As their relationship deepens-and Osita struggles to understand Vivek's escalating crisis-the mystery gives way to a heart-stopping act of violence in a moment of exhilarating freedom. But Vivek's closest bond is with Osita, the worldly, high-spirited cousin whose teasing confidence masks a guarded private life. As adolescence gives way to adulthood, Vivek finds solace in friendships with the warm, boisterous daughters of the Nigerwives, foreign-born women married to Nigerian men. Raised by a distant father and an understanding but overprotective mother, Vivek suffers disorienting blackouts, moments of disconnection between self and surroundings. What follows is the tumultuous, heart-wrenching story of one family's struggle to understand a child whose spirit is both gentle and mysterious. Named a Best Book of 2020 by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, USA TODAY, Vanity Fair, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Shondaland, Teen Vogue, Vulture, Lit Hub, Bustle, Electric Literature, and BookPage What does it mean for a family to lose a child they never really knew? One afternoon, in a town in southeastern Nigeria, a mother opens her front door to discover her son's body, wrapped in colorful fabric, at her feet. As their relationship deepens-and Osita struggles to understand Vivek's escalating crisis-the mystery gives way to a heart-stopping act of violence in a moment of exhilarating freedom.īook Synopsis A Good Morning America Buzz Pick INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'Electrifying.' - O: The Oprah Magazine

About the Book One afternoon, in a town in southeastern Nigeria, a mother opens her front door to discover her son's body, wrapped in colorful fabric, at her feet.

The life of vivek oji