Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi

37 reviews

dinosher's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad fast-paced

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

5.0

This is how Vivek was born, after death and into grief.

Went into this book blind but came out with such a heavy heart, it broke me in more ways than one. It's incredible how the author managed to capture the essence of grief in such a tragic yet gentle way. I'm a very slow reader but with this book, I was just so eager to discover Vivek's story that the pages felt like they were just turning themselves. This book is about the death of Vivek Oji, it's about the life he has lead before, it's a story about Vivek Oji. At the same time, it's so much more than that, it's about all the people that love him in their own ways, it's about all the ways they tried to protect him, it's about who they thought he was. 

How could he be gone when he'd overtaken us so completely while he was here?

The combined amount of chapters we get to venture inside Vivek's mind are limited. Instead, we get told who he is through the perspectives of other people. We slowly uncover the truth about the what happened on the day of his death while venturing deeper into all the moments before his death, we get to see all the memories that made Vivek.

They barely understood him themselves, but they loved him, and that had been enough.

All the characters felt like they were jumping off the pages, bursting with their own personalities and stories, you could tell that the author wrote them as individuals and not just side characters. I felt especially connected to the women in the story, they were not just wives, they were also mothers, sisters, daughters and survivors, every one of them were once bright young girls as well. The author really expresses how such a conservative community tears people apart from the inside out in the most brutal way, with beautiful prose. 

I know what they say about men who allow other men to penetrate them. Ugly things; ugly words. Calling them women, as if that's supposed to be ugly too.

Vivek's story was just heartbreaking to read, how he must've suffered when he was forced to hide his true self in such a restrictive community, to hide his happiest side from his parents. The rage when Vivek's mother finally uncovered this side of her child, how was she supposed to deal with the knowledge of having to mourn someone who was so familiar yet so unrecognizable? The way acceptance of Vivek's death was found in in end was just gut wrenching. Vivek was truly loved, no matter who he was.

I want to thank him for loving me.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Domestic abuse and Violence

Minor: Miscarriage

nikitagupta98's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

3.75

The Death of Vivek Oji by Awaeke Emezi explores themes of identity, family dynamics, grief, and societal expectations against the backdrop of contemporary Nigeria. The novel focuses on the titular character, Vivek Oji tracing his life and those close to him as they grieve over his sudden death. 

At the heart of the story, the main character grapples with their identity, navigating the complexities of gender and sexual orientation in a society with rigid expectations, while suffering bouts of disassociation. Emezi cleverly weaves these moments of disassociation with Vivek’s exploration of his identity in short chapters from his perspective. “I didn’t have the mouth to put it into words, to say what was wrong, to change the things I felt I needed to change […] If nobody sees you, are you still there?” 

The novel also explores grief and the toll Vivek’s death takes on those close to him. The multiple timelines weaving together the story of Vivek’s childhood and his sudden death create a partly disjointing narrative, but Emezi’s use of rich prose and evocative storytelling presents a story that that is both deeply personal and universally resonant. I’m hoping to pick up more of their works soon!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Misogyny, and Transphobia

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

victorsbookshelf's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, and Transphobia

filosophicfoton's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Death, Incest, Transphobia, Grief, Outing, and Abandonment

Moderate: Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Religious bigotry, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Domestic abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, and Injury/Injury detail

lazlio's review against another edition

emotional 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? Yes

4.5

This was a beautifully written book. Very sad and heavy. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Sexual content, Transphobia, Lesbophobia, Outing, and Dysphoria

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

shoohoob's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.75

Beautifully written book. I flew through it and the characters were fascinating to me. That being said, the incest was really prominent and almost made it DNF. 

I’m not really sure why Vivek and Osita couldn’t have just been close childhood friends instead of cousins. Maybe it was just supposed to add to taboo life Vivek was living, but it was really uncomfortable

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Incest, Sexual content, and Transphobia

Moderate: Gun violence, Infidelity, Misogyny, Blood, Religious bigotry, Outing, and Injury/Injury detail

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

the_abundant_word's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

Was this book a celebration or condemnation? Honestly I’m really not sure. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, and Transphobia

Moderate: Death, Infidelity, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, and Death of parent

Minor: Infertility and Islamophobia