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

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