an emotional story

Take special care if you decide to listen to “The Death of Vivek Oji”. Because the story takes place in southern Nigeria, the names of the characters require attention. Also, it’s written in Nigerian dialect, which provides the story an authentic tone, but requires, again, care upon listening. This is a special story that requires special attention to details.

Saying that, I loved the story and the audio production. All the narrators are fantastic. The chapters are broken out with different narrators, each having their own impact and opinion on the life of Vivek. From the title, we know that Vivek dies. From the narrators, we learn how he lived. The mystery is what happened: how did he die?

This is a coming-of-age story of a boy who struggles to find himself. His identity and sexuality which is not accepted in Nigerian society adds to his struggle. Author Akwaeka Emezi shows how young adult’s friends and peers become important in how they accept each other’s individuality. Emezi also shows how well-meaning parents and adults can be blinded by and unaccepting of what is right in front of their eyes. One of the biggest tragedies of the story is that everyone loved Vivek. Everyone thought they were doing what was best for Vivek, or honoring Vivek’s wishes.

Author Emezi’s prose are beautiful. In one of Vivek’s narrations he states: “I’m not what anyone thinks I am. I never was. 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. And every day it was difficult, walking around and knowing that people saw me one way, knowing that they were wrong, so completely wrong, that the real me was invisible to them. It didn’t even exist to them.”

Although this sounds bleak, redemption and love find ways into the story. Although Vivek is dead at the beginning of the story, the reader gains love for him through the narrators. Vivek was kind and peaceful. He’s a character who will stay with me for a long time.

1 person found this helpful

A truly great novel with a wonderful narration

A highly impressive novel that will lure you in.
At the start the body of Vivek Oji is laid on his mother’s doorstep. We know Vivek will die but who was Vivek, what kind of person was he and why was his life cut short? This is the story of a man growing up in middle class community in Nigeria, an outsider trying to live the life he wanted facing intolerance and a lack of understanding. Akwaeke Emezi is a storyteller who has created some wonderful characters who are carefully drawn out as each one gives their thoughts and views on Vivek.
An astonishingly good novel - highly recommended.
Great narration - that made me feel like I was there peering into the parlors and listening in on the conversations.

Beautiful

The story itself was amazing and myseterious as the reader is in the dark about who kills Vivek. The importance of friendship, parents who dont really know their children and gender fluidity are intertwined into one in this beautiful novel. My only problem is how we find out Vivek has died and it seems a bit blah for something so instrumental to the book.

The narrators were my favorite part of the book as I enjoy when the narrators are from the countries the book is supposed to portray. Akwaeke Emezi has definitely done it again.

Extraordinary, Courageous, Moving!

I have worked in Nigeria for over 30 years. This narrated book was a joy to my ears--the inflections, emotions, and colloquialisms. The characters all were so well developed orbiting around Namdi/Vivek. There was a richness to descriptions; I could see the scenes. This was a courageous book to write in an environment that does not accept anything different from the traditional, which is held onto tenaciously.

Beautiful, flowing phrases. Palpable pain, sorry, guilt, confusion, frustration yet protectiveness, tenderness, compassion, and joy. I could almost see Namdi in her twirling dress being free, joyous to be her true self. This is an important story that speaks to how we kill the soul of others unwittingly. Thank you.