I have always had a hard time reviewing Emezi’s work. They write in such a way that fully captures you as a reader, pulling you into every word carefully written on the page, until you finish and feel this torrent of emotions.

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY was no exception and I inhaled this book in a single sitting. The story follows Feyi, an artist who begins to live and date again years after the death of her husband. When Feyi finds herself dating the perfect guy and with an incredible opportunity to share her art, it feels as if she is putting herself back out into the world again. However, when she unexpectedly finds herself desiring another man, her story becomes more complicated as she begins to explore these new circumstances, while still grieving the loss of her husband.

This story was messy, complicated, and heart breaking. It was also beautiful and honest. The way it was written and the dialogue felt so real, which is something that Emezi excels at with their writing. There were moments when I laughed, cried, and even cringed. It was honestly everything I didn’t know I needed in a book.

While a romance novel, this was also a story about grief and how it never truly leaves you. It also reminds us that love is not always convenient or without pain, but that it is worth fighting for when our time here is short.

YOU MADE A FOOL OF DEATH WITH YOUR BEAUTY is such an incredible book with so many layers to it. I’m once again blown away by the talent that is Akwaeke Emezi and cannot wait to see what else they put out into the world. Whether you’re a romance reader or not, do yourself a favor and read this book.

Here’s my review on You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi

I received this book as an #ARC and would like to thank #NetGalley and #AtriaBooks for my advanced copy. I requested this book when I was in the habit of requesting all the ARCs that I could get my hands on. I didn’t think to read it until I seen so many positive reviews come up. But I am a little conflicted about this one.

I loved the overall storytelling that Emezi has. They have a great skill with creating colorful characters and scenes. I loved the relationship that Feyi had with her good girlfriend Joy. Everyone needs a Joy in your life to put you in line lol. I found myself cheesing at the beginning of the book when Feyi was “dating”, but then the book took a left…

The overall plot (or plot twist), was just a lot for me. It was trashy elegance lol. I don’t want to spoil the book too much, so I’ll leave it at this…

FEYI YOU TRIPPIN’ GIRL!!

Overall it was a great book. So great that I literally ran to book store to purchase a copy. I’ll give it a 4/5, because its a masterpiece. I still kind of want to tussle with everyone that recommended the read lol.

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Content Warning: death of spouse (described in detail), grief, homophobia, sex, family strife
This book is so beautiful, painful, and hellaaaaaa messy!! Feyi's friendship with Joy is probably one of my favorite aspects because of how real it is. Joy and Feyi are honest with each other, especially when they hear/see the other engaging in situations that could be detrimental, but still hold space for the fact that people have to learn their own way sometimes. I also love the way Emezi wrote the men they were given space to be vulnerable.
They also managed to describe the art and meals in such gorgeous detail that I began to wonder if Emezi wrote from experience. I'm not that adventurous when it comes to eating but I love reading stories with creative dishes!

The only things that brought this novel from 5 to 4.5 stars are the repetitive use of the word "loud" as a descriptor and how uncomfortable some of the messiness made me.

It took me a while to put my thoughts together on this book. I didn’t quite know what to expect and I have to say, I was left quite impressed. Their writing is out of this world and this book really came at the right time because it further illustrated the importance of healing, living and forgiveness. Not so much forgiveness towards others, but forgiveness of yourself. There are times that this book made me uncomfortable- it pushed me. It made me think differently or consider things in a more non linear fashion. I grew because of this book and because of Feyi’s story. I think she had so much in her life story that we can relate to. We are attempting to go back to a normal-ish life after the pandemic and Feyi is similarly trying to learn to live again after a tragic event in her past. If you’re looking for a book that pushes boundaries - this is it.

The critique I have is that I wanted the book to be a little longer? I felt the book moved to a resolution a little too quickly. Given the nature of the romantic relationship in the book (trying to be spoiler free by being vague), there was a lot that needed to be ironed out and it all wrapped up pretty nice and neat considering the circumstances.

However, it’s a book I’m grateful to have read and learned from.

Thank you to Atria Books for the gifted copy to read and provide an honest review.

Review Date: 05/24/2022
Publication Date: 05/24/2022

Emezi did it again with another beautiful novel. I mean this story cleared my skin and paid all my bills.

There were so many things to love about this book, but unfortunately I was pretty underwhelmed. Akwaeke Emezi is STILL an automatic buy author (their writing is just too good to ignore), but I had some major issues when it comes to You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty.

First- the compliments out of the way- Emezi is a fantastic writer. Their descriptions are filled with love and they have such a visceral, engaging way of writing. Especially when the story line began to pick up, I saw how deep Emezi's talent for language goes. I will leave this book with sentences that I will never forget. Emezi describes grief perfectly and does a good job of highlighting the casual closeness between many of the main characters and their friends which I appreciated.

That being said, I still had some issues going in.

For one, the pacing and the storytelling. The pacing was super fast at the beginning and then slowed down around Chapter 10. It went so fast that I didn't have time to catch my bearings and fall in love with the characters as much as I would have liked. Similarly, the storytelling was very choppy and went too fast in many areas which took me out of the story.

Also, I was not a big fan of the romance. It moved way too fast and felt akin to the insta-love that many readers struggle with in romance novels. It all just went so fast. And the drama at the end took up way too much of the final chapters. I would have loved to see the main couple in more scenes without the drama of family dynamics. I feel like I didn't get as much as time with the main couple.

Lastly- I really struggled with the best friend. She felt very one dimensional as the sex crazed sassy best friend and we've seen that character before. She had her moments of depth but I think it would have been easier to connect with her and find beauty in their friendship if Joy wasn't so theatrical.


Overall, I feel like this will be a book people either love or hate or love to hate. I, for one, am somewhere in the middle- charmed by Emezi's brilliant writing as always while also knowing that I wished for more.

Ever finish a book and immediately want to start from page 1 again??

Akwaeke Emezi has cracked me open, pulled my heart out and left me in pieces on the floor. I'm not even sure I can put into words how much I loved this book... but here goes...

It's been 5 years since a tragic accident killed Feyi's husband, and she is ready to move past the grief and fear. Presented with an opportunity to further her art career, she takes a trip to a tropical island while exploring a possible new love interest, she feels these are the steps to feeling alive again. What she didn't anticipate was the complications she would face once on the island, and her heart making different choices.

This book is marketed as romance but it's oh so much more than that. It is seductive and sensual and complex. Akwaeke Emezi describes a character in the book as having ''more texture'' than others and I can't stop thinking that is how I'd describe this book, so much more texture. Emezi is a masterful storyteller. The way they write is hypnotic and unflinching. You can just feel their words in your body and soul. You Made A Fool of Death With Your Beauty is a perfect mix of grit, emotion, the struggle with overcoming grief, hard choices, and love. I will be recommending this novel to everyone. Mark your calendars, pre-order yourself a copy, get your hands on this book. You'll thank me later!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and honestly review an advanced readers copy.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi is a breezy read, and fans of lighter romance fare will enjoy it, but readers looking for something with more to chew on may find it difficult to latch on to these characters. While Emenzi does overlay the soft with serious themes and issues, this book at it's core is more interested in traditional fluff. I ultimately didn't connect with the work, and was expecting something with more depth, but found it to be easy to read and get through in a quick sitting or two.

As usual, Emezi knocks it out of the park with their writing. The way they write about grief and love is so achingly beautiful, I could have kept reading forever. I did find the plot a bit uneventful, and sometimes repetitive, which is the only reason I rated this four stars instead of five. I will read anything Emezi writes. Their range is incredible - pretty much any genre is open to them! I will recommend this book to anyone. I imagine it can help anyone going through grief - especially for a romantic partner - as that is where this book is strongest.

Years after losing her first love, Feyi experiments with relationships again and finds one in a surprising place. This is THE romance for lit fic readers!! I’m not always the biggest fan of the genre, but Akwaeke Emezi has become a quick favorite so I had to try this out. This story is as much about grief as it is about love. (Be prepared to cry.) The characters are unique and flawed (and queer!) My third and favorite book by Emezi.

I really loved Akwaeke Emezi’s last book, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘝𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘬 𝘖𝘫𝘪, so was very excited for 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐄 𝐀 𝐅𝐎𝐎𝐋 𝐎𝐅 𝐃𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐇 𝗪𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘. At its heart, I think this book wanted to be a story of grief. While only 23, Feyi lost her husband in a terrible accident. After five years, she’s just beginning to find light outside her grief. Other characters in the book had also experienced tragic losses and through all of them Emezi was able to show many facets of grief. In that alone, I would have loved this book, but then there was the romance. For me, the romance side of things was just TOO much. Too much of everything. Too unbelievable. Too repetitive. Too over-the-top. On that side, it was disappointing for me, but that’s on me. I hadn’t paid close attention, this book is clearly classified as romance and somehow I missed that. I enjoy a good romance every now and then, but I need mine with a little more subtlety. So personally, this book was a miss, but I know many others (with a more tender heart❤️) will love it!
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As a side note, I listened to this one and though the narration by Bahni Turpin, (@prospertunia) was wonderful, though I think this is a book that might have worked better for me in print.⁣
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My thanks to @atriabooks for an ARC and @simon.audio for an ALC of #YouMadeaFoolofDeathwithYourBeauty.

I am just blown away. I knew I loved Akwaeke Emezi’s writing, but wow!

It was just so beautiful and emotional and I am felt feeling everything.

There is a reason this book has all the hype even though it was just released!

Akwaeke Emezi knows how to pull you into a world of beautiful characters and lustfull settings. You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is absolutely magnetic. Emezi's touches on grief and tragedy and touches it softly so readers can feel for the characters.
Feyi is complex but thoughtful, whip-smart, and sexy as hell! Her grief is palpable after losing her husband. Especially, how young they were. She carries that pain and I believe the only one that could really connect with her is Alim. Though it's such a messy situation with Alim's son, Nasir, Akwaeke Emezi writes it so well.
I'll read anything by Akweake Emezi they aren't afraid to tackle the complications and messiness that our lives produce. Moreover, they are so good at mesmerizing us with their beauty and love, and light. Bravo!

REVIEW: You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi 💫

Thank you @atriabooks and @netgalley for the #gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review 💓 This one came out last week (5/24)!

I don’t even know where to start with this book! I’m still thinking about how I feel about it but I do know I really liked:
🫶 So many complex and nuanced emotions explored here
❤️‍🔥 Lots of steam (but wished there was more spice but it made sense for the characters tbh)
🏝 The island setting
🫡 Taboo romance

I would call this a literary romance book and it pushed me out of my genre comfort zone and I’m really glad I read it!

Fairly fast read that brings all of the summer vibes, defs recommend!!

I, like the rest of the world, love Akwaeke Emezi’s work, and I was so excited and intrigued to see what they were able to do within the romance genre, even though it isn’t my usual scene.

You have likely heard by now that You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is very different from Emezi’s other work, and that is true. You might call it more conventional (although I’d still argue that it’s actually not). It sort of feels that way, with its familiar romance-novel plot shape and pacing. But it also subtly subverts all our expectations about romance novels, with a messy protagonist, a morally gray plot arc, unabashed AAVE dialogue, and a bold premise. (If you don’t like profanity or characters making choices that you disagree with, this won’t be for you.)

In this novel, Emezi shows us that romance novels — and love stories themselves — can come in all shapes and flavors, and that a relationship doesn’t have to make sense to those outside it. This book is about grief, and living boldly, and seizing happiness, and dealing with the consequences because it’s worth it. It’s about these two characters and them alone, and you as the reader are invited to either witness — or mind your own business.

At the end of the day, it’s this last thing — that Emezi told the story they wanted, and that they could, quite frankly, give a sh*t about what you think of these characters’ choices — that makes this book stand out and adds another tally to their list of literary accomplishments.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is the perfect read to kick off hot girl summer! The story revolves around a steamy love triangle. Things get messy, but it’s so entertaining. This would make a great beach read. Love the cover and the Florence and the Machine inspired title, too.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for this ARC.

Akwaeke Emezi does it again. This is a bit of a different genre than what I've read by them before but honestly they know how to write a good romance. I honestly didn't read the synopsis and therefore I was a bit hesitant in the beginning of this book. I thought it was going to be a romance between Feyi and Nessir and I just didn't feel the vibes between them. It made me a bit hesitant to continue because I just wasn't feeling the romance between the two. Turns out that was the point and this book very much picked up for me once Amir got introduced. But besides all that, I really loved the writing and Feyi was an amazing character to follow. I also really loved Joy. I thought she was an amazing best friend and I honestly wish she was in this book a bit more. The actual romance of this book was also fantastic. It did feel a bit insta-lovey but overall it was great. I really liked the communication between the two of them and overall how open and honest they were to each other. I also think the conflict in this book was really well dealt with. So yeah, this book was great. Go read it!

I loved this book! The plot could have been very messy, but it was very elegant and modern. The characters were well developed and the plot kept me interested. The real star of the book were the descriptions of scenery and food.

This is a beautiful and outstanding novel. Akwaeke Emezi gives us beautiful and flawed characters who grow as the book progresses. This covers grief and finding one’s self again through healing. I absolutely love their work, and treasured every minute of reading. This cover is simply stunning as well.

Thank you to Akwaeke Emezi, the publisher, and Netgalley.

Flew through this one. Feyi was a great character - good, bad, and in between. With how the book started I wasn’t expecting such a gentle story, which was a welcome surprise. If you’re looking for an story exploring friendship, romance, and sex - how they overlap and how they diverge - pick this book up!