You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi is a romance novel, which is not something I knew when I started reading it. It follows the same beats as a romance novel, albeit with a somewhat outlandish premise. There were so many opportunities for this book not to work for me, which is why I was surprised when so much of it did. The characters are well-written, and the story lets the characters drive the romance rather than the other way around. I adored the indulgent, luscious descriptions of the landscapes, food (seriously mouth-watering), people, and art. I found the romantic relationship to be easy to root for, as the two central characters are flawed yet likable, mature, and interesting.

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ecn's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I think that I just need to come to the conclusion that I don’t really like romance stories. The writing was great bc it’s Emezi but the story just felt a bit to unrealistic and FAST. But also, nothing really happened throughout the book (and not in a slow burn kind of way for me)? I feel like I didn’t really get to dive into the grief of the characters and know anything else about them. And yea it was definitely a messy story but i did not find it to be as fun as others said BUT! I did like it more than I thought. And, not to to end on a petty note, but the pet names throughout just made me cringe :/ it was a bit too much from the get go and only got worse when it was the ONLY way the MC was referred to

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booksalacarte's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad tense 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

3.75

Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again.

It’s been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio, and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.

This new life she asked for just got a lot more complicated, and Feyi must begin her search for real answers. Who is she ready to become? Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?

——————

✨My Opinion✨

I would say that this is a book more about grief and climbing your way back to life, rather than a romance. This aspect of the writing was really well done.

Personal preference for me was that I didn’t enjoy the winding way to the MMC. I feel like we didn’t get as much time to get to know him and connect with him better. But I also realize that this book wasn’t about him.

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eve81's review against another edition

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medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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savvylit's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful 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

4.5

A literary romance with lots of heart, messy characters, and a slow build to spicy encounters? You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty is the best romance book I've ever read. This is my fourth Emezi book and clear proof that they can write in any genre and excel at it. Feyi, Joy, and Alim are all perfectly imperfect. Feyi and Joy's friendship in particular is one of the best parts of the novel. Though the story focuses on Feyi's romantic life, I couldn't help but stop and admire the deep love that she has for Joy and their friendship. Joy is her anchor, her biggest cheerleader, and the one most likely to roast her for her bad decisions. Their relationship feels incredibly true to life. Also true to life is the spectrum of male partners that Feyi encounters. From chill to deeply devoted to infuriating incel, this book perfectly captures the highs and lows of the straight dating scene.

Finally, it's difficult to talk about the love story in You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty while trying to stay spoiler-free. I will say, though, that the romance in this book is so well done. Emezi builds the central relationship in a way that feels genuine and self-aware on a character level. The two parties involved constantly consider and respect the emotional territory of dating while grappling grief. I loved how things unfolded at a pace that was simultaneously safe and sexy.

I'd recommend this book to folks who love Emezi's writing, who aren't usually big into romance novels, and who love messy characters of all ages.

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thatenbyisisreads's review against another edition

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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

melodyseestrees's review against another edition

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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

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