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Reviews tagging 'Emotional abuse'
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
12 reviews
llams's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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? No
5.0
this is the most beautiful book i've read yet! i'm not great with the words but this was so moving and beautiful and full of love alongside the pain and ache
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Death, Blood, Biphobia, Sexual content, Emotional abuse, Gore, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Grief, and Car accident
venetiana's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-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
5.0
Best book I've read in a long time. Sometimes I wanted to highlight All the Words, the writing is beautiful.
Very emotional (in a good way) and tender.
Very emotional (in a good way) and tender.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Grief, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Death of parent, Homophobia, Misogyny, and Sexual content
Minor: Biphobia, Outing, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexism, Xenophobia, Domestic abuse, Self harm, Homophobia, Alcohol, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, and Panic attacks/disorders
crweber25's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Emezi has some of the most beautiful phrasing I've ever read, and their characters feel real and draw you into their emotions.
That said, grief is such a prevalent theme in their books I'm not sure if they're for me.
This book made me feel a lot, and I loved the queer representation. Fayi spoke to the pain and hurt and loss I've felt in my own life. I was rooting for her and Alim even though it was messssssy the entire time.
That said, grief is such a prevalent theme in their books I'm not sure if they're for me.
This book made me feel a lot, and I loved the queer representation. Fayi spoke to the pain and hurt and loss I've felt in my own life. I was rooting for her and Alim even though it was messssssy the entire time.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse
Minor: Biphobia
danaslitlist's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-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
Before I start my review I feel it's really important that I address the disingenuous reviews claiming that this book is too messy and that Fayi, our main character, is horrible person, while at the same time these reviewers eat up books by white authors for worse plots. It says a lot that this book was pitched to me and reviewed by so many reviewers as a cheating story, as nothing but drama and mess, while failing to mention that at no point is Fayi the girlfriend of Nasir or that it's made explicitly clear from the get go that they are just friends when they fly to his father's home. There is a very clear bias against Black authors, especially Black authors who write Black women in anyway that isn't the non Black reader's idea of "perfect" and I have seen that when it comes to You Made a Food of Death with Your Beauty. Is Fayi always a good person who makes good choices? No. But she also isn't a villain and she certainly isn't the only character in literature to be messy. The reading community needs to sit down and reflect on why they feel the need to be so incredibly harsh and hold up a double standard when it comes to who is allowed to be messy and imperfect (the answer here is that non Black readers have a racist bias against Black authors and Black characters. I don't care how much anti racist work you do, you will always have these biases, myself included).
Now moving onto the review:
You Made A Fool of Death with Your Beauty is typically not the type of book that I would pick up. I'm not a huge fan of books where the main conflict seems to be family drama. But I'm so happy that I decided to give this book a chance and that I didn't end up listening to what reviewers said. As stated before, this was pitched to me by many as a cheating romance and I'm here to report that this isn't true. This is a book first and foremost about grief and how grief fundamentally changes the way a person can live and view the world around them. This is a book about finding a place where the grief can live alongside you while you move forward. This is a book about finding someone who you can sit with and feel at peace because you know you are not alone.
Fayi is a bit of a mess, but who wouldn't be after what she went through? Fay is a mess. But she isn't JUST a mess. She is smart and creative and passionate and supportive. She is trying. And the beauty of this story is that we get to see her heal, we get to see her find her footing and we get to see her rebuild her life. She isn't perfect but that is beautiful.
I think the romance between Fayi and Amil is written wonderfully. It is slow and real and built not solely on attraction. It is built on mutual understanding on pain and grief and grows into a friendship. The contrast between Amil and Nasir is subtle at first and intentional on the part of Emezi. They plant comparisons between the two men from the beginning and make it a point to show the reader that, "Hey, Fayi and Nasir aren't compatible".
This is a book that has amazing commentary on nice guys (though I'd go as far as saying that Nasir steps into incel territory) and male entitlement over women. It blows my mind that I've seen people who side with Nasir or failed (often intentionally misinterpreting the book) to see from the beginning that Nasir is very much a reflection on how women are deemed as "fixable to fuck". I need to reiterate for potential readers: FAYI AND NASIR ARE NOT A COUPLE. They are new friends and that is established. Whether or not Nasir had feelings for Fayi doesn't matter because men aren't entitled to a woman. Ever. No matter how many nice things a someone does for you, you do not owe them any type of relationship or sexual favor. So to see the how Nasir reacts on page and to see how many people failed to realize that no matter what had happened before hand that his reaction isn't okay is heartbreakingly reflective on how society views women. Especially Black women.
Finally I want to talk about the prose of the book. This is my first time reading anything written by Akwaeke Emezi and I can't believe how phenomenal they are. There are so many quotes that had my skin breaking out into goosebumps or making my heart ache. They capture and express grief on page in such a real and powerful way that even someone like me, who has been fortunate enough in my life to have avoided the type of grief that Fayi and Amil have experienced, could understand a portion of what have gone through. The prose is lyrical and flows easily for you to read. I've heard people complain that the author does too much "telling instead of showing" but please allow to share a spoiler free quote to explain why this just isn't true:
"Fayi knew better than to be selective about ghosts. For every echo of Alim and Marisol in the house, there was a broken man and two children left with no mother. Years of grief navy blue in the air. Sobs and nightmares and him rocking them against his chest. Alone. Alone, alone alone."
I'll leave my review with this; You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty was much more than a "messy" and "drama filled" romance. It is a novel about how love can be found in a sea of grief, in the most unlikely of places, and love can be worth fighting for even in it means dealing with the moments of ugliness.
Now moving onto the review:
You Made A Fool of Death with Your Beauty is typically not the type of book that I would pick up. I'm not a huge fan of books where the main conflict seems to be family drama. But I'm so happy that I decided to give this book a chance and that I didn't end up listening to what reviewers said. As stated before, this was pitched to me by many as a cheating romance and I'm here to report that this isn't true. This is a book first and foremost about grief and how grief fundamentally changes the way a person can live and view the world around them. This is a book about finding a place where the grief can live alongside you while you move forward. This is a book about finding someone who you can sit with and feel at peace because you know you are not alone.
Fayi is a bit of a mess, but who wouldn't be after what she went through? Fay is a mess. But she isn't JUST a mess. She is smart and creative and passionate and supportive. She is trying. And the beauty of this story is that we get to see her heal, we get to see her find her footing and we get to see her rebuild her life. She isn't perfect but that is beautiful.
I think the romance between Fayi and Amil is written wonderfully. It is slow and real and built not solely on attraction. It is built on mutual understanding on pain and grief and grows into a friendship. The contrast between Amil and Nasir is subtle at first and intentional on the part of Emezi. They plant comparisons between the two men from the beginning and make it a point to show the reader that, "Hey, Fayi and Nasir aren't compatible".
This is a book that has amazing commentary on nice guys (though I'd go as far as saying that Nasir steps into incel territory) and male entitlement over women. It blows my mind that I've seen people who side with Nasir or failed (often intentionally misinterpreting the book) to see from the beginning that Nasir is very much a reflection on how women are deemed as "fixable to fuck". I need to reiterate for potential readers: FAYI AND NASIR ARE NOT A COUPLE. They are new friends and that is established. Whether or not Nasir had feelings for Fayi doesn't matter because men aren't entitled to a woman. Ever. No matter how many nice things a someone does for you, you do not owe them any type of relationship or sexual favor. So to see the how Nasir reacts on page and to see how many people failed to realize that no matter what had happened before hand that his reaction isn't okay is heartbreakingly reflective on how society views women. Especially Black women.
Finally I want to talk about the prose of the book. This is my first time reading anything written by Akwaeke Emezi and I can't believe how phenomenal they are. There are so many quotes that had my skin breaking out into goosebumps or making my heart ache. They capture and express grief on page in such a real and powerful way that even someone like me, who has been fortunate enough in my life to have avoided the type of grief that Fayi and Amil have experienced, could understand a portion of what have gone through. The prose is lyrical and flows easily for you to read. I've heard people complain that the author does too much "telling instead of showing" but please allow to share a spoiler free quote to explain why this just isn't true:
"Fayi knew better than to be selective about ghosts. For every echo of Alim and Marisol in the house, there was a broken man and two children left with no mother. Years of grief navy blue in the air. Sobs and nightmares and him rocking them against his chest. Alone. Alone, alone alone."
I'll leave my review with this; You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty was much more than a "messy" and "drama filled" romance. It is a novel about how love can be found in a sea of grief, in the most unlikely of places, and love can be worth fighting for even in it means dealing with the moments of ugliness.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Death, Car accident, and Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse and Domestic abuse
samixox's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A story about grief and how life is not always clean. The different ways that grief bubbles up inside people, a beautiful story with beautiful writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Blood
Moderate: Biphobia, Alcohol, Vomit, Homophobia, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Domestic abuse
thatenbyisisreads's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
If the storyline went on forever, I would 1000% continue to read every day. I loved their love and I'm happy that they were able to bond over their shared grief which over time, helped flourish their relationship. The quote, "Imagine that Feyi, we're alive and I love you." will stay with me forever. <3
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcohol, Grief, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
republicofben's review
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book was such a well-written, profound exploration of grief that really resonated with me. The book opens on lighter, more salacious notes, only giving you bits and pieces of the protagonist's hidden feelings. But the author does such an expert job showing you more and more of Feyi as the book continues, and it was so easy to get caught up in her feelings. I absolutely recommend this book, though I'd recommend you take care to ensure you're feeling up to the jumps and bumps your heart will go through.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual content, and Death
Moderate: Violence, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Blood, and Physical abuse
Minor: Gore, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, and Cursing
kvokolek's review
medium-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident
Moderate: Emotional abuse
Minor: Homophobia
symabee's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
This book really dives head first into examining grief, and what it means to move on when you've lost the love of your life. Five years after her husband's death, Feyi finally feels ready to try dating again. Throughout the summer, she finds herself in a series of relationships, all different but meaningful in their own way. This book is so honest and heartbreaking, and beautifully written, it will stay with you after you've finished reading.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Minor: Emotional abuse
bookdragon217's review
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
relaxing
tense
fast-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
"What did survival mean? Madness, certainly. Guilt, but she didn't want to lean into that. It leaned into you hard enough already, it didn't need encouragement."
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi blew me a way. The writing was raw and poetic. The story was immersive and captivating. The characters were complex and realistic.
Feyi, is a beautiful disaster, as we all are when we are trying to navigate deep rooted trauma and grief and find our way back to ourselves first. Feyi embodies the ways that Black women often have to make themselves numb, shrink themselves and make their voices smaller because they can't trust that someone will be able to bear their burdens and support them with no strings attached. She was honest and unapologetically herself even on the days when she struggled to simply breathe and was plagued with nightmares. I hear people call her messy but I think she was brave and bold in the ways that she chose herself and allowed herself to be vulnerable. She used her voice even when certain men in her life weren't listening. She was afraid and haunted by her past but never settled for what society expected her to do. She was transparent and leaned on her support system. She took accountability the whole time and tackled things directly with an unwavering faith in herself. Although some say her choices were unconventional, no one ever stigmatizes men for the same behavior done in dishonest ways.
Joy was the dream best friend and personifies genuine love and unconditional support. I saw who Nasir was long before he showed his true colors. Women always have to experience violence because men can't handle rejection and the "nice" things they do always have a cost. Emezi knocked this one out of the park with the strong plot and resonating themes of grief, death, different forms of love, art as healing, second chances, true friendship and pushing back on the idea of binaries. Emezi's storytelling is magical and their books are gifts that keep on giving. I highly recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of binge-worthy stories that are realistic and heartfelt.
You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi blew me a way. The writing was raw and poetic. The story was immersive and captivating. The characters were complex and realistic.
Feyi, is a beautiful disaster, as we all are when we are trying to navigate deep rooted trauma and grief and find our way back to ourselves first. Feyi embodies the ways that Black women often have to make themselves numb, shrink themselves and make their voices smaller because they can't trust that someone will be able to bear their burdens and support them with no strings attached. She was honest and unapologetically herself even on the days when she struggled to simply breathe and was plagued with nightmares. I hear people call her messy but I think she was brave and bold in the ways that she chose herself and allowed herself to be vulnerable. She used her voice even when certain men in her life weren't listening. She was afraid and haunted by her past but never settled for what society expected her to do. She was transparent and leaned on her support system. She took accountability the whole time and tackled things directly with an unwavering faith in herself. Although some say her choices were unconventional, no one ever stigmatizes men for the same behavior done in dishonest ways.
Joy was the dream best friend and personifies genuine love and unconditional support. I saw who Nasir was long before he showed his true colors. Women always have to experience violence because men can't handle rejection and the "nice" things they do always have a cost. Emezi knocked this one out of the park with the strong plot and resonating themes of grief, death, different forms of love, art as healing, second chances, true friendship and pushing back on the idea of binaries. Emezi's storytelling is magical and their books are gifts that keep on giving. I highly recommend this one to anyone who is a fan of binge-worthy stories that are realistic and heartfelt.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief and Death
Minor: Emotional abuse, Child death, and Car accident