Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

189 reviews

machenn's review

mysterious reflective sad 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Death, Grief, Infidelity, Sexual content, and Transphobia

potion96'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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Grief, Transphobia, and Incest

al_owl's review

adventurous challenging emotional sad fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Death, Blood, Child death, Transphobia, Homophobia, Grief, Incest, and Infidelity

masego's review

challenging emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Sexual assault

mausi's review

challenging dark emotional informative reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

This book was such a surprise, it took me on a journey I did not expect! And what an emotional journey that was. The story genuinely took me by surprise and got me thinking a lot about it. This is the second book by Akwaeke Emezi and I love how challenging and daring their books are. It certainly challenged my thinking about love in many ways. Additionally, having read about the author themselves, I imagine this story is highly personal to them as they also grew in Nigeria as a queer person. I certainly learnt a lot about what it must be like for a queer person to grow up in and oppressive environment, certainly a book to recommend, especially to those who might not understand queer love and struggle. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Mental illness, Grief, Death, and Homophobia

mandi_lea's review

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Death, Grief, Transphobia, Sexual content, Blood, Dysphoria, Incest, Infidelity, and Religious bigotry

crimsonreader's review against another edition

challenging emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Grief, Blood, Body shaming, Death, Incest, Violence, Transphobia, and Sexual content

Minor: Death of parent

megcordoba's review

challenging emotional sad tense 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Death, Blood, Incest, and Grief

Moderate: Mental illness

meganeorcx's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

My connection to this book came in waves, often disturbed by the large number of perspectives. That ending, however, entirely broke me. I cried. The Death of Vivek Oji is such an intimate and raw exploration of sexuality, gender and relationships, both romantic and familial, and I am left utterly speechless. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Grief, Death, and Incest

Moderate: Homophobia and Violence

Minor: Sexual assault

the_vegan_bookworm's review

challenging emotional reflective sad tense 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? No

4.75

 Akwaeke Emezi is a masterful storyteller and writer. Every book they write is a gift to experience, and this one is no different. The last 20% of the story, in particular, made me sob. The entire novel has such a a deeply lyrical and emotional story about the way we relate to others and how well we know the peiple we live. I think we can all see ourselves in the characters with their emotional depths. Akwaeke is so talented at describing grief and making that raw, difficult emotion something they can communicate through their stories. It is such a talent.

The book is heavy in many ways, so please be mindful of the content warnings.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Violence, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Sexual content, Grief, Medical content, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Animal death, Religious bigotry, and Death

For context on the incest tag:

Spoiler

The incest takes place consensually between cousins.