You Made A Fool of Death with Your Beauty is Akwaeke Emezi's journey into the romance genre, as a woman looking for artistic success and happiness after tragedy falls for someone who makes things complicated. Feyi lives in New York with her best friend, Joy, and is maybe ready to try sex and dating again, after the death of her husband a few years previously. What starts as a slightly messy situation with two men who are friends, Milan and Nasir, turns into something much more dramatic, as Nasir invites Feyi to the island he grew up on, to stay with his dad and have her work at an art show there. But when Feyi is immediately drawn to Nasir's father, Alim, everything is going to get a whole lot messier and Feyi has to evaluate what she really wants.

I didn't know what to expect going into this book, which I wanted to read as I like a lot of Emezi's other books, and was intrigued what they'd do with the genre. For me, it took a while to get going, and at the start I wasn't sure what was going to happen or how it would stand out, as the opening scenes didn't quite draw me in, other than Feyi and Joy's friendship. However, once Feyi and Nasir travel to Nasir's father's house, the book changes, becoming deeply suffused in its setting and opening up to a whole range of emotions, particularly the grief and trauma that both Feyi and Alim are dealing with. This made it a lot more gripping to me, watching Feyi, often frustrating as a protagonist in a classic 'why are you doing this' way, try and navigate her situation, and the feelings she has for Nasir's father.

It's hard to describe or review the book without some spoilers about the main relationship. The romance isn't a simple one, and will probably put a lot of people off the book (though this shouldn't be all that surprising to people who've read The Death of Vivek Oji, though that wasn't a romance), as it is between the protagonist and someone who seemed like her love interest's father, though Feyi and Nasir are never actually officially together, and it becomes clear that she's much less into him than his is her, even though she doesn't tell him this soon enough. Both Feyi and Alim are bisexual and this is a highlight of the book, in the way that this impacts their connection in small ways. I don't read that many romance novels, so I can't really judge the book's romance elements particularly well, though I liked that it is at the literary end of the genre, and does feel quite fiery and lingering.

One of my favourite characters was Joy and there wasn't enough of her, particularly as the book wasn't set in New York for the most part, and I would've liked to have seen more of her and Feyi's friendship, especially as different forms of love and friendship are so important in the book. Possibly some of Joy was being held back, so I wonder if there might be sequel (the ending seemed to leave Joy with somewhat of a romantic cliffhanger).

This book really turned around for me, with a slow start and then becoming something quite layered and intriguing, focusing a lot on the characters' emotions and the protagonist's relationship to the world in general as much as the romance. It'll probably divide people, either because of the relationship or the ways in which the book fits into either romance or literary fiction, but I found it surprising and vivid, whilst still being full of quite messy drama.

I had heard lots of good things about Akwaeke Emezi's books, so decided to try for an ARC. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the writing style. It was quite easy to follow and not burdensome. I started the book yesterday and finished it under 24 hours.

I did not like the plot at all and honestly didn't care about our protagonist, Feyi. What she did to her so-called 'friends' was just unacceptable. First, moving from one friend to another (and everyone acting like it's okay), then moving on to your friend's Dad. This should be tagged under forbidden romance/taboo because that is what it was. The author kept trying to sell the love story between Feyi and Alim but I was not buying it. The whole thing was based on lust and false connections, and I cannot categorically say love was involved in their story. There was also lots of vulgarity which I don't necessarily enjoy.

A 2 star read for me.

This was both really good, and very much not for me. I wanted to love it so much, and I loved Feyi as a main character, but by the end, I just wasn't sold on the romance, and that kind of defeats the purpose of a romance novel. This mainly had to do with the pacing. It felt as if the book didn't actually properly start until the halfway point, and from then on, I just didn't feel like we got to know the love interest very well. They went from attraction to love super fast and they just lost me in the process. I think a lot of people are going to love this, but it just didn't quite work for me.

I enjoyed this book! I found it very easy to read (devoured in one day) and I didn't realise this book would go the way it did which I found intriguing.

A brief overview:
Feyi is struggling to come to terms with a horrific accident that still haunts her 5 years later. She lives in New York with her friend, Joy, and leads a creative career which she uses to deal with her grief. As a result of finally putting herself out there physically and emotionally, she unexpectedly falls for someone she shouldn't.

I love a good romance novel and this one did not disappoint. I loved the plot, the storyline and the characters.

I really felt for Feyi and I wanted her to learn to cope with her grief and fix herself in her own way. I was pleased for her that throughout the book, we see her healing and coming to terms with her past.

I also really liked Feyi's and Joy's dynamic. They are both evidently struggling with their love lives but they were always there for each other no matter what.

My only issue with this novel was pace at times and I felt that some parts could have been fleshed out a bit more but ultimately, it wasn't too much of an issue for me considering how I fast I got through this!

Definitely one that I feel is going to popular once it's released! Thank you Faber & Faber and Netgalley for this arc.

This is a beautifully written book with interesting characters portrayed in a realistic way. I did find Feyi a bit irritating as a heroine but her journey was quite deftly handled so I enjoyed the book anyway.

This is Emezi’s first dip into the romance genre and it did not disappoint. It’s so beautifully written and encompasses forbidden love, grief, loss and desire.

The main character, Feyi, is an artist who is trying to deal with her grief and trying to move on with her life. She starts to consider dating again and gets herself into a very intense love triangle. Think slow burn, steamy romance, with themes of more complex feelings of loss and grief throughout.

Feyi was a character that I simultaneously loved and was soooo irritated by. However, I just wanted her to thrive and get what was best for her and that made me so engaged in the story.

This out is out on 26th May 2022 and I think it is going to be a really popular one! It’s so easy to read but also has a lot of depth. Definitely make sure you get your hands on it!🙌🏼

I went into << You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty >> blind, having not read any work by Akwaeke Emezi before and not quite knowing what to expect. What little I did know was that this was a romance debut and Akwaeke is hailed as beautifully weaving words together to leave a lasting impression. So I knew I wanted and needed to read this.

This book has an underlying theme of discovering yourself as a person when you lose someone else. They say the love of your life is one half of your soul so when Feyi, the title character, is thrown upon you from the start as seeking that physical connection with a man again, you’re barrelled into the journey as well. Feyi lost their husband, Jonah, in a car accident that they were also in and you get a sense of survivor’s guilt which is such an interesting topic to tackle.

The guilt manifests itself in reminders of Jonah when Feyi is beginning to sleep with men again, the flashbacks, yearning to tell him about it for his reaction for how well she is doing without him. The trauma seems to shape how Feyi interacts with men, casual and short moments of passion but no lasting connections. Men are tangible and so are the memories and feelings she has about her husband. If I’m to have a complaint about this, considering Jonah was the love of her life, I found it hard to get a sense of why. There’s little exploration of their previous relationship and whilst I understand the effort for Feyi to let go and move on, Jonah can sometimes feel like an afterthought.

One thing I really have to praise is the positive attitude towards sex and the enjoyment that can bring for a woman. The lack of so-called meaningful connections, or grandiose gestures before sleeping with the men in her life may be off putting for some people but to me, it reflects the change in perception that for a female to enjoy sex, she must have a deep emotional connection with whichever knight has decided to to bare the burden of bringing Feyi to the apex of pleasure. The casual nature in which she approaches the interactions without guilt (in the sense that it isn’t the act of sleeping with someone she feels guilt for but more so that her trauma) is so distressingly needed and throws the sentiment “It’s healthy to enjoy sex!!!!!!!!’ in flashing lights. We need more of this in modern literature and I have to commend Akwaeke Emezi for having this conversation with society.

Where I felt the book faltered a little was the chasing of a Happily Ever After as you get towards the second half of the book. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting a positive conclusion for the characters you have crafted but it slightly reinforced the idea that to be happy and healed from losing someone, you need to find someone else to fill the gap. This may or may not have been the intention but having spent so long letting us grow with this independent, talented and beautiful woman, it felt like a disservice to give her so many obstacles with a love interest that really didn’t feel necessary.

But to say that’s my only complaint with this book, my thoughts are overarchingly positive. I didn’t know if I wanted to laugh or cry for a majority of the book and when I came to the end, it left a gap in my heart whilst I looked at myself and my opinions/thoughts on the dilemmas displayed to you. It’s incredibly written and I was struck by how much of an impression it left on me. Absolutely a necessary read for all women out there.

This book was gifted to me by Faber and Faber Ltd on Netgalley and I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review this ARC before it’s released.

Somehow manages to be extremely real and completely romantic at the same time. The intimate details really made this book, from the nuanced, fleshed out characters to the sensual, loving description of the food, smells, locations and art.

This book made me laugh out loud in public like a mad person, it also reached right into my chest and squeezed the life out of my heart. At times I had to put it down and pick my jaw up off the floor. Joy was an absolute Joy and Feyi felt like a friend. It really is masterfully told and might be the best of Emezi's yet.

Akwaeke Emezi has done it again! Reading this book took me on a journey, and one which I didn't want to depart from.

This novel deals with grief, love, friendship and finding your true self again after a difficult experience. The protagonist Feyi feels like your own friend, her wit and relationship with world really encapsulates how one copes with grief, as she navigates through developing herself after the death of her husband. Anyone who has dealt with a close person dying and grief can relate to her, and we truly get a sense of her character through this exploration.

Now, the romance... forbidden love is a favourite trope of mine and Emezi did not disappoint. The journey from Feyi coming to terms with moving on from her grief to exploring the idea of love is stunningly presented in the novel and we really get invested in her relationship(s) throughout (no spoilers!).

Emezi's writing is an exquisite joy to read. Her writing is vibrant, gripping and exciting to read - I wanted more by the end of the novel. She gets each character so so right and they come alive from the very beginning of the novel through to the end. With this being her first romance novel I am mightily impressed and hope she continues to delve into the romance genre in the future. Would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a juicy romance but also looking for a book which is character driven and explores difficult themes, like grief and sexuality.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

First of all while I was moved by this story, it was not for me. The dynamics more so the coming of that connection, that collision, LOL of the lovers which I will refer to them as didn’t work for me. It’s a classic it’s actually me not you scenario. However!!!! I loved the array of emotions that were portrayed between the lovers and Feyi as a character, that push and pull that fight or flight response and thru those intense volatile feelings allowing the love, and her growth individuality in Feyis case to moor them to themselves and then together again and again. I was so touched by that!! It felt real and loving. So while this book wasn’t for me it still left it’s mark. And with Emezi’s decadent skilful writing like it was no task to read this. There’s quite a few quotes I know so many ppl are going to eat up the way I did. Also the ensemble were so good, the good and the bad, shout outs to Joy, Feyi ‘s best friend she was funny and great and i loved her so much also shout outs to Milan, bae for real. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for the chance to read!!!

Accomplished, sexy and lush - this reminded me of Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta's The View Was Exhausting, another romance tending towards literary without sacrificing any of the pure id pleasure of the genre. Great food descriptions, great outfits, a refreshingly queer sensibility (the central romance is very much M/F, though). Recommended, especially once it's actually out (it's so summery!)

What a stunning book! I'm such a fan of Emezi's writing - everything they write blows my mind. Such a beautifully woven story.

This book was so good. It was well written with a great storyline and well dveeloped characters that actually made me fall in love. I loved the pacing and the romance literally made my heart want to cry and sing in equal measure. I loved it - and that cover 💕💕💕- its stunning.