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A review by simplybibliophiles
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi
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