In The Death of Vivek Oji, a mesmerizing work of fiction set in southern Nigeria and told in crystalline prose, Akwaeke Emezi subverts the traditional crime/mystery genre and weaves a triumphant tale about love. Although the gender-nonconforming central character, Vivek, dies on the first page, he remains a commanding presence throughout the course of the novel alongside a cast who contribute via Emezi’s expertly mapped communal narration. Emezi is a skilled writer based in liminal spaces; “their art practice is located in the metaphysics of Black spirit and uses video, performance, writing, and sculpture to create rituals processing their embodiment as a nonhuman entity / an ogbanje / a deity’s child.”
The Death of Vivek Oji, by Akwaeke Emezi. Published by Riverhead Books. The editor is Cal Morgan; the agent is Jacqueline Ko. The Death of Vivek Oji is a finalist for the Publishing Triangle Award for Trans and Gender-Variant Literature; the winner will be announced on May 12.