Book cover of The Death of Vivek Oji: A Novel

Book description

'Astonishing.' Stylist
'Electrifying.' O: The Oprah Magazine
'Brilliant and heartbreaking.' Marie Claire
'Propulsive and resonant.' Esquire

They burned down the market on the day Vivek Oji died.

One afternoon, a mother opens her front door to find the length of her son's body stretched out on the veranda, swaddled in…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked The Death of Vivek Oji as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I was drawn in by the first line, and stayed for the immersive and impactful story woven by a masterful storyteller. This book not only manages to view every character with deep empathy and compassion, but also manages to hold the reader's attention throughout moments when they may otherwise look away. This book is for anyone who wants a compact, concentrated, and sharp reading experience.

I left this book for last because it is, perhaps, the heaviest and most gut-wrenching. In this book, Emezi crafts an exceptional paranormal story showing the true-life difficulties (that is the life-threatening and openly hostile discrimination) faced by LGBT+ people in Nigeria. A fact that’s sadly true in many other African countries too. This book has so many layers, every scene dripping with nuance and a clear tenderness for the subject matter. It would have been easy for this story to remain steeped in tragedy, but Emezi manages to elevate their characters and narrative above that, providing an ultimately heartwarming…

From Xan's list on trans and non-binary characters.

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Getting Dressed in the Dark by Gabriella D'Italia,

How do you know the truth after the story you most trust disappears?

Self-betrayal, polyamory, adultery, and an unconventional life in a one-room, rural Maine schoolhouse ends in a crisis mirroring the larger, societal polarization and collapse of meaning. Compass shattered, an artist's wisdom guides a course home, revealing a…

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