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Reviews tagging 'Domestic abuse'
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
46 reviews
emlawley's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
This book had a lot of promise and started with a 'bang' with a very intense first chapter. I got the book through the Rare Birds Bookshop advent calendar so had expected good things, but I have to say I found the main character Feyi's choices hard to believe or relate to. There has been a lot of talk in other reviews about how it feels unbelievable and in slightly poor taste that her somewhat poor decisions in the book are down to the trauma she has experienced and that this is a little reductive and I would hasten to agree. Also, after a lot of build-up throughout the book, the pivotal sex scene was really disappointing from a feminist perspective! I think the book could have been much better with more character development and a more heart-warming story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Domestic abuse, and Death
agentmozell's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
2.0
This is my first book by the author, this is really not my kind of book and I think I should’ve just waited for Pet to become available on my Libby. I won’t say its bad, but its def not my sped and I’ll get more as to what bothered me below.
I read this via audiobook and the narrator was amazing. For the one I listened to the narrator was Bahni Turpin—10/10 great job. The writing (sans the strong language it starts with) is really poetic and beautiful.
Now for the book. I might put this under the spoiler warning (this is being prewritten in my notes while I’m nearing the end).
Also one thing I will give this book is that it made me hungry as the ML is a chef. Everything sounded delicious and made me hungry.
The beginning starts off with a lot of strong language, some that I’m far too white to say or comment on and it was a bit uncomfortable if I’m being honest. Then Feyi and Milan (I hope I spelled that right) became friends with benefits and it was just a weird thing, like I get her trauma, but it was just weird to me. Maybe because I’m ace so I don’t understand it?
Then her with Nasir was a weird thing too, taking it slow but they were not dating. I guess I don’t understand the going out, cuddling and kissing without being an “item” so to speak. I really liked Nasir and thought he was a good fit for her. So when the book started bringing her close with his dad and, lets just be honest, turned lust into insta love I was rolling my eyes a bit. The age gap didn’t bother me to much, I mean she’s 29 and he’s 49 so whatever. They’re both consenting adults. But it was the fact she went from Milan to his friend Nasir and now Nasir’s DAD that weirded me out.
Like that shits messy messy and she should’ve followed through with the clean break.
Then chapter 17 happened and oh boy, the 180 flip with Nasir’s personality caught me so off guard. I guess it happens a lot with “nice guys” turning out to be not who women thought they were. But the fact he was kicking her out of his dads house had me low key cackling in a why. Like bro, that’s not your house. When he said “you deserve this” I felt myself getting angry. Him calling her trash made me even angrier. Then the fact he wasn’t even listening to her was the icing on the cake.
In a way I do feel that this was the author trying to get the reader to accept the fact that Feyi and Alim were the end game. But it’s hard to tell when there was no other hints that Nasir could be like that. HOWEVER, I would like to stress that I personally have not been in an abusive relationship and so maybe this is a normal stereotype of “they never gave any signs they could do such things.” I don’t doubt that perhaps Nasir was capable all along, but it just seemed kinda off character.
I also thing its really awkward that every page we’re told how beautiful, pretty, gorgeous, etc every fucking character is. Everyone is made out to be a walking god or goddess and its just really weird that everyone is viewed like that. It’s just a bit unrealistic that nobody seems to have any physical flaws.
Oh and then the fallout, the fallout was so rough. I was anticipating it being bad because, you know, she and the dad fell in lust, but Nasir’s reaction was way over the top. Then Lorraine’s was just cruel. She was kind cold to Feyi from the start so I wasn’t too surprised that she was even meaner during the fallout. But I was surprised that she was THAT mean. I guess we know they’re cut out of the inheritance.
And I’m low key cackling that Feyi is thinking that she’s not a gold digger but I kinda think she is.
The sanest character of all this was Joy ironically enough.
And her realizing she loved him at the end and wanting to run away? That’s just..wow. She realized her lust went to love and was like “WAIT I NEED TO GO HOME”. Like girl…you tore apart the family and now you wanna dip? Like that’s now how shit works. Then the ending…its so strange. I never understood the instalove trope because it just seems too unrealistic.
Ah well, I have Pet on hold, maybe that'll be more my speed.
I read this via audiobook and the narrator was amazing. For the one I listened to the narrator was Bahni Turpin—10/10 great job. The writing (sans the strong language it starts with) is really poetic and beautiful.
Now for the book. I might put this under the spoiler warning (this is being prewritten in my notes while I’m nearing the end).
Also one thing I will give this book is that it made me hungry as the ML is a chef. Everything sounded delicious and made me hungry.
The beginning starts off with a lot of strong language, some that I’m far too white to say or comment on and it was a bit uncomfortable if I’m being honest. Then Feyi and Milan (I hope I spelled that right) became friends with benefits and it was just a weird thing, like I get her trauma, but it was just weird to me. Maybe because I’m ace so I don’t understand it?
Then her with Nasir was a weird thing too, taking it slow but they were not dating. I guess I don’t understand the going out, cuddling and kissing without being an “item” so to speak. I really liked Nasir and thought he was a good fit for her. So when the book started bringing her close with his dad and, lets just be honest, turned lust into insta love I was rolling my eyes a bit. The age gap didn’t bother me to much, I mean she’s 29 and he’s 49 so whatever. They’re both consenting adults. But it was the fact she went from Milan to his friend Nasir and now Nasir’s DAD that weirded me out.
Like that shits messy messy and she should’ve followed through with the clean break.
Then chapter 17 happened and oh boy, the 180 flip with Nasir’s personality caught me so off guard. I guess it happens a lot with “nice guys” turning out to be not who women thought they were. But the fact he was kicking her out of his dads house had me low key cackling in a why. Like bro, that’s not your house. When he said “you deserve this” I felt myself getting angry. Him calling her trash made me even angrier. Then the fact he wasn’t even listening to her was the icing on the cake.
In a way I do feel that this was the author trying to get the reader to accept the fact that Feyi and Alim were the end game. But it’s hard to tell when there was no other hints that Nasir could be like that. HOWEVER, I would like to stress that I personally have not been in an abusive relationship and so maybe this is a normal stereotype of “they never gave any signs they could do such things.” I don’t doubt that perhaps Nasir was capable all along, but it just seemed kinda off character.
I also thing its really awkward that every page we’re told how beautiful, pretty, gorgeous, etc every fucking character is. Everyone is made out to be a walking god or goddess and its just really weird that everyone is viewed like that. It’s just a bit unrealistic that nobody seems to have any physical flaws.
Oh and then the fallout, the fallout was so rough. I was anticipating it being bad because, you know, she and the dad fell in lust, but Nasir’s reaction was way over the top. Then Lorraine’s was just cruel. She was kind cold to Feyi from the start so I wasn’t too surprised that she was even meaner during the fallout. But I was surprised that she was THAT mean. I guess we know they’re cut out of the inheritance.
And I’m low key cackling that Feyi is thinking that she’s not a gold digger but I kinda think she is.
The sanest character of all this was Joy ironically enough.
And her realizing she loved him at the end and wanting to run away? That’s just..wow. She realized her lust went to love and was like “WAIT I NEED TO GO HOME”. Like girl…you tore apart the family and now you wanna dip? Like that’s now how shit works. Then the ending…its so strange. I never understood the instalove trope because it just seems too unrealistic.
Ah well, I have Pet on hold, maybe that'll be more my speed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Domestic abuse
sophiesmallhands's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I’d heard great things about Akwaeke Emezi’s writing but mainly about their YA novels Pet and the companion novella Bitter. Since I downloaded Libby *angel choir noise* I was disappointed to not find the audiobook version of Pet on there but You Made a Fool came up instead. After briefly scanning the blurb, I decided to jump in. And oh, what a gloriously realised world Akwaeke has made.
The rub is that our artist MC, Feyi, is dipping her toes back into the dating scene after the death of her husband five years prior with the help of Joy, her chaotic, lesbian friend. After a brief but ends-as-friends- situationship with a man called Milan, Feyi begins a let’s-be-friends-first relationship with Nasir, one of Milan’s friends. Nasir, who comes from a VERY well-connected family, presents Feyi an opportunity to be a part of an exhibition of Black Diaspora artists. Fast-forward to Nasir taking Feyi to his gorgeous tropical family home (I’m not a visual reader, but I could SEE this house from Akwaeke’s descriptions!!) and to also meet Nasir’s equal parts rich and reclusive celebrity chef.
It sounds like the start to a very light-hearted tropical holiday romance, right? WRONG.
Nasir’s father, Alim, is like Feyi – a lonely widower – and Feyi experiences an immediate attraction to Alim that she tries to stifle and explain away as it existing because Alim is “unattainable” and, while she is technically not in a romantic relationship with Nasir, would be frowned upon.
I won’t spoil too much, but the story touches very deeply into the ways grief can change your soul and provide a bond between people – both romantic and platonic. The building relationship between Alim and Feyi (who are both bisexual!) is never presented as a titillating trope, but rather as two deeply injured humans navigating their trauma and grief and deciding to choose love as a way to move through life. There’s so much narrative freedom to Feyi – the story focuses so much Feyi allowing herself to be who she needs to be and without compromising her ideals or happiness.
The story gets quite intense around the time Alim’s children find out about this burgeoning romance (I had to turn my audio off at one point on the way home from work because it was stressful to listen to at that time), and the story could easily fall apart with various miscommunications but instead Akwaeke carries us safely to the story’s end. I could wax poetic about this book, but also! Joy being an incredible friend throughout this story? Feyi and Alim both being adults who actively go to therapy? All amazing to see in a contemporary romance novel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief and Sexual content
Moderate: Death, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident
Minor: Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Suicidal thoughts
scarroll178's review
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Is this what love bombing is? 😂
This father and son are red flags all around. The son really flew her out to live in his mansion, and the dad really gets her to fall in love with him in two weeks? Moving too fast for me lmao.
Honestly, I wish the author would’ve leaned more into the messiness of the relationship, rather than trying to minimize the mess by making Nasir react so violently to the affair. It felt too much like the author was trying to justify it. ‘Yeah, Feyi fucked his dad, but it turns out Nasir was a violent shithead all along, so maybe Feyi was kinda right to fuck her friend’s dad? 🤔’
I wish we got more development for Lorraine. I thought it was really interesting that she seemed so warm and friendly in her house but so cold and guarded in her father’s house. I definitely thought we were going to find out what Alim did to make her act that way, like tbh I thought we were gonna find out that Devon had been Lorraine’s boyfriend or something 😂
I really loved the book, espthe main characters both being bi!! , I just wish the author had gone further with it. Let them be more messy!
Honestly, I wish the author would’ve leaned more into the messiness of the relationship, rather than trying to minimize the mess by making Nasir react so violently to the affair. It felt too much like the author was trying to justify it. ‘Yeah, Feyi fucked his dad, but it turns out Nasir was a violent shithead all along, so maybe Feyi was kinda right to fuck her friend’s dad? 🤔’
I wish we got more development for Lorraine. I thought it was really interesting that she seemed so warm and friendly in her house but so cold and guarded in her father’s house. I definitely thought we were going to find out what Alim did to make her act that way, like tbh I thought we were gonna find out that Devon had been Lorraine’s boyfriend or something 😂
I really loved the book, esp
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, and Violence
shesreadingagain_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Feyi is a widow going through the ups and downs of grief when she decides after five years of grieving her husband’s death in a tragic car accident (that she survived) to get back out there and get into the dating pool. Well, things get a bit…messy. I feel like we can all relate to Feyi to some degree. We have all been a mess, whether that is in relationships, friendships, just growing into the person you are now.
I had heard mixed reviews on this one but honestly I loved it so much. It was a book I was recommended and it was amazing.
I had heard mixed reviews on this one but honestly I loved it so much. It was a book I was recommended and it was amazing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, and Death
Minor: Domestic abuse and Misogyny
alli_andrews's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Alcohol, Car accident, Mental illness, Biphobia, Drug use, Grief, Sexual content, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Cursing, and Homophobia
lynxpardinus's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Car accident, Death, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Violence, Death of parent, Gore, Homophobia, and Infidelity
Minor: Drug use, Self harm, Domestic abuse, and Cancer
auudrey's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Violence
meeklovestoread's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Now, I knew this book was about grief and romance going into it, but that's honestly all I knew. I really want to diversify my reading and this book had such high acclaim. Plus I found the title quite compelling so I picked it up and I was shockingly surprised at how much I enjoyed it (well, once the story picked up).
I went not knowing the tropes of this book and I think this proved to be beneficial for me because if you were to tell me the tropes that were in this book initially I probably wouldn't have picked it up. As the book goes along you'll see that it turns into a forbidden romance with a significant age gap. I don't really care for tropes in books, however, these are usually things I don't gravitate toward which is why it came as a surprise how much I enjoyed reading the romance for this book. The characters seem very sweet, mature, and considerate of one another. I love how consent is an ongoing motif in this book considering we don't really see that much in romance books. And I did enjoy the friendship between Feyi and Joy (although I do wish they wouldn't encourage each other's bad decisions).
Now although I did enjoy the romance between the two characters, I feel like Nasir's feelings were completely justified. Don't think just because I said his feelings were justified means that I encouraged his destructive behavior. Although the author lowkey tried to justify it, Feyi did take (maybe not deliberately) advantage of Nasir. Even though they weren't technically dating, Feyi obviously knew how much Nasir cared for her. Like what type of dude would fly out his situationship across the country for a week and offer her a chance to jumpstart her career? He had every right to be upset that she was fooling around with his dad of all people. While I do like her and Alim together Nasir and Lorraine are completely justified with their anger. After reading this book, I understand how others may not like it and aren't able to see past the events that take place and that is completely understandable, but I surprisingly enjoyed it. It explored elements of grief, casual dating + love, bisexuality, art, food, and choosing yourself.
I went not knowing the tropes of this book and I think this proved to be beneficial for me because if you were to tell me the tropes that were in this book initially I probably wouldn't have picked it up. As the book goes along you'll see that it turns into a forbidden romance with a significant age gap. I don't really care for tropes in books, however, these are usually things I don't gravitate toward which is why it came as a surprise how much I enjoyed reading the romance for this book. The characters seem very sweet, mature, and considerate of one another. I love how consent is an ongoing motif in this book considering we don't really see that much in romance books. And I did enjoy the friendship between Feyi and Joy (although I do wish they wouldn't encourage each other's bad decisions).
Now although I did enjoy the romance between the two characters, I feel like Nasir's feelings were completely justified.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Domestic abuse, Death of parent, and Death
Minor: Blood
zombiezami's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Sexual content, Blood, Violence, Death, Car accident, and Grief
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Outing
Minor: Child death, Homophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Cancer, and Biphobia