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philomathean's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
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
The writing here is so lush - the level of description usually reserved for a love interest is deftly applied to most things: food, architecture, scenery, moments and memories. I simply could not put this book down and repeatedly had those ‘just one more chapter’ moments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Biphobia, Homophobia, and Death of parent
thecatconstellation's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
medium-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
4.25
This is a complicated, messy love story and a brilliant reflection on love after loss.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, and Car accident
Moderate: Biphobia, Cursing, Homophobia, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death and Violence
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: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Vomit, and Alcohol
Minor: Domestic abuse and Panic attacks/disorders
courtneymcgarity's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
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? No
5.0
Sometime a piece of art, a painting, a play, a book, comes along that makes you feel alive. It reminds you what it is to be human. It draws your attention to the insanity that is living on this earth, breathing, existing, feeling everything. This book felt like that. It felt like poetry. The love story was one of the messiest, but somehow not the most complicated because it just fit. I loved these characters, laughed so much at Joy and Feyi’s relationship, and cried multiple times throughout this book. It’s definitely going to stick with me for a while.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Minor: Child death, Drug use, and Homophobia
savvylit's review against another edition
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Homophobia
aniglen's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, and Grief
maryjames's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Blood, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Homophobia and Injury/Injury detail
citrusboombox's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Death and Car accident
Minor: Homophobia
simplybibliophiles's review against another edition
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: Death, Blood, Grief, and Car accident
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