saying it as fact!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Biphobia, Deadnaming, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Transphobia, Violence, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Colonisation, and Dysphoria

Minor: Confinement, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Vomit, Murder, and Abandonment

bekahshaffer's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Sexual assault

ashleycmms's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death and Grief

Moderate: Homophobia, Violence, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

thepassivebookworm's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring sad fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Blood, Grief, and Dysphoria