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simplybibliophiles's review
challenging
emotional
funny
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
4.0
#MESS. But I liked it. So it’s me, hi. I’m the problem; it’s me.
I typically don’t like to read books that include this level of mess because if I enjoy it…what does that say about me? So it’s me, hi. I’m the problem; it’s me.
The prose is just spectacular. From the very beginning, I was swept up in Emezi’s eloquent descriptions and symbolic metaphors, not to mention the comedic elements that are Ms. Joy and Ms. Joy’s interpretations of Ms. Feyi’s questionable life choices.
Because it definitely was not Feyi’s messy ass that was keeping me invested alone.
Sidebar: it was evident that Feyi didn’t understand what six degrees of separation meant…because EVERYBODY she was involved with (👀) was in close proximity. Why, girl?
I didn’t have a significant issue with Feyi’s attraction to Alim...I just had a problem with how she (and he) went about it. I don’t feel like she fell for him frivolously, which to me, makes all the difference. Also, there was no world where I was rooting for Nasir, sorry not sorry. He just gave me ulterior motive vibes…and while his response to his “girlfriend” (a reach if I’ve ever seen one) sleeping with his daddy when he brought her to his daddy’s house was, to an extent, understandable…that scene with Feyi after he found out was quite scary. If you know, you know.
Nevertheless, the descriptions of Feyi’s conflicting emotions as it relates to her grief, her approach to her art, and her shock and awe at discovering *genuine* connection >>> the latter singularly was the absolute best part of the book. And then when we got to Alim’s descriptions of grief, and to see them be consistent with Feyi’s…it was hauntingly beautiful. Superb.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I felt something was missing. Some points in the book, even with the mess and the prose, felt a little hollow, and I needed infinitely more time with Joy than I got. Like why wasn’t she there with Feyi? I needed more of her “on 100” energy—missed opportunity if you ask me, LOL.
Arguably, the portrayal of the relationship, the arc from when she first met Alim to the end carried the book. It was beautifully symbolic in its description. And while, as a reader, you will most likely struggle with the morality of it, perhaps, like me, you will be secretly rooting for Feyi in her journey to recover something of what she lost in loss.
I typically don’t like to read books that include this level of mess because if I enjoy it…what does that say about me? So it’s me, hi. I’m the problem; it’s me.
The prose is just spectacular. From the very beginning, I was swept up in Emezi’s eloquent descriptions and symbolic metaphors, not to mention the comedic elements that are Ms. Joy and Ms. Joy’s interpretations of Ms. Feyi’s questionable life choices.
Because it definitely was not Feyi’s messy ass that was keeping me invested alone.
Sidebar: it was evident that Feyi didn’t understand what six degrees of separation meant…because EVERYBODY she was involved with (👀) was in close proximity. Why, girl?
I didn’t have a significant issue with Feyi’s attraction to Alim...I just had a problem with how she (and he) went about it. I don’t feel like she fell for him frivolously, which to me, makes all the difference. Also, there was no world where I was rooting for Nasir, sorry not sorry. He just gave me ulterior motive vibes…and while his response to his “girlfriend” (a reach if I’ve ever seen one) sleeping with his daddy when he brought her to his daddy’s house was, to an extent, understandable…that scene with Feyi after he found out was quite scary. If you know, you know.
Nevertheless, the descriptions of Feyi’s conflicting emotions as it relates to her grief, her approach to her art, and her shock and awe at discovering *genuine* connection >>> the latter singularly was the absolute best part of the book. And then when we got to Alim’s descriptions of grief, and to see them be consistent with Feyi’s…it was hauntingly beautiful. Superb.
As much as I enjoyed this book, I felt something was missing. Some points in the book, even with the mess and the prose, felt a little hollow, and I needed infinitely more time with Joy than I got. Like why wasn’t she there with Feyi? I needed more of her “on 100” energy—missed opportunity if you ask me, LOL.
Arguably, the portrayal of the relationship, the arc from when she first met Alim to the end carried the book. It was beautifully symbolic in its description. And while, as a reader, you will most likely struggle with the morality of it, perhaps, like me, you will be secretly rooting for Feyi in her journey to recover something of what she lost in loss.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Grief, Blood, and Death
Minor: Homophobia
yproctorkent's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
2.5
This novel is a chaotic love story involving a black, bisexual protagonist, Feyi, overlayed with an exploration of grief and how it can affect new relationships. I expected to adore this novel, however, I was left recoiled by some of the decisions made and found I could not suspend disbelief enough to truly engage and believe the love story.
The book starts out very strong, a steamy rendezvous and the establishment of an easy agreement to physicality with a new partner after the harrowing loss of their spouse. I was gripped by Emezi’s writing and felt enamoured by the unapologetically black friendship between Feyi and Joy. As a queer black woman, I appreciate the representation of biphobia within the community, especially displayed by black men against other black men.
The romance between Feyi and Nasir felt honest and real and gave me hope for Feyi to heal their wounds from grief. I did not feel this way at the end of the book, I felt Nasir as a character took a beating to allow Emezi to justify the eventual romantic interest, Alim . This was an insta-love situation, which I can often get on board with in romance novels, but this relationship wasn’t given any exploration other than mutual attraction and bonding over grieving experiences. I felt uncomfortable with the age-gap and influence over Feyi’s career that Alim had. I had such high hopes for this novel and was left disappointed.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Homophobia
melodyseestrees's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
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
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Sexual content, Grief, and Death
Moderate: Child death, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcohol, Homophobia, and Biphobia
bookwormbi's review
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
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
I’m honestly wondering how I’m going to enjoy another book because this one was so incredibly excellent that I may never be satisfied again. Absolute perfection. This is the exact opposite of a book I’d normally read and I really struggled with the premise of it, but I ended up rooting for the characters so much and really reflecting on grief and loss and life and joy.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death
Minor: Racism, Death of parent, and Homophobia
jaz_gets_literary's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This contains <SPOILERS!!!!>
From the first sentence I felt like Feyi was my kind of girl. It’s been 5 years since the car accident that took the love her life and Feyi is getting back out to the streets. Have you ever met a guy and then met his friend and wished you met the friend first? That’s what happened to Feyi not once but twice. And the second times it happens is with someone who is definitely off limits. When you find someone who you cannot connect with on another level and who understands your grief, do you both risk it all to be together? When you have the “perfect” guy who is patient with you and loves you, do you break is heart for a feeling that might be fleeting?
This book was messy from the beginning and I was here for it majority of the time. I feel like Nasir (I listened to the audiobook so if the spelling is wrong by please forgive me) was okay in his reaction. Like I don’t think he would have gotten to the point to be physical with Feyi but why were they so annoyed by his reaction. Like was he not supposed to be pissed when he found out especially the way he found out. I slightly feel like the ending was rushed. He just apologized too quickly and what about how his sister feels now. What’s going to happen when they get back stateside? What tea with Joy and her “boo”? What was her reaction to the art piece when Feyi finished? So many questions that didn’t get answered. While I don’t think there should be another book, an epilogue would have helped.
From the first sentence I felt like Feyi was my kind of girl. It’s been 5 years since the car accident that took the love her life and Feyi is getting back out to the streets. Have you ever met a guy and then met his friend and wished you met the friend first? That’s what happened to Feyi not once but twice. And the second times it happens is with someone who is definitely off limits. When you find someone who you cannot connect with on another level and who understands your grief, do you both risk it all to be together? When you have the “perfect” guy who is patient with you and loves you, do you break is heart for a feeling that might be fleeting?
This book was messy from the beginning and I was here for it majority of the time. I feel like Nasir (I listened to the audiobook so if the spelling is wrong by please forgive me) was okay in his reaction. Like I don’t think he would have gotten to the point to be physical with Feyi but why were they so annoyed by his reaction. Like was he not supposed to be pissed when he found out especially the way he found out. I slightly feel like the ending was rushed. He just apologized too quickly and what about how his sister feels now. What’s going to happen when they get back stateside? What tea with Joy and her “boo”? What was her reaction to the art piece when Feyi finished? So many questions that didn’t get answered. While I don’t think there should be another book, an epilogue would have helped.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Blood, and Grief
Moderate: Sexual content and Cursing
Minor: Homophobia and Infidelity
elliedesatge's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia, Misogyny, Cursing, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
readingwithkaitlyn's review
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Domestic abuse, Car accident, Infidelity, Body shaming, Violence, Death, and Homophobia
Minor: Cancer and Child death
Drowning,kristakp's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
tense
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
4.25
I'm surprised that I liked this book as much as I did. The plot was not my favorite, the idea of falling in love with someone twice my age is viciously unappealing. But the prose was written so well and the emotions felt real and earned. Sure, the romance wasn't my cup of tea, but I've read so many worse novels that had the tropes that I liked so I don't think that matters all that much. This book pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I feel like a better reader for it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Death
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Homophobia
foreverinastory's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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? Yes
5.0
Damn this was amazing! I should've read it sooner. Also someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is mainly set in Trinidad & Tobago?
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is a romance novel that follows Feyi, a grieving widow. After 5 years, Feyi thinks she's ready to go back on the dating scene. Feyi first finds Milan, who is hot and makes her feel attraction for the first time in a long time. But neither is ready or willing to open up, so after a brief friends with benefits fling, they go their separate ways. What Feyi doesn't expect is Milan's friend, Nasir, to call her immediately after and attempt to woo her.
Feyi feels something for Nasir, but she's wary of romance and dating since the death of her spouse, Jonah. The two agree to be friends and take it slow. The synopsis says these two are dating, but I think that's a mislabel. They agree to be friends first and foremost. Now Feyi goes into this relationship to eventually pursue something romantic with Nasir, but she's not quite ready to jump into it.
The two head off on a trip to meet Nasir's family and have Feyi attend an art show on the island. When Feyi meets Nasir's dad, Alim Blake, there's something between them that she can't deny. As she gets to know Alim, she finds someone who understands her pain of losing her spouse too soon. Something Nasir could never understand. Feyi is unsure how to navigate this growing attraction with Alim and her possible relationship with Nasir. Especially since she's starting to think Alim returns her attraction.
Look this book won't be for everyone. But I think it is an amazing second chance romance between two people who have lost people before. Something that really bothered me about Nasir's reaction to finding out about Feyi and Alim (who had only kissed up to that point) was that he felt entitled to Feyi's body and I'm not here for that. Even if you are in a relationship with someone, you don't owe them your body. You don't owe a partner sex. Consent is needed every single time and it can be revoked at ANY point. Kissing someone doesn't automatically mean you are going to have sex with them.
This book is very messy and maybe even a little unhinged, but relationships and life are fucking messy. Attraction doesn't always follow logic and most people can't turn their attraction off like a tap. I found the relationship between Feyi and Alim much more intimate, romantic and trusting than I did between Feyi and Nasir.
Lastly, Joy is the best and I love her with all my heart. Please Akwaeke can we have a companion/sequel about Joy.
Rep: Nigerian-American bisexual cis female MC with PTSD and anxiety, Afro-Carribean bisexual cis male side character, Afro-Carribean hetersexual cis male side character, Ghanian-American lesbian cis female side character, various Black and Afro-Carribean side characters.
CWs: Grief, death, sexual content, blood, death of parent, cursing, mental illness (PTSD and anxiety), biphobia/bimisia, injury/injury detail, homophobia/homomisia. Moderate: Violence, past car accident, domestic abuse, alcohol consumption, child death, suicidal thoughts, toxic relationship, misogyny, sexism, cancer mention.
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is a romance novel that follows Feyi, a grieving widow. After 5 years, Feyi thinks she's ready to go back on the dating scene. Feyi first finds Milan, who is hot and makes her feel attraction for the first time in a long time. But neither is ready or willing to open up, so after a brief friends with benefits fling, they go their separate ways. What Feyi doesn't expect is Milan's friend, Nasir, to call her immediately after and attempt to woo her.
Feyi feels something for Nasir, but she's wary of romance and dating since the death of her spouse, Jonah. The two agree to be friends and take it slow. The synopsis says these two are dating, but I think that's a mislabel. They agree to be friends first and foremost. Now Feyi goes into this relationship to eventually pursue something romantic with Nasir, but she's not quite ready to jump into it.
The two head off on a trip to meet Nasir's family and have Feyi attend an art show on the island. When Feyi meets Nasir's dad, Alim Blake, there's something between them that she can't deny. As she gets to know Alim, she finds someone who understands her pain of losing her spouse too soon. Something Nasir could never understand. Feyi is unsure how to navigate this growing attraction with Alim and her possible relationship with Nasir. Especially since she's starting to think Alim returns her attraction.
Look this book won't be for everyone. But I think it is an amazing second chance romance between two people who have lost people before. Something that really bothered me about Nasir's reaction to finding out about Feyi and Alim (who had only kissed up to that point) was that he felt entitled to Feyi's body and I'm not here for that. Even if you are in a relationship with someone, you don't owe them your body. You don't owe a partner sex. Consent is needed every single time and it can be revoked at ANY point. Kissing someone doesn't automatically mean you are going to have sex with them.
This book is very messy and maybe even a little unhinged, but relationships and life are fucking messy. Attraction doesn't always follow logic and most people can't turn their attraction off like a tap. I found the relationship between Feyi and Alim much more intimate, romantic and trusting than I did between Feyi and Nasir.
Lastly, Joy is the best and I love her with all my heart. Please Akwaeke can we have a companion/sequel about Joy.
Rep: Nigerian-American bisexual cis female MC with PTSD and anxiety, Afro-Carribean bisexual cis male side character, Afro-Carribean hetersexual cis male side character, Ghanian-American lesbian cis female side character, various Black and Afro-Carribean side characters.
CWs: Grief, death, sexual content, blood, death of parent, cursing, mental illness (PTSD and anxiety), biphobia/bimisia, injury/injury detail, homophobia/homomisia. Moderate: Violence, past car accident, domestic abuse, alcohol consumption, child death, suicidal thoughts, toxic relationship, misogyny, sexism, cancer mention.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Death of parent, Blood, Cursing, Death, Mental illness, Biphobia, Grief, and Homophobia
Moderate: Misogyny, Car accident, Domestic abuse, Violence, Child death, Toxic relationship, Sexism, Cancer, Alcohol, and Suicidal thoughts
agnesbebon's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Messy, beautiful, alive.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Car accident, Death of parent, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief