This wasn't a knock your socks of read, but I think it shows the continued maturing of Emezi as a storyteller. I look forward to more from her

I started this one, got about 10% in and it just wasn't for me - the style and characters were hard for me to connect with.

One of the best books I’ve read this year. Even though the writing style sometimes did not resonate with me, I loved this story so much it eventually became irrelevant.

Great insight on how grief affects our life.

I love the way Emezi writes. This book definitely felt a little more messier than previous ones but as usual the writing is incredible. One particular thing I loved is how the characters were written and described by the space they take up in the situation, whether its an expansion or diminishing of their presence. It really added depth to the story. This love story was so pure because it was based on the foundation of finding love while also healing from the loss of a spouse. Feyi and Alim both found that in each other. I'll admit that the connection didn't feel strong to me, maybe it's because of all the messiness that it took to get them to that point and how quickly everything happened. Also, Joy was the comedic relief that I needed. She was always on point and I loved that about her, even though it seemed like she was struggling with some stuff in her own life.

For anyone who wants to follow along a messy, grieving character who is figuring herself out this book is for you. I think I went in with wrong expectations, because I figured this would be a romance novel - spoiler alert, it isn’t.

This is a story about how a young woman finds herself after losing the love of her life. It isn’t clean. It isn’t simple. And it definitely isn’t conventional. While I enjoyed the realistic nature of how Feyi went through life, I didn’t have enough time with the love interests to really care. I felt for Feyi (and I love Joy), but this is for literary fiction readers more than romance readers.

If you like Sally Rooney (but lighter hearted), I think you would like this. Complex female character, tropical vacation with friends, deeper messages of loneliness, etc.

I don’t usually read romance books. I picked this up because I’ve read all of Emezi’s other books and have loved all of them! This one is no exception. Emezi is such a good writer and storyteller! This was fun and steamy and well-written!

WOW! I really had no idea what I was stepping into with this book but the writing was incredible! The visualization of the landscape and area our main characters reside in is breathtaking. Very steamy but completely appropriate for the storyline. I love a good artist story too! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The perfect summer read, get ready for messy and summer vibes. After not dating for eight years, the main character decides to start dating- you wont believe what happens next.

I will say that I think the characters/the romance involved lacked any and all substance, and it was not an enjoyable read for that reason.

DNF. Unfortunately, this was a book I started multiple times but could just not get into. I appreciate having the opportunity to read this book, it was just not a good fit for me as a reader. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my gifted review copy.

THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING!!! I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT. It was the perfect story and right amount of smut.

I really wanted to like this, and I did like the characters, especially Joy. I think that romance might not be my genre, but I also just wasn’t rooting for any of the couples in the story. I liked the second half better than the first, but in the end I was left just feeling meh.

From the first paragraph, I knew this book would be a good one. I immersed myself into the book from the first chapter and I cannot say enough good things about this book! Honestly amazing! The writing is incredible and the plot is just one to die for. I am absolutely obsessed with this book. My favorite part would have to be the character development throughout the book. Character development is something I look forward to and this book did not disappoint.

Lush, and messy, and sumptuous, and queer - I adored this book. It was beautiful and tender, and bold and ferocious and unapologetic, and i honestly haven’t read anything like it before. Truly incredible.

This book is unapologetic in every aspect of its main character Feyi's choices. The story at times feels reckless and is meant to be on purpose. At least that's how I read it. This is a grieving 29-year-old story. She is in a sad transition because she doesn't feel good about commitment. Not after such a loving and consistent presence with her dead husband five years before.

Everything comes down to either pushing away in the name of friendship or folding to desire. I think it's beautiful how the loss of something makes it easier to step back. To not feel pressured to commit to a romantic relationship. And this is the aspect of this story that I related to throughout the majority of the story in certain ways.


Fair warning I finished this book back and February this year and this is my review from Storygraph but with the last line slightly changed. I still feel the same about this book. It's so good.

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is my first read by Akwaeke Emezi. Feyi is a young widow navigating her life again after the sudden and tragic death of her husband. As an artist, she is coming into the prime of her life. Socially, she is putting herself back out there, not looking for anything lasting; just a moment with someone. Feyi now lives with her best friend in New York and her life is about to change again. After meeting Nazir and taking a chance trip back home with him to unwind, as friends, her life may never be the same. Nazir has connections and Feyi finds herself in one of the best galleries to show off her newest exhibit. Finally someone is taking notice of her work and her. Feyi finds herself in the company of Nazir's father and she can't look away. Could she fall for an older man, her "friend's" father?!
Akwaeke Emezi shows us an uplifting story of learning to live again after tragedy. I really enjoyed her story of Feyi. But take note this story is not for the faint of heart, the language is real and so is the sex. If you are easily offended, this is probably not for you.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Awaeke Emezi, and Atria Books for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. I will be recommending this one to all my book loving friends! 4 stars!
#NetGalley

A very interesting, unconventional love story wrapped around grief. The writing is very well done, and the characters fleshed out. It is a polarizing book for sure, but I was not put off by the romance element. I really enjoyed this o e!

Akwaeke Emezi never ceases to amaze me. They are constantly reinventing themselves; nimbly switching from genre to genre. I have loved each and every one of their books and <b>You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty</b> is no exception.

While y'all already know I am not a romance fan by any measure . . . and let's just say that things got heated HOT, HOT, HOT real fast . . . Emezi just has a way with words.

<b>You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty</b> is reminiscent of Terry McMillan's [book:How Stella Got Her Groove Back|122205] with Feyi's roomate Joy being the comically loyal Delilah to her Stella. Feyi is still going through the stages of grief after losing her husband Jonah five years ago to a horrific accident.

Feyi makes a compelling and intriguing, if not messy character, as she turns away from depression and numbness to exploring life and her sexuality.

<blockquote><i>“He loved people being messy as fuck—he said it was one of the best things about being human, how we could make such disasters and recover from them enough to make them into stories later.”</i>
― <b>Akwaeke Emezi, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty</b></blockquote>

Emezi's descriptions exude sensuality. Not just in depicting the sexual act, but also in the way they describe the island and Nasir's home, Alim's concoctions, and Feyi's art.

<img src ="https://static.onecms.io/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2021/10/11/Akwaeke-Emezi-author-photo-1_by-Vo.jpg"/>

In an interview with Elle magazine, Emezi said that they were inspired by the lyrics of Florence + the Machine's song <b>Hunger</b> and the very notion that by living life - freely and unapologetically - one could conquer death.

<blockquote><i>Oh, and you in all your vibrant youth
How could anything bad ever happen to you?
You make a fool of death with your beauty, and for a moment
I forget to worry.</i></blockquote>

This was a DNF for me. It wasn’t the right time or the right mood so I only got 1/3 through my copy. I’d like to revisit it as I’m curious about the trouble and drama that ensues but at my initial attempt I was just impatient.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4.5/5⭐️⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝: : This book was intense from start to finish. Although it is labeled as a romance, it is as much about self discovery as it is about finding love. The grief that both Feyi and Alim are going through is palpable, and their connection is so clear from the moment they met. I loved that their relationship was so focused on how they related to one another through lived experience, and I loved witnessing Feyi’s strength and determination as she experienced the highs and lows of her second chance to love.

I also really enjoyed the exploration of Feyi’s relationship with Nasir and the focus on how, even though he was a “good guy” he didn’t have any right to feel entitled to her love and affection. That really struck a nerve with me and it was an element that I was grateful Emezi focused on.

As is always the case with Emezi’s writing, this novel is beautifully written, and Feyi is a perfectly imperfect main character.
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𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞: I never fully connected with any of the characters besides Feyi, and found myself wishing I knew more about Alim, Joy, and Nasir.