Reviews tagging 'Violence'

La morte di Vivek by Akwaeke Emezi

130 reviews

sahanasri's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

3.0

I have some very mixed feelings on this book (a read for novel nights book club). I really loved the writing style, which immediately drew me in for how delicately descriptive it is. I felt like I could really see the characters and setting, which both felt fleshed out and unique to me. However where it started to lose me was definitely the characters to an extent and also the plot (lol).

idk man really not a fan of reading incest …….. also didn’t see that aspect as super essential to the plot??? idk maybe i missed something

I didn’t really feel too attached to any of the characters except Kavita, who feels pretty understandable at least. The queer aspects of the story were really interesting but felt like they were fully explored a bit too late? or at least held off just to keep the story more of a mystery? I wasn’t a huge fan even though I can appreciate the nuance of the characters identities. I think I didn’t feel attached enough to Vivek to be able to mourn him much as a person (although I felt for him much more at the end of the book), which really hurt the beginning and middle of the book for me. Overall an interesting read… will be interested to hear some other takes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Incest, and Transphobia

marywahlmeierbracciano's review against another edition

challenging emotional slow-paced

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

4.0

The Death of Vivek Oji feels like an extended meditation on queerness and transness.  In a country like Nigeria, where these identities are criminalized, it’s especially true for trans people that only they know what is best for them, though this will not stop well-meaning friends and family.  Emezi’s heartbreaking parable invites readers to imagine a world in which a trans person living freely is not “dancing with death.”  A world in which trans people are recognized as otherworldly gifts.  Born on the anniversary of his grandmother’s death, Vivek Oji was destined to be different

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Infidelity

Moderate: Transphobia, Religious bigotry, Infertility, Blood, Homophobia, Animal death, Death, and Sexual content

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, and Violence

tea_kettle's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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? Yes

4.75

amazing story, beautifully written, and one i would read again despite the heartbreak. However, the mildly (and later very graphically) incestuous themes were pretty uncomfortable to get through, and i don’t think they necessarily needed to be that way. Still, it was a great story, and i’m glad it was told, especially by a writer so skilled. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Transphobia, Child death, Grief, Homophobia, and Incest

Moderate: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Infidelity

Minor: Deportation, Sexual assault, Vomit, Child abuse, Infertility, Pregnancy, and Rape

emzjams's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense slow-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

3.75

i was really excited to read this but i think the description gives it a different vibe than it has. i still really liked it, it has beautiful writing and i really wasn’t expecting the ending. the main relationship was a huge ick for me but it didn’t take away from the story.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Eating disorder, Death, and Violence

_toristorytime's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Homophobia and Violence

angiepoggi's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.75

The Death of Vivek Oji not only depicts mourning in a beautyful manner, but also brings us, the readers, into that mourning as well.

Vivek's death is not only about the act of not ever being able to breath anymore, it's about the death of who his family thought he was, and, as well as his birth that was accompanied by grief, about her rebirth.

It's such a carefully woven story that never let's go of the nuances of every decision and thought of It's characters, who, if you told me were real, I would've believed without sparing a doubt. 

Even thought there were some relationships that I have conflicted feelings about and believe could've been brought here in a different way, I'll still cary this story for life and think about it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Alcoholism, Drug use, Incest, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Drug abuse, Xenophobia, Animal death, Grief, Mental illness, Infidelity, Sexism, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Minor: Rape

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

lilivdw's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood and Death

Moderate: Incest and Violence

Minor: Transphobia

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

lolaida's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

A devastating, beautiful, haunting book about love, death, change, and beauty. Would recommend to anyone. Will recommend to everyone with a strong heart. My heart will hurt for these characters for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia

Moderate: Violence and Sexual content

Minor: Xenophobia