Welcome to Litsy!

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

#manicmonday #letterY @CBee @The_Penniless_Author

I was going to say The End of Mr Y for the book, but since Randy is being Captain Rulebook about it, I'll do it properly 😇😉

📖 You made a fool of death with your beauty (Emezi)
✒ Hanya Yanagihara
🎬 Y tú mama tambien
🎤 Years & years
🎶 Youngblood (5sos)

Bonus song: You (Matilda)

CBee Captain Rulebook 😂😂 1y

The_Penniless_Author I'm proud of any part I might have played in your journey toward alphabetical correctness 😊 1y

vivastory Y Tu Mama Tambien 👏 👏 1y

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BookishlyPleasant

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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This was an engrossing, beautiful and emotionally charged read. Feyi felt like a friend who was navigating a new chapter of healing and growth and I was with her in all of the mess that comes with. The way that grief, love, loss, anger, lust and new beginnings are written is enough to take your breath away!

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Bookboss

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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I am not a big romance reader. I understand that many readers find comfort in the predictability of the romance plot, but I just get restless. I decided to try this book because I loved the author‘s previous work, The Death of Vivek Oji. Reader, I loved it! The setting is beautiful, and the language is fabulous. The characters are well-drawn and interesting. The plot is somewhat predictable but the other elements made the whole story lovely.

dabbe Want to kiss that snuggly and beautiful kitty face! ❣️🐾❣️ 1y

Bookboss @dabbe He is a good boy! 1y

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paisleyjess

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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Much different than their other novel. This one is about hope after death and love.

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underground_bks

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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This lush, moving, queer, & deliciously dramatic romance follows Feyi, a widowed young artist, who finds herself falling for her new boyfriend‘s father, a celebrity chef and a widower himself, while staying in his home on a Caribbean island. I believed in Feyi and Alim‘s relationship but didn‘t find it hot, despite all the good spice! Mostly, I loved what this novel had to say about grief, recovering from trauma, & embracing love how you find it.

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Pinta

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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Wish the hot girl summer of the opening had lasted longer, Feyi & her bold self getting out & getting some. Examining grief in a romance is a tricky choice & switch back to more surface romance tropes & patterns a little forced. Not sure I believed the lovers belonged together, but then a major theme=how love surprises. Great settings & sex scenes. Resetting identity after loss. P2 “Feyi had already decided who she wanted to be that night” 2022

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Tianarose

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

This book was so good! Listened to the audiobook. Loved it. 5🌟

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emmaturi

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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I enjoyed this story too, with romance, some steam and funny dialogue. Feyi is an artist she makes friends with a guy who invites her to a Carribean island and she meets someone who she shouldn't fall in love with.

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NovelNancyM

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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Maybe romance novels are not for me, but in spite of the grief the character's have experienced they were so narcissistic I had no empathy for them.

LeslieO I only read a few pages and decided I wasn‘t in the mood for it. But that is the greatest title and cover. 1y

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DanaManiac

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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First 5 ⭐️ read of August!

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You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

so-so

Emezi is a talented writer, but this took me an age to read. It's a clichéd and sappy forbidden love story that at times had me rolling my eyes and saying "oh, brother..." out loud.

Expect yummy writing and fiery sex scenes, but also insta-love and 50-shades-of-grey-style-falling-for-a-millionaire-wish-fulfillment. It wasn't a bad romance, but it didn't push any boundaries either.

⭐⭐⭐ 3 stars

RaeLovesToRead #pop22 Romance by a BIPOC @Cinfhen @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain @jenniferw88 @4thhouseontheleft @Megabooks @Laughterhp @KarenUK @Cortg 2y

RaeLovesToRead *BIPOC author 2y

Cortg Nice job! This author is hit or miss for me. 2y

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Megabooks This was a so-so for me too! 2y

squirrelbrain Great review! It didn‘t come out particularly well at #camplitsy either. 🤷‍♀️ 2y

batsy I felt the same! Was disappointed that someone who wrote Freshwater just gave it to all of the clichés in this one. 2y

RaeLovesToRead @Cortg @Megabooks @squirrelbrain @batsy Thanks guys! I will be checking out Emezi's other work in the future, hopefully 😊 2y

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DimeryRene

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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Lots of drama! I loved it so much! Decadent, colorful, and artistic. 🌺 This book deals so well with grief and love and how those two feelings stay and intertwine in is.

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alisiakae

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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Way late for this #camplitsy selection (like most of them 😂). I almost DNF‘d 25 pages in, but I‘m glad I didn‘t, because I ended up really enjoying this story! Sultry, steamy, and filled with both vivid imagery and imperfect characters dealing with grief. Definitely recommended for fans of Queenie. Some cringe worthy moments, as these are not perfect characters. I look forward to reading Emezi‘s other books, they definitely caught my attention.

squirrelbrain Great review -I can definitely see the comparisons with Queenie. 2y

DimeryRene Oh sultry is a great word! 2y

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alisiakae

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

One of my favorite used bookstore cafes is right next to our oncology vet. #HelloKitty is there today for imaging and staging, and if that comes out clear, she‘ll get her 1st chemo treatment today. Waiting here is easier than there, but not by much.

Amputation is out, as it is too close to her vertebra. So anything we do is palliative, not a cure, but we can hope for 2+ yrs more with her if chemo works, if it hasn‘t spread yet.🤞#catsofinstagram

quietjenn Good luck ❤️ 2y

Susanita Sending healing vibes. ❤️‍🩹 2y

MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm Hoping for the best for your fur baby. ❤️ 2y

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squirrelbrain Hope you get good news. 🤞 2y

ravenlee Best of luck for your baby. 2y

alisiakae @quietjenn @Susanita @MegaWhoppingCosmicBookwyrm @squirrelbrain @ravenlee Thabk you so much! We got the good news we were hoping for, it‘s Stage 1 and hasn‘t spread. And they immediately started her 1st round of chemo today. 🙌🏽 There‘s no cure, but hopefully chemo will give us another few years with her. 2y

Addison_Reads @4thhouseontheleft I'm glad they were able to move so quickly with her treatment. I've been thinking about you and your kitty. I'm hoping for the best possible outcome you guys can get. 💚 2y

ravenlee Oh, hooray! When my fur baby got her cancer diagnosis it was too late to do anything but try to make her comfortable and the end cane quickly. I‘m so glad you have time with HelloKitty! Give her a scritch for me! 2y

alisiakae @ravenlee Thank you! Yeah, we lost our older kitty #Isabel in April after finding lung tumors way too late to do anything. The end came just a few days later, so fast we came home a day early from spring break. I was so glad today to hear HK's hadn't spread. 2y

squirrelbrain I‘m so pleased that you got the news you hoped for, and that she‘s started her treatment already. ❤️ 2y

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alisiakae

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

No plans this weekend other than sitting out by the pool, reading and relaxing! We have some tough medical appts coming up this week so I‘m giving myself the grace to take it easy and enjoy the sun and water.

AlaMich That pool is gorgeous!! 2y

Bklover Wishing you the best at your appointments. Beautiful pool- enjoy! 2y

5feet.of.fury Wishing you good outcomes of your appointments! And looking forward to your thoughts on this book 💕 2y

ShelleyBooksie Gorgeous pool 2y

ShelleyBooksie Hope your appts go well. 2y

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You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

"You don't think she loves you?"

"I know she does. And that's something I've learned in the years since, that there are so many different types of love, so many ways someone can stay committed to you, stay in your life even if y'all aren't together, you know? And none of these ways are more important than the other."

Blueberry Reminds me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. 2y

Librariana "So many ways someone can stay committed to you..." SIGH ? Lovely! Truly. 2y

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Pearrr

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

#currentlyreading📖

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KarenUK

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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#camplitsy. Finally finished! 🤦‍♀️ I really enjoyed this. Not just because of the gorgeous cover and great title (which I adored), but I loved the vibrant writing and language. It‘s a sexy, sultry, messy love story, not for those who find insta-love annoying (I‘m not one of them!) The complicated, intense attraction and connection through personal loss and creativity made sense to me. (Continued in the comments)…

Megabooks, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB

KarenUK ….And I really rooted for Feyi. I connected with all her messiness, her insecurities and self doubt, her walls she put up one minute, only to take impulsive risks the next. Great summery read for me. Seems like I‘m in the minority though! 😂 4 stars for me (but I‘m a #starslut so what do I know! ?🤷‍♀️ (edited) 2y

KarenUK Also used this for #booked2022 #authorborninafrica @Cinfhen @BarbaraTheBibliophage @4thhouseontheleft 💕📚 2y

squirrelbrain It does seem like you‘re in the minority doesn‘t it?! Glad you loved it! 2y

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Cinfhen You are a #StarSlut but that‘s ok xxx I didn‘t hate this one but it was #MoreMehThanYeah for me 2y

Megabooks I‘m glad you loved it!! Every book deserves a fangirl! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 2y

BarbaraBB What @Megabooks says 🤍🤍 2y

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You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

New gratitude journal and notebook from Papier 💕💕💕

Plus the books I'm failing to read today 📚

Cinfhen Gorgeous 🤩 2y

RaeLovesToRead @Cinfhen Thank you! I love Papier designs 💕 2y

Cathythoughts Very nice 💕 2y

RaeLovesToRead @Cathythoughts I shall start recording my gratitude soon 😊 2y

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coffees

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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Wow this was so beautiful ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 I really loved all the characters and how poetic the writing was, it's such a messy story about loss, healing, and pushing past our fears, of taking opportunities, of being selfish, and of love. Also, this was so unexpectedly #queer like yes I loved it!! I have so many more words but just *chef's kiss* ⚠️ For age gap, graphic sex, and mentions of dead loved ones

#jubilantjuly @Andrew65 #readathon

coffees #bookspin #bookspinbingo 2y

Andrew65 Well done 👏👏👏 2y

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Sparklemn

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

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This was the first full-blown romance novel that I've read in years. I enjoyed it more than I expected and was very happy with the ending. Glad I could read it along with the other campers! #camplitsy

willaful There's some wonderful romance writing going on now... the genre has changed a lot! Though I'm not sure this qualifies as a genre romance? 2y

Sparklemn @willaful You're right. I'm not sure what genre this would fall into. But I enjoyed the romance aspect. Any romance authors that you'd recommend? I'd love to try one. 2y

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coffees

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

Next on the list for #jubilantjuly! The narrator sounds really familiar but can't remember what book off the top of my head, and aside from the unexpectedly graphic sex scene at the start (not that I mind lol), it sounds like it's an interesting read, maybe a heartbreak and healing type of story? 🤔

16 likes

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

Welcome back to #CampLitsy! We‘re at the halfway point of the summer. 🏕 I know I‘ve been enjoying these discussions, and I hope you have, too!

Last week, we discussed Feyi‘s instant connections. Now that more has been revealed about Alim and the similarities between his and Feyi‘s relationship histories, do you think they can make it work?

Megabooks
@mklong @kitta @oryx @jhod @itsanotherjen @zenwldflwr @sophronisba @thegreensofa @suet624 @bookwormjillk @larkken @julesg @trishb @soubhiville @mrsV @jlhammar @cariashley @thekidupstairs @sarahbellum @sparklemn 2y

Megabooks
@karenuk @rsteve388 @vivastory @cinfhen @chelsea.poole @batsy @sarahbarnes @merelybookish @micheleinphilly @well-readneck @cathythoughts @annececilie @rockpools @susanita @bkclubcare @lmjenkins @emilymdxn @desha @hooked_on_books @kdgordon88 2y

Megabooks
@ruthiella @caroline2 @youneverarrived @eraderneely @4thhouseontheleft @leniverse @laughterhp @addison_reads @christine @thebluestocking @theresa @simona @imperfectCJ @lindy @thereadingpal @beckywiththegoodbooks @raelovestoread 2y

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AnneCecilie I think that is a common ground for them and that the loss is something that the other understand, also the suddenness of the loss. They also seem to be the kind of people to give each other space when need be. 2y

Laughterhp I think they can see the grief in each other and she found someone besides her best friend that she can open up to. I hope they can make it last because it caused so much drama but they live in very different worlds. 2y

Kitta @Laughterhp I agree I‘m hoping they can make it last because of all the drama they went though to be together. I think Feyi had to find someone she could open up to to feel comfortable in a “real” relationship. It wouldn‘t have worked with Namir. 2y

Megabooks @AnneCecilie that‘s interesting that you point out the space. Both didn‘t seem ready to move to the other‘s city yet, so hopefully that will give them a chance to ease into the relationship. 2y

Megabooks @Laughterhp @kitta the drama was a bit intense at times. I almost asked a question about Nasir‘s erratic, imo, immature behavior, but I cut it last minute. The siblings definitely had strong opinions about what they thought Alim should do both now and in the past. I think he deserves happiness and space, especially since the kids are adults. 2y

Kitta @Megabooks I think especially since they didn‘t accept him (Alim) for being bisexual he deserves happiness now. As a bisexual myself I was worried about my family forcing me to choose a straight relationship but thankfully that hasn‘t been the case. I would have liked Nasir and his sister to accept him more for this but you can‘t have it all! 2y

squirrelbrain I agree @Laughterhp that they live very different lives. I kind of hope that they do make it work, partly as I think his kids were being very immature about it all, but I‘m not sure I can see it. 2y

Soubhiville @Kitta @Laughterhp @Megabooks Same as you all, I hope they make it because of the lengths they went to in order to try. I definitely think their shared grief gives them common ground, and they seem to be able to relate and communicate in a deep way Feyi hadn‘t allowed herself before. I can see why the kids didn‘t trust Feyi‘s love- the way the relationship started wasn‘t ideal- but also life is messy sometimes and I hope they eventually will ⬇️ 2y

Soubhiville Respect their dad‘s right to finally move on and have love again. 2y

Laughterhp @Megabooks @squirrelbrain Alim has definitely given up a lot for his kids and they can‘t see that. He gave up one relationship when they were younger, but you think as adults they‘d be less immature and more accepting. 2y

MicheleinPhilly Call me a pessimist, but I really don‘t. I never really thought their connection was based on anything other than physical chemistry and Alim‘s celebrity. I didn‘t really buy their relationship and thought the end was kind of eye-rolly. 2y

Leniverse Shared grief is definitely where they connect, in addition to that lightning strike insta-love thing. Whether it lasts or not, it seems like a relationship they both need in order to move forward. As for Nasir, I just want to roll my eyes and tell him, "If you hadn't been such a homophobic asshat about your dad's bisexuality, you wouldn't be competing for the same woman now. Karma, dude." 2y

Megabooks @Kitta thank you for sharing your perspective as a bisexual person! I imagine it is difficult for some people to resist pressure to be in a relationship with the opposite gender. 2y

Megabooks @Soubhiville @squirrelbrain @Laughterhp @Kitta I am rooting for them as well, especially since he burnt down so much of his life. I always want people to find happiness in real life (and fictional worlds too), and it‘s about time for the kids to let Alim make choices he believes are in his own best interest! @Leniverse interesting point that they both need each other to move on, and 💯 re: the kids being homophobes! 2y

Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly yeah, the end was a bit neat for me as well, but I prefer messy endings in books. I think @Leniverse ‘s point about needing this is interesting because even if it doesn‘t last, perhaps it will allow them to move on with others. 2y

Cathythoughts Yes I think Feyi and Alims similar histories are what brings them together on a deep level. I‘m not sure about their future.. their present is in a beautiful bubble, the house , the mountain, they are in pain and conflict in such a beautiful place .. what will happen when real life eventually sets in 🤷🏼‍♀️ I wonder about that. (edited) 2y

Megabooks @Cathythoughts agree that it is a bubble. And does Alim actually work? It‘s nothing like the celebrity chef memoirs I‘ve read! There is something a bit magical about that location. 2y

Kitta @Megabooks it‘s definitely hard when you seemingly have a choice, but you can‘t help who you fall in love with and getting easier all the time to be in an lgbtq relationship! The struggles the generation above me faced were much greater. Although who knows how hard it‘ll be in the US in years to come with the Supreme Court rolling back rights! /political rant over 2y

Cathythoughts Good question Meg , does Alim actually work? . Ya it‘s like the magic happens there in that time and place , the healing begins. Maybe that‘s it. Maybe their futures will not be together. (edited) 2y

Addison_Reads I think they found each other when they needed to and sometimes real life works out that way, but not usually. It works in this story, but I think at some point in the future, when they've both healed, their paths might diverge and they remain friends. 2y

Ruthiella I also think that maybe Feyi and Alim are right for each other right now. There are so many factors that play into maintaining a long term relationship, but the fact that they both have careers that consume a lot of time and energy, plus the age and geographical distance makes me a think it would be challenging to remain together. 2y

Megabooks @Kitta ugh yes! I‘m very worried about LGBTQIAP+ rights as well! (edited) 2y

Megabooks @Cathythoughts I was just thinking being a celebrity chef isn‘t meditating on a hill and cooking random recipes in a home kitchen far away from the restaurants you own! Hopefully they do find healing though. (edited) 2y

Megabooks @Addison_Reads yes, I can see them as friends if it doesn‘t work out. They both seemed to have an interest in supporting the other. 2y

Megabooks @Ruthiella those are all important factors in a lasting relationship. I think the book was left a bit open as to whether they possess them. 👍🏻 2y

Deblovestoread Sometimes people are in your life for a finite amount of time. I think Feyi needed Alim to get to the next step in her life and sharing her grief with someone who got it was that step. But I‘m not sure I buy happily ever after for these two. 2y

squirrelbrain @Addison_Reads @Ruthiella @Kdgordon88 - hopefully you‘re all right and they‘ll both get the love and support they need from each other Igbo now, and then move on to being supportive friends. 2y

batsy I'm with @MicheleinPhilly and I guess I feel bad because I know that we're meant to see that they found each other at the right time because of their experience with grief, but as a relationship I found it hard to believe. It felt like we're scratching at the surface. The thing that interested me most about Alim is his past relationship with Devon & what it must have cost him to give it up & put his children's opinions first. 2y

MicheleinPhilly @batsy YES. His children‘s reaction to Devon confused me as well but I‘m also bringing my own life experience to that. Once I moved out of my parents‘ house (at 17), I literally did not give a fuck what either of them did with other people. But again, that‘s me. I was also curious about what island specifically they were on. I could see it being a HUGE issue somewhere like Jamaica. 2y

MrsV I agree that Feyi and Alim connected to each other with their shared grief. 2y

Hooked_on_books I don‘t see them together in the future because I don‘t see them together now! They don‘t even know each other! They spend these long conversations talking about how to tell his kids they‘re going to try to date and assuming some long future thing, yet she doesn‘t know if he would even want to come to NYC?!? Come on! This isn‘t a relationship, it‘s speculation and flirting. And she‘s too much of a fan girl for this to work. She kept referring to🔽 2y

Hooked_on_books him as “Alim fucking Blake!” Um, maybe his daughter thinking she‘s a groupie isn‘t so far off? I kept yelling at the book through the second half, and this is largely why. 2y

Hooked_on_books @Leniverse “Homophobic asshat” 😂 I love it! Perfect! 2y

Megabooks @Kdgordon88 @squirrelbrain yeah, I think several of us are having trouble with forever for these two. Sometimes mr/ms right now is enough. 2y

Megabooks @batsy @MicheleinPhilly I think the thing with Devon was when the kids were still at home/in school, but still, it‘s a bit ridiculous to expect a parent to not have happiness in an adult relationship as long as that person isn‘t abusive. 🤷🏻‍♀️ plus I was NOT down with their homophobia, but also have read that different places in the Caribbean are more homophobic culturally than others, especially for men with men. 2y

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books that was weird that they were still all Alim fucking Blake. At times, it was hard to believe there was anything deeper with these characters. I was hoping for more a literary romance, but yeah…this wasn‘t that. 2y

Well-ReadNeck @Hooked_on_books YES! To everything u said. 2y

BarbaraBB @Leniverse Hear hear 💯! 2y

BarbaraBB @Megabooks I was probably not that invested in the book because I didn‘t even wonder if Alim needed to work but you‘re absolutely right of course! It‘s bizarre him just cooking for her on an island. 2y

BarbaraBB @Hooked_on_books Most ridiculous was that Feyi wasn‘t even a fan in the first place, Joy was. But she became one instantly 🤣 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB lololol yeah, I just kept thinking, how the F does he just have time to be hanging out and teaching Feyi to cook for WEEKS?? Because she was working on that commission for 6 weeks, and his big restaurant was in Toronto I thought, so wouldn‘t he have to go there sometimes??? And then he was just going to hang with her in Brooklyn?? It didn‘t add up! (edited) 2y

Hooked_on_books @BarbaraBB Exactly! I was rolling my eyes so hard at the second half I almost lost a contact lens! 2y

Bookwormjillk I‘m late to the party today but @Hooked_on_books I agree with you. I just didn‘t see it. And @Megabooks good points about his work/lack of work. 2y

Megabooks @Bookwormjillk it was just so odd because usually you have to, idk, work to be successful enough for a Michelin star. 2y

Sparklemn Like others have said, I think they were the right people for each other at the right moment, and maybe he'll go to Brooklyn and they'll be together for a bit longer, but then they're both going to realize they're ready to move on (separately) with their lives. 2y

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You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

Most of us were excited to learn more about Feyi‘s art in the second half. As we talked about last week, grief is a very personal and powerful experience. Now that she‘s had her show, what do you think of her work and what she conveys? Would you go to one of her shows?

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Kitta Yes I‘d absolutely go see one of her shows! I love the idea of the rings inside a small space reflecting off everything. It reminds me a bit of the infinity rooms by Yayoi Kusama, which I went to see. 2y

Laughterhp I think her shoes and art work sound really cool. I‘ve never really been to an art show, but I would definitely check hers out. 2y

Megabooks @Kitta I just looked up the infinity mirror! Very cool connection. Thanks for mentioning it! 👍🏻 2y

Megabooks @Laughterhp agreed. Her work seems very interesting! 2y

squirrelbrain I often don‘t understand a lot of ‘modern art‘ but it sounds like there is a strong message in all of Feyi‘s art, which would make it more interesting and understandable. I didn‘t like the sound of the real blood though. 2y

Soubhiville I think her art sounds powerful, I‘d love to see it! Often at shows and museums I‘m most touched by the unexpected. I loved hearing more about her process and I‘m glad the author went there. I wonder if this all came from their imagination or if they were influenced by art they have seen. 2y

Leniverse The art was my favourite part of the book. 2y

Megabooks @Leniverse 🙌🏻🙌🏻 2y

Megabooks @squirrelbrain lol, yeah real blood is definitely intense! I love it when the art is explained at a show rather than just presented. It always makes for a richer experience. I‘m hoping our resident art expert @BarbaraBB is able to chime in from Cuba!! 🤞🏻🤞🏻 2y

Megabooks @Soubhiville I wondered that too… whether there is a particular real-life artist that inspired Emezi‘s character‘s art?? (edited) 2y

Cathythoughts I think her art sounds fascinating @Kitta I loved the reflecting rings too. Also , Feyi and Pooja ‘ tearing the fabric apart with their bare hands, soaking it with anger and grief and all the terrible feelings that came with being alive‘ Yes , definitely a way of dealing with grief. A creative interactive symbolic way through her art. I found that powerful. 2y

squirrelbrain Such a powerful part of the book @Cathythoughts - thanks for reminding us of it. Clearly Feyi‘s art was impactful and helpful to other people too. 2y

Addison_Reads The art installation was one of my favorite parts of this book and her pain from her loss was very evident as she was creating. She poured every bit of herself into her art and it was beautiful to read. 2y

AnneCecilie I think I would have loved, but I must admit that I was a little shocked when she said she used blood. Using personal things with meaning makes it more dramatic. @Kitta Interesting comparison to Kusama. I didn‘t think about that. 2y

Ruthiella Thanks @Kitta for mentioning Kusama! I have a hard time often visualizing what I read. I googled the artist‘s installation art and now have a better idea of what Feyi‘s work might have looked like! 2y

Kitta @Ruthiella I‘m sure she‘s not the only person to do reflecting rooms but her work is pretty spectacular. I‘m glad the comparison helped! 2y

Megabooks @Cathythoughts @squirrelbrain yes, that scene with Pooja was one of the best/most powerful for me too. I was one of the few (if not the only) times I was truly moved by this book. (edited) 2y

Megabooks @Addison_Reads me too. I would‘ve loved to see the wedding ring piece. I thought that scene where she confronts Nasir there was one of the best. I think that‘s where I truly understand his immaturity. 2y

Megabooks @AnneCecilie yes, the blood was an odd touch but I get it. 2y

batsy Yeah, I was intrigued by it. Especially the idea of working in blood, which both interested and scared me. Like I'm sure it would get a strong reaction out of me to see something like that. I had a hard time with Feyi as a character but I loved her best when she was thinking about her work. 2y

MrsV I would absolutely love seeing her art. 2y

Hooked_on_books I think any of the arts are a great way to work through strong emotions or major life experiences. I also think her art shows the extent to which she is not ready to move on. Unlike others, I liked the use of blood. It made the art powerful and (literally) visceral. It‘s a shock to so many and that‘s the point. I was in medicine, so it‘s not as shocking to me. 2y

Megabooks @batsy the blood is dramatic, but I‘m also glad it had a purpose too. The art seemed to be one of the most well thought out parts of the book. 2y

Megabooks @MrsV for sure! 👍🏻 2y

Well-ReadNeck Her installation and how it relates to her grief was the very best part of this story to me. 2y

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books yeah, same. The number 1 thing I thought of when she took Nasir to her studio in Brooklyn were storage concerns as far as smell, rancidity etc! 🤣🤣 but, yes, interesting medium. 2y

Megabooks @Well-ReadNeck agreed. Emezi seemed to have thought out the art more than parts of the plot! 2y

BarbaraBB @Well-ReadNeck @Leniverse I agree with you both. The art was the best part. I especially liked that it‘s open to interpretation; her own wedding ring was a subtle reference to her grief. 2y

BarbaraBB @Megabooks @Squirrel I am definitely no expert of contemporary art installations, though I do enjoy them often, especially when they‘re open to interpretation. I love when authors can make art so attractive you‘d want to see it in real life. My favorite book describing art installations is

What I Loved: A Novel

Megabooks @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain stacked that one. Thanks Barbara! 2y

BarbaraBB Haven‘t you read it?? I‘ll send you my copy, it‘s a must read and a 5⭐️ one for me! 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB no I have not, and I‘d love to!! Thank you dear friend. A Barbara 5⭐️ is very rare and exciting! 2y

BarbaraBB You‘ll enjoy it too I guess. I will send it next week! 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB thanks! 😘😘😘 2y

squirrelbrain I too loved ‘What I Loved‘ when I read it a few years ago…. @BarbaraBB @Megabooks 2y

Suet624 @barbarabb I love it when I am reminded of What I Loved. 😊❤️ 2y

Sparklemn @Kitta Thank you so much for sharing her name. I looked up her work. Fireflies on Water is beautiful. (edited) 2y

Sparklemn @BarbaraBB Added to my wishlist! 2y

BarbaraBB @Sparklemn I hope you‘ll enjoy it if you read it! 2y

31 likes42 comments

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

Our final question for this book deals with your overall impression, so what did you think? Many of us have said we voted for this novel based on the author‘s other works, and since they have written in several genres, how does this one stack up? Are you more or less likely to read another of their books after finishing You Made a Fool…?

Thank you for joining us! I‘ll post the page break and a reminder about our next book tomorrow. 🏕

Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir

See All 58 Comments

Laughterhp Overall, I liked this book and am glad I read it. This author writes many different genres. I‘ve only read their middle grade other than this and I would read more of their work. 2y

Kitta It was very different from their other novels, I‘ve read Freshwater and would love to read the others. I don‘t normally read romance so this was an interesting book for that reason too! 2y

TrishB I didn‘t finish this book but it was more to do with subject matter than the author! I would try others. 2y

Megabooks @Laughterhp glad you enjoyed it! I haven‘t read the author‘s MG. I‘ve loved some of her other adult books, though. 2y

Megabooks @Kitta I don‘t normally read romances either and much preferred Vivek Oji. Freshwater has been on my TBR for years!

Death of Vivek Oji

Megabooks @TrishB 👍🏻👍🏻 I hope you do someday! 2y

jlhammar The only other Emezi I've read is The Death of Vivek Oji. I liked that one quite a bit, but didn't get on with this romance at all. I had to bail at 33% before my eyes rolled out of my head. I'd still be willing to try Freshwater sometime and whatever literary fiction they may write in the future, but I'm not going to be in any rush to do so. I doubt they are ever going to be a wow/love author for me. Beautiful cover art though, both US & UK. 2y

squirrelbrain This is my first book by this author and, whilst I found it OK, it doesn‘t attract me to their others, even though most Littens comment how much they loved Vivek Oji. 2y

Kitta @Megabooks it looks like I only gave Freshwster 3 stars, I think it read too much like a first novel and was very confusing at times! I love speculative fiction but even for me it was a lot. I really want to read Pet and Vivek Oji though. 2y

Kitta @jlhammar I agree that this isn‘t a favourite author of mine, although I desperately wanted them to be. I‘m a big fan of experimentation in writing and I like that they try out different genres but ultimately I don‘t love the books. That said I‘ve only read this one and freshwater! Maybe I‘ll love the others. 2y

MicheleinPhilly I have read and loved Vivek Oji and really want to read Freshwater. I would absolutely read their work in future but will stay away from genres I don‘t normally mesh with. 2y

Soubhiville I loved Vivek Oji and Pet. Freshwater is in my kindle waiting for me. This one I have mixed feelings about. I actually appreciate it more a week out from finishing it than I did while reading it. Emezi made me think about how events and feelings don‘t always flow logically. Is it better to have strict morals or to allow yourself to follow your emotions? Are you ok with hurting someone else if it leads ultimately to your own happiness? 2y

Leniverse I think the plot was weak and predictable, but I liked the prose and the positive messages. I would have liked more depth of character that wasn't just angst. I might try another book by the author in a different genre. 2y

Soubhiville If the first and second halves of the book weren‘t so different I wouldn‘t have liked the book as much. I definitely will read more by Emezi! 2y

Megabooks @jlhammar 💯💯 agree with cover art. I too will read literary fiction by them in the future, but I also enjoyed their memoir.

Megabooks @squirrelbrain I think you might enjoy Vivek Oji if you see it at the library but I respect they may not be a fit for you. 2y

Megabooks @Kitta interesting. Maybe Freshwater should be a #BorrowNotBuy. 🤔 even though I like speculative books too. 2y

Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly 💯 agree! 👍🏻 2y

Megabooks @Soubhiville those are very interesting questions. I love it when I appreciate a book more later. Sometimes the ones that stick you aren‘t the 5⭐️ ones. 2y

Megabooks @Soubhiville and I agree that the halves are very different. The first half felt like a dream or fantasy of easy connections and travel, whereas the second half was a lot messier and more realistic. 2y

Megabooks @Leniverse agree that this book is shallow. Like @jlhammar brought up last week, I think the book would‘ve been stronger with some self reflection. 2y

jlhammar @Megabooks Good to know about their memoir! I'd definitely be willing to give that a try sometime. Did you do print or audio for that? 2y

Megabooks @jlhammar I read the print book. I hope you enjoy it! 2y

Cathythoughts I wasn‘t a fan of this book. But it was fun reading it together in the camp. I won‘t be rushing to read another by this author, but I do hear good reports about Freshwater from Littens , so maybe down the road I‘ll give that a try. 2y

sarahbarnes Thank you so much for hosting the discussion on this book! This book wasn‘t for me, but I still really want to read Freshwater and Vivek Oji! 2y

Addison_Reads Overall I ended up enjoying this one but it does not compare to their other book, Freshwater. I highly recommend reading that one. I love this author for their unique writing style and will continue to read anything they publish. 2y

AnneCecilie A the time that this was picked for camp Litsy I had only read Freshwater. It liked the writing, but didn‘t always understand what went on. In the meantime I read Pet and loved it so much that I bought the prequel Bitter. I was a huge romance reader (Harlequin) in my late teens/ early twenties and I still love romance movies, so I enjoyed this. And it has actually stayed with me after finishing too. 2y

Ruthiella I think like a lot of other campers, this wasn‘t my jam but I certainly would still be interested in reading other work from the author. Thanks for hosting! It‘s been great, Even a book I didn‘t love benefits from discussion and hearing why it did work for other readers makes me appreciate it more! 2y

Megabooks @Cathythoughts thank you for joining this discussion! I‘m sorry this wasn‘t a favorite of you, me, and several other campers, but I still got a lot out of the discussions. I hope you did, too! 2y

Megabooks @sarahbarnes you‘re welcome! I‘m really enjoying camp. I hope you‘ll be joining us for the next book because I miss your insights! 2y

Megabooks @Addison_Reads I‘m glad you‘ve found an auto-read author. That‘s always fun, and I‘m glad this was another pick! 2y

Megabooks @AnneCecilie that‘s great!! I‘m looking to pick up more of their backlist. Freshwater is coming very highly recommended by many. 2y

Megabooks @Ruthiella you‘re welcome! I 💯 agree that the discussion was beneficial, even for those of us who didn‘t love this selection. 2y

squirrelbrain @AnneCecilie @Addison_Reads Having said I wasn‘t drawn to any of their other books, this one comes so highly recommended (and by Littens I admire!) that I may well try it sometime. 2y

Deblovestoread I‘m not sorry I read it but it‘s not a favorite. I have had Vivek Oji on my TBR for awhile so will eventually try another of their books. 2y

batsy I read Freshwater before this and found it quite groundbreaking in some aspects. Was really looking forward to this one but I didn't like it, despite the occasional bits about the art that I found thoughtful & interesting. This felt a bit hollow; a little like the equivalent of a social media feed in a book form. Would still love to check out some of their other books. 2y

MrsV I‘ve read The Death of Vivek Oji by them. I really enjoyed that one. This one not so much. I didn‘t hate it. They have beautiful writing in their books, but I just did not like Feyi and Alim together. If Nasir wasn‘t in the picture I wouldn‘t have any problem with it at all. 2y

Hooked_on_books I expected to hate it and I sure hated the second half! But I didn‘t hate the first half. I didn‘t love it, either, but there were aspects I enjoyed (like her relationship with Joy). I tried reading Freshwater a year or so ago and bailed, as I didn‘t like the writing style. I‘m willing to try Vivek Oji, but am not in any hurry and it‘ll definitely be a library book. 2y

Well-ReadNeck I loooved Vivek Oji and really liked Freshwater. I have their memoir sitting on my TBR shelf. This was my least favorite. Mostly, I just really didn‘t like any of these characters and their other characters I found more compelling. 2y

Megabooks @Kdgordon88 I definitely recommend Vivek Oji! 2y

Megabooks @batsy yeah, it was definitely more shallow than I hoped it would be. 2y

Megabooks @MrsV it was an interesting choice to have her follow a “friend” to the Caribbean then fall for his dad. Idk, sometimes I‘m done guessing why authors do things a certain way. 😂😂 2y

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books joy was a fantastic friend! We should all have a joy! 💯💯 2y

Megabooks @Well-ReadNeck I loved Vivek Oji as well, and I think you‘d like their memoir. 👍🏻 2y

BarbaraBB @jlhammar @Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain Like you I am in no hurry to read another one of their books. I was disappointed by this one, even though it got better in the second half. But there are so many authors I‘d rather read for now! Having said that, I love this discussion! It adds so much! Thanks for hosting @Megabooks 😘 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB I‘ve really enjoyed hosting this, but I couldn‘t have done it without pre-Saturday emails with you and @squirrelbrain 👍🏻😘 2y

BarbaraBB Looking forward to the Straub, I will read it soon, now just started

Every Last Fear

Megabooks @BarbaraBB ooo yeah, ELF is a fantastic vacation read!! I started the Straub last night and am enjoying it so far. 2y

sarahbarnes Aw, thank you! And I‘m really enjoying camp, too! 2y

Bookwormjillk I didn‘t like this book but I‘ve heard good things about the others so will probably give them a try. 2y

Megabooks @Bookwormjillk 👍🏻👍🏻 I hope you like others if you try them. Glad you could join us today! 2y

Sparklemn Her other books do not appeal to me at all, but I appreciated this book in that it reminded me that not all romance novels are fluff. I thought this had weight to it with the grieving and art. It will stick with me for a while. @megabooks Thanks for hosting! 2y

Larkken I‘m sooo late to the party, but thoroughly enjoyed everyone else‘s takes as I tried to decide what to think of this book! Still not sure I liked it, but I did appreciate this messy, diverse, and escapist version of a romance novel! I wanted more about Feyi and Joy, though. I‘m excited to try more of Emezi‘s books. Thanks for hosting! 2y

Megabooks @Sparklemn you‘re welcome! I‘m really glad you enjoyed it! I think a lot of people felt similarly about this being a romance with substance when people read it for #SummerHeat last month too

The Death of Vivek Oji: A Novel

Megabooks @Larkken you‘re welcome! it was interesting that she tried to bring both escape and this deeply messy, emotional second half to Feyi‘s story. And Joy was a great bff! 2y

30 likes1 stack add58 comments

BeckyWithTheGoodBooks

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

so-so

This book was a mixed bag for me. I‘m not a big romance reader, but found the premise intriguing. The second half of this book was much better than the first. I guess I‘m getting a bit old and didn‘t find the main character very relatable. I identified more (and am closer in age) with her older love interest. 😂Ultimately, I didn‘t find the romance to be very believable, so this was just ok for me. Extra points for the steamy scenes, though. 🥵3⭐️

20 likes

ImperfectCJ

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

Here's a bunny at the beach for you to look at while I report that I'm not sure I'm going to finish this one. I appreciate the discussions of grief, but the story just feels like any old romance to me. I just don't think it's realistic that EVERYONE is gorgeous. It's possible I'm too old and too married to relate to a 20-something's sexual exploits. I'll decide whether I want to finish it or not after I see this weekend's #camplitsy posts.

Larkken This post made me laugh. Definitely feels like a regular romance so far to me too! 2y

Ruthiella Everyone is gorgeous, but especially Feyi! 😆 2y

65 likes2 comments

TaraTLK

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

I personally felt this leaned a little more women's fiction, even though there is a satisfying romance. Amusingly in the author interview in back, Emezi said they liked the idea of you reading the blurb and being like no way, and then hopefully being convinced by the story. Well, lol, I didn't read the blurb, so it was all a surprise. For #RippedBodiceBingo can be used for fictional country and dance.

12 likes

batsy

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

pan

After the sublime heights of Freshwater, reading You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is to fall down to earth with an almighty thud. It feels harsh to pan this because I loved Freshwater, but here everything rubbed me the wrong way: the writing, the plot, the characters. I was waiting to finish & to be done with the inevitable ending. Sorry for being a grouch about this @Megabooks & fellow campers but I'm sure the discussion will be great!

batsy The bits I did like involved the madness of grief, about how everyone is touched by this madness, & what it takes to make art, both in terms of the creative & commercial aspects. Sadly these moments were few & far between. Feyi & Alim felt like paper thin characters; Feyi the messed up one with fire in her soul & Alim the filthy rich wise one who talks like a Hallmark card. I was most interested in Joy but she was relegated to being the sassy bff. 2y

batsy #CampLitsy 2y

youneverarrived Such a shame after Freshwater being so good 😕 2y

See All 24 Comments

TrishB At least you finished. I bailed. Great review. 2y

batsy @youneverarrived It was! Just two very different books. 2y

batsy @TrishB Thank you! I tend to bail if it's heading towards a pan, but I also felt like I had to do my homework for camp 😁 2y

jlhammar Fellow grouch here! I felt much the same. Kudos to you for making it all the way through. 2y

sarahbarnes I felt exactly the same way! I haven‘t read the other books they‘ve published and am still looking forward to those. 2y

Ruthiella I didn‘t enjoy this one either. I will try Freshwater, however. As I understand it, this was an intentional attempt to write within the romance genre and maybe in that it succeeds. I don‘t read enough romance to say…🤔 2y

Megabooks Yeah, this didn‘t fit with how much I‘ve enjoyed other books by them either. I 💯 agree that the characters were really thin, and I also agree Alim is a human Hallmark card! 🤣🤣🙌🏻 2y

Cathythoughts I wasn‘t a fan either. I think the discussion will be great too. 2y

batsy @jlhammar I'm glad to hear it! It's not fun being the only grouch 😁 2y

batsy @sarahbarnes Me too! I still want to read those and the two YA books. 2y

batsy @Ruthiella Yeah, the author was pretty clear they were having fun experimenting with romance. I don't read enough to know, either, but some of these romance tropes are not for me! 😅 2y

batsy @Megabooks He really was! 😂 2y

batsy @Cathythoughts Yes! It's clearly bringing out a lot of opinions and that's always fun 🙂 2y

Lindy Thanks for confirming what I had already decided—that I wouldn‘t read this because it wouldn‘t be to my taste. I loved Freshwater and was annoyed by

batsy @Lindy Oh no, sorry to hear you didn't like Vivek Oji! I was looking forward to that and Dear Senthuran. Have you read their YA novels? 2y

Lindy @batsy I read Pet and thought it was okay, but I didn‘t like it enough to go on to

Bitter

Lindy @batsy I enjoyed (in a 4-star way) their poetry collection

Content Warning: Everything

batsy @Lindy Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I wasn't aware they had a poetry collection, as well. 2y

Lindy @batsy It‘s always a pleasure to chat about books. But I‘m waaaay behind in posting Litsy reviews of the books I‘ve read lately. 2y

Suet624 I felt like such a grump as I read this book, grinding my teeth throughout. 2y

batsy @Suet624 I know, me too! 2y

84 likes24 comments

Soubhiville

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

pick

I probably would have read this just because the cover is gorgeous.

In the first half I was feeling annoyed with Feyi, as she seemed unwilling to process any emotions. The second half I thought was much better. It‘s a romance but with messier relationships and more family drama than I think a lot of the genre has, so maybe it borders on Lit. Fic. Too?

I‘ve enjoyed other books by the author more.
Soft pick for me. ⬇️

Megabooks, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB

Soubhiville Anyone else catch that the author mentions their sister Yagazie Emezi toward the end? Yagazie is a photojournalist and in the book she has interviewed Feyi! 2y

Hooked_on_books I noticed the same last name but didn‘t know that was her sister. Cool! I agree that the cover is glorious. I don‘t quite understand the title, though. 2y

Soubhiville @Hooked_on_books it‘s a line from a Florence + the Machine song, but I didn‘t notice them mentioned at all in the book so 🤷‍♀️ 2y

squirrelbrain I noticed the last name too @Hooked_on_books but didn‘t think anything of it. Great review Soubhi! 2y

67 likes2 stack adds4 comments

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

so-so

Ah well, despite loving other books by this author, this novel didn‘t wow me. While I liked the second half more than the first, I think @jlhammar nailed it that there is a lack of self reflection by the characters that ultimately puts this firmly in so-so territory. However, I am looking forward to the discussion on Saturday! #CampLitsy @BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain 🏕

Cinfhen

jlhammar Great discussion questions this past Saturday! Even though I didn‘t get on with the book, it was still fun to talk about. I‘m with you in that I won‘t rule out future books by Emezi based on this one alone. 2y

Soubhiville Agreed! 2y

squirrelbrain Great review Meg - and fantastic insight by @jlhammar ! 2y

See All 8 Comments

Cinfhen This did feel like a departure from their other books. 2y

Megabooks @Cinfhen it did for sure. 2y

Megabooks @squirrelbrain thank you and absolutely! 2y

Megabooks @Soubhiville 👍🏻👍🏻 2y

Megabooks @jlhammar thank you! I was really pleased to have so much participation, especially since quite a few of us didn‘t love it. I appreciate this insight from you in particular! 2y

84 likes8 comments

cariashley

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

so-so

Not my favorite #camplitsy read. While Emezi‘s writing is very good, I found the pacing to be off and couldn‘t buy in to the central romance. I think the point of the book is to be a challenging, uncomfortable concept though, which it definitely achieved. The audiobook narration was great.

Hooked_on_books I‘m glad I went with the audio. Bahni Turpin can do no wrong, in my opinion! 2y

cariashley @Hooked_on_books completely agree!! 2y

squirrelbrain It sounds like a lot of Littens enjoyed the audio of this one. (The book itself….not so much! 🤣) 2y

Megabooks Good point about the pacing. Bahni is great! 2y

47 likes4 comments

AnneCecilie

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

pick

Feyi‘s husband died in a car accident 5 yrs ago. For the past 5 yrs she has being grieving her husband and the life she thought they would have. Now she feels it time for her to start dating again.

A book about grief and taking a chance to start again.

Most of this story takes place at the island and I just loved the description of the island.

This book also had me crying more than once.

#CampLitsy

Megabooks, squirrelbrain, BarbaraBB

squirrelbrain Great review Anne - glad you enjoyed it! 2y

Megabooks So glad you loved it!! 2y

62 likes3 stack adds2 comments

Hooked_on_books

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

so-so

I fully expected to hate this and would not have read it if not for #CampLitsy, so take this with a grain of salt. I did a lot of eye rolling in the second half, but I found a lot to like in the first half. There‘s some good characters in here (especially Joy, who I loved) and some interesting explorations of grief. But, yeah, not a book for me.

squirrelbrain Great review Holly! I preferred the second half to the first; the storyline moved on a bit I felt after being rather stagnant in the first half. 2y

Megabooks This was not as strong as her other books. Great review! 2y

50 likes2 comments

MicheleinPhilly

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

so-so

So many conflicted feelings. I greatly admire authors who are able to write across multiple genres but ultimately, I don‘t know how successful they were with this one. Granted, romance is not a genre I read but it just didn‘t feel earned. I‘m looking forward to another campfire next weekend though! I‘ll bring weiners! 🌭😜

TrishB 👍🏻 to finishing! 2y

MicheleinPhilly @TrishB I was determined to! I am so crap at group activities I refused to let this one stop my participation momentum! 😂 2y

TrishB I am also crap, but am learning to live with my failures 😁 2y

See All 8 Comments

Cinfhen I thought the beginning was really engaging but then the book fizzled for me. 2y

squirrelbrain Great review Michele! Funny @Cinfhen - I thought the second half was better than the beginning! 2y

Cinfhen @BarbaraBB also liked the second half better @squirrelbrain 2y

batsy Nice review! I like your generous reading despite not quite liking it 🙂 2y

Megabooks I think a lot of us didn‘t love this as much as their other books, but I‘m glad we still had a good discussion! 👍🏻👍🏻 2y

58 likes8 comments

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

Welcome back campers! I hope you enjoyed the vacation last week. Today, we‘re discussing through chapter 11 (before Feyi‘s art show). No spoilers please!

For me, there‘s an element of fantasy to the first half of the book, and these quick connections are one reason why. After years of denying herself, Feyi finds three men who stir feelings in her right in a row. How do you feel about quick connections in both life and literature? #CampLitsy

See All 70 Comments

BarbaraBB Feyi had been grieving for 5 years, meets 3 men and all are on fire immediately. Too easy for me to be believable. And I didn‘t see what it added to the story 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

Chelsea.Poole This instant connection (with all 3!) was a bit much for me. I can see how you could consider this fantastical @megabooks For me, I have to have a deep connection with someone. But, I don‘t mind reading this type of connection in fiction. Live other lives, ya know? 😊 2y

Soubhiville @BarbaraBB it does seem strange that she grieved for 5 years, then the moment she decided she was ready to date it was like she flipped a switch and immediately turned on feelings…. That said I do believe in chemistry, not necessarily love at first sight but mutual-interest-at-first-sight. But the abruptness is jarring. In fact I didn‘t like that the book hit hard with the sex scene right from the first line. 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB it is too easy. For me, I would‘ve liked more struggle in the beginning. @Soubhiville and yes, to come into the book with her in the bathroom like that, I was thinking “whoa girl!” But in a way I was thinking you do you. As a friend, I think I would‘ve been supportive like joy, but it‘s not anything I‘d do. 2y

Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole I like deeper connections as well. And part of the fantasy was thinking it was like what happened is what a teen girl would‘ve written in a diary, like “he will be a hot guy with a nice sports car and a famous father with a giant compound in the Caribbean. Every guy will think I‘m sooo beautiful and I‘ll have a cool best friend too!” 2y

Oryx No, this wasn't believable to me. Esp with Alim - it's like have a couple of proper conversations at least! 2y

Soubhiville @Megabooks Yes as a friend I‘d laugh and be happy for her if that‘s what she wants. Not my style either. 2y

Laughterhp I think you can find someone instantly attractive but no I don‘t believe in instalove. I wonder if she just wasn‘t going out or actually looking at people but it didn‘t seem like that. But for it to happen 3 times in a short period of time is a bit unbelievable. 2y

Megabooks @Oryx I agree that Alim was the least believable. It‘s almost as if his celebrity made her more interested or made her feel she knew him better right away. Maybe it‘s that way when you meet someone you already admire? 2y

Megabooks @Laughterhp I agree about attraction. It seems easier to catch an eye with a great outfit or a sparkling anecdote. But love, for me, is deeper than what you‘d know at a party or first meeting. 2y

TrishB Not believable for me at all. But I‘m not judging if it‘s what people want to do 🤷‍♀️ 2y

BarbaraBB @Soubhiville I do believe in the chemistry too but three times in a row 😉?! 2y

BarbaraBB @TrishB I agree, it‘s not about what she does, it‘s about the storyline for me. 2y

TrishB @BarbaraBB yes agree- where was it adding depth etc? 2y

Megabooks @TrishB @BarbaraBB interesting point in ask how does it help the narrative. What purpose do these choices serve? 2y

Leniverse I'm not so surprised that she suddenly made a lot of connections. She made the conscious decision to flip that switch, and she has been starved for connection. Additionally, the first one was just a physical attraction. So I'm fine with that. But the struck by lightning insta thing with Alim was a stretch. 2y

MicheleinPhilly While I do believe in having an insta-connection with someone (true story: I met my wife 18 years ago today ☺️), it didn‘t at all ring true to me that it would happen 3 times in such quick succession. I can sort of see where each man is meeting different needs Feyi has, but I do wish Emezi would have let each relationship “breathe” a bit more. It all feels very rushed. 2y

Bookwormjillk I‘ve only read until chapter 11 so maybe I‘m completely wrong it seemed like it‘s being set up that Alim what‘s meant to be, but to me she seemed to have the most chemistry with Milan. 2y

squirrelbrain This wasn‘t love at first sight - most definitely lust at first sight. I agree with everyone that it wasn‘t believable at all - maybe one time but not all three! 2y

jlhammar I guess I believe in an instant physical attraction (though often that can change when you actually get to know someone!), but this just felt like beautiful people lusting after beautiful people (and acting on it) again and again and again. Not my cup of tea. I just don't care to read about someone selecting the jewelry for their nipple piercing (or something along those lines) based on how sexy it will look through their bikini top. 2y

Cathythoughts I got the first guy .. the instant attraction at a party and she had her reasons for going for it. I could believe that happening. I don‘t get the Alim attraction , I‘m allergic to it 🤷‍♀️ love/ lust at first sight with a ‘ charismatic celebrity ‘ … 2y

BarbaraBB @MicheleinPhilly Exactly. It felt so rushed, they didn‘t even had the time to become realistic or even imaginable. 2y

Megabooks @Leniverse flipping a switch is a good way of putting it. I‘ve also heard availability being like a taxi with a light on. Suddenly you get passengers when you‘re open to them. 2y

Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly aww! Congratulations! I bet there is a good story there. It is a good point that each meets a different need, but statistically it is quite unlikely to have three in a row. 2y

Megabooks @Bookwormjillk I think it will be interesting to see how Emezi plays out the connection between Feyi and Alim in the second half. It definitely seems the book is pivoting that direction. 2y

Megabooks @squirrelbrain 💯💯 I can get behind list across a room, but I wonder how much knowing Alim from tv played into that connection. 🤔 2y

Megabooks @jlhammar there‘s definitely a lot of sexual tension and talk in the first half. I find it hard to believe that many men were automatically lusting after her. Some people are hot or conventionally attractive, but no one is everyone‘s type. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

Megabooks @Cathythoughts yes! I‘m glad you brought up the celebrity because that seems to be an extra artificial layer there. I wonder what she will think as she gets to know him. Will her feelings change? (edited) 2y

cariashley The connections with Milan and Nasir seemed shallow at best and were actually pretty believable to me. The whole Alim situation is much harder to follow. I think part of my problem is only being in Feyi‘s head - I‘m used to romances where you pivot between the two protagonists. 2y

batsy I'm with @Cathythoughts the insta lust with Milan made sense because she was looking for fun after years of being closed off, & that played out OK on the page. It's the Nasir bit coming so soon after that felt patently like a plot device, because without Nasir we can't get to Alim. & the Alim bit made me eye-rolly despite my best intentions, because the perfect being who also happens to be a charismatic celeb dripping with money thing is ... Lol. 2y

squirrelbrain @MicheleinPhilly - aw, congrats to you both! 2y

batsy But the author has mentioned that they wanted to write a book squarely in the romance genre, & that aspect of a fantasy or ideal partner of course plays a part in how the romance plot is usually structured. 2y

batsy @MicheleinPhilly That's lovely 💕 2y

squirrelbrain Yes, @Cathythoughts @Megabooks - I wonder how much was because she knew him from TV. Was it also slight one-upmanship with Joy, I wonder? She was always saying how much Joy would be freaking out. 2y

squirrelbrain Great point! @cariashley I wonder if we‘ll see more of Alim‘s POV in part two? Maybe Milan and Nasir were bit-part actors and that is why we didn‘t see their viewpoints? 2y

Ruthiella I believe in both love and lust at first sight. That didn‘t bother me. What I didn‘t quite believe was the connection with Nasir when he and Milan were friends. Even if she and Milan were just f***-buddies. I‘m not quite sure what role Milan is supposed to play in the larger story unless it was to just show how starved Feyi is after five years of mourning and abstinence? 2y

Deblovestoread So many good comments. I believe in an instant attraction, an immediate “zing” that makes you sit up and take notice but 3 times in such a short amount of time is pretty unbelievable. 2y

Cathythoughts @squirrelbrain Interesting point about one-upmanship with Joy 👍🏻never saw that ! 2y

Deblovestoread I keep thinking of her conversation with Alim about who they loved after their loss. Alim chose his children over love and I believe he would do the same if the choice was between them and Feyi. I also keep circling back to Feyi and Joy. It wasn‘t the right time then but maybe now….I‘m off to find out. 2y

Well-ReadNeck Like so many of you, Milan I totally get. Alim (especially in his early scenes) just had my Spidey senses tingling. So many Red Flags! 🚩 The author seems to be trying to gloss over or rehabilitate, but I keep wanting to yell “RUN!!” 2y

squirrelbrain @Ruthiella - I too wondered about the ‘point‘ of Milan. If the story is about the ‘battle‘ between Nasir and Alim, then Milan just seems a bit of an add-on. 2y

squirrelbrain Looking forward to hearing your thoughts once you‘ve ‘found out‘! @Kdgordon88 2y

squirrelbrain @Well-ReadNeck - there were quite a lot of red flags weren‘t there? He seems a bit ‘too good to be true‘ and maybe even a bit creepy - slimy?! 2y

Hooked_on_books I agree with so many here. Insta-attraction one after another? No. But certainly one can be immediately attracted to a person. I remember that happening to me years ago, then after I talked to him a couple times, 🤮. 😂 He loved nothing more than the sound of his own voice! And it‘s not my MO to end up in a bathroom with someone right after I lay eyes on them, so that‘s a good thing! 2y

Kitta I didn‘t understand the relationship with Nasir, he seemed like just a way to bring Feyi to Alim. The relationship with Milan I understood and I was expecting more like that (sex scenes etc) throughout the novel because it‘s a romance. I‘ve never really read romance before though so 🤷🏻‍♀️ maybe I‘m wrong. 2y

squirrelbrain That‘s good to know @Hooked_on_books 🤣🤣 2y

squirrelbrain The relationship with Nasir was very different to that with Milan, wasn‘t it? @Kitta It seemed more like a friendship (on Feyi‘s side certainly) but I think the Nasir / Alim dynamic will become a larger part of the book. After all Alim is, according to the blurb, the one man she shouldn‘t fall in love with. 2y

Kitta @squirrelbrain yeah, I don‘t want to think all relationships need sex but clearly sex is important to Feyi and I‘m surprised with how slow she‘s taking it. I didn‘t actually read the blurb! I wanted to go in without an idea of where it was going haha. I‘ve finished the book now though and I‘m interested in what people will think of the ending! 2y

Megabooks @cariashley that‘s a good point about only seeing one side of the story. We don‘t know what the men were feeling towards her. 2y

Megabooks @batsy 💯💯 about Nasir being a plot device to get her into an art show and meeting Alim. It was just an odd chain of events! 2y

Megabooks @batsy yes, and I noticed they seemed to dedicate the book to a partner and their very good memoir dealt a lot with gender identity and relationship issues, so I hope they are in a good place themselves to write a romance. 💜💜 2y

Megabooks @Ruthiella yeah, I think we‘re all getting caught up in various ways in the oddity of the three men close together. And yes, I imagine she was very lonely in a lot of ways even with Joy being such a good friend. 2y

Megabooks @Kdgordon88 yeah, I‘m wondering where she‘s going with the loss Feyi and Alim both experienced and how it will play out. 2y

Megabooks @Well-ReadNeck so many red flags with all three of them for me! I think Nasir seems to expect more from her even though he‘s trying to be patient. That‘s bothering me. Like all his patience will 💯 pay off in the end. @squirrelbrain (edited) 2y

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books yup! 💯💯 it‘s equally surprising that none were truly bad (at least as of now) because sometimes the slick charismatic ones are the ones you‘ve got to watch! 2y

Megabooks @Kitta yeah, Nasir seemed to just be that bridge to get her to the Caribbean and Alim. I wonder what role he‘ll play in the second half. 2y

KarenUK I‘m definitely a believer in the insta-connection. I married my hubby if 20 yrs after one evening together and moved countries! 😉 2y

KarenUK I actually did like the ‘jarring‘ sex scene in the first chapter. It immediately the scene for the kind of sex positive way the story was going. I‘m not sure there was any instant connection with them. It felt very much like a ‘ripping the band aid off‘ motive for her…. And her need for something so shallow to keep her trauma at arms length. There was definitely animal attraction with Nasir, but I think she was riding a wave of ‘good‘ feelings…. 2y

KarenUK ….. after shutting herself off for so long. I feels like even she knows she can‘t trust how she‘s feeling, but she‘s leaning in to the excitement and joy of new attraction and just going with it, because it feels better, and good, after having a wall up for so long. In my 20‘s I remember that feeling of being free, and being swept up by the newness and fun of every attraction. 2y

Suet624 @BarbaraBB You had me - and had me chuckling- at the very first comment of this thread. In complete agreement. (edited) 2y

Megabooks @KarenUK wow! That is a truly epic instant connection! 💜💜 2y

Megabooks @KarenUK that‘s true! I think many of us in this discussion are a bit older than Feyi, and I had forgotten how much more flexible connections were in one‘s 20s. Most people are single and looking for new experiences. Also, great point about this being sex positive! Love that! 2y

Sparklemn @KarenUK I also liked the sex scene in the first chapter. Like you said - ripping off the band-aid. And then I wasn't surprised that it fizzled out soon after. I do think that Nasir is going to stay on the “friend“ shelf. We'll see what happens with Alim. 2y

Megabooks @Sparklemn that‘s a good point about ripping off a band aid. I think part of what jarred me is why now? Why this party? Maybe I missed that… 2y

Sparklemn @Megabooks Yes, completely agree. Why now? 2y

MrsV I don‘t have a problem with the whole “insta love” plot, but 3 people in a handful of chapters. One being one of the guys best friends, and the other that friends Dad?? 2y

Megabooks @MrsV yeah, it was definitely a strange chain of events… 2y

42 likes70 comments

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

Several campers and other readers have noted in posts and reviews that Emezi uses a lot of swearing to discuss sexuality in this book. I agree. I don‘t often read romance, but her characters do use more 4-letter words than most books I read. Do you have an opinion about it? Did this affect your feelings towards the book? #CampLitsy

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl

See All 65 Comments

BarbaraBB All the swearing and use of the f-word doesn‘t offend me at all but I found their conversations rather one dimensional and not very clever (Call me a snob) 🤣 2y

Chelsea.Poole I wasn‘t offended. I don‘t read much romance either, but I‘m well aware that there‘s muchhhhh more intense language and scenes out there 😅 2y

Soubhiville I‘m not offended by the language either, but with it kicking off from the first line it sure does make an impression. 2y

Oryx Hmmm - I actually didn't notice that. Not sure what it says about me 😂. I actually don't swear very much in real life, but it doesn't bother me when other people do in real life (unless it's meant as aggression) or fiction or TV. 2y

Laughterhp I don‘t think I actually noticed that. I guess it‘s true this book had more swearing but it didn‘t bother me. 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB I think lack of cleverness is a good way of putting how I felt in the first half. 2y

Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole true! I think what hit me is that it was every paragraph, especially between Joy and Feyi. 2y

Megabooks @Soubhiville yes! I think you and I both noted that very abrupt introduction. I didn‘t hate it, but it was a bit of a surprise. I think it prepared me for the first half well though! 😂😂 2y

Megabooks @Oryx lol! 😂 i think it‘s good to be open minded about how others use language. I tend to notice swearing. Maybe it‘s because I‘m from the South and proper ladies don‘t swear. I do a lot for emphasis, but not as often as these characters. 😂 2y

Megabooks @Laughterhp 👍🏻👍🏻 it‘s interesting that what‘s glaring to one reader isn‘t to another. 🤔 2y

TrishB I‘m with @Oryx I didn‘t really notice. I do swear a lot so maybe that‘s why I don‘t notice. I‘m a big believer in if you don‘t like something don‘t watch, read or listen and go for something else 🤷‍♀️ 2y

Megabooks @TrishB that is an excellent point that perhaps readers should look elsewhere if it is a big deal. 2y

TrishB I would also apply that theory to myself of course 😁 2y

Leniverse The opening set the tone, so I actually thought it went fairly mild from there on. 🤷‍♀️ It's not how I speak, but I don't mind it. It seems realistic/authentic enough for the characters. I don't get the sense that it was written that way for shock value. 2y

Bookwormjillk I think since I‘m doing the audiobook I didn‘t notice it as much. I‘m better at tuning out that way. The only time I noticed was when they were in line for ice cream and the mom with the kids glared at them. That‘s right mom! 2y

squirrelbrain I don‘t think I noticed the swearing so much as the sex-talk, which seemed to be all Feyi and Joy talked about. It made me wonder what they talked about in the many years before Feyi suddenly found her ‘mojo‘ again?! 2y

MicheleinPhilly I didn‘t even notice but I‘m a bit of a potty mouth. 😂 The dialogue between Joy and Feyi, and indeed their whole relationship, reminded me of Issa and Molly on Insecure. 2y

Cathythoughts I‘m not a swearer by nature. It was a bit repetitive with the F word… overused and therefore started annoying me. I agree with @Leniverse in that I don‘t think it was written for shock value. It seemed the natural way of speaking, I have friends who get many curses into one sentence … it‘s just their normal way of talking. (edited) 2y

BarbaraBB @squirrelbrain That‘s a good one! What on earth did they talk about before they could talk sex 🤣? 2y

jlhammar I'm pretty sure I would have disliked this book just as much minus the vulgarity and coarse language. Similar to what @BarbaraBB wrote, there just wasn't enough depth for me. And I'm sure that was the point. They set out to write a sexy, joyful genre romance, not a thought-provoking literary novel. Emezi said they “spent [their] 20s in Brooklyn...being hoes...partying...having a great time.“ I guess I can appreciate this being true to that. 2y

Megabooks @TrishB 😁😁 2y

Megabooks @Leniverse good point that the opening in the bathroom set the scene for not only her and Milan but also the way she relates to and converses with Joy. 2y

Megabooks @Bookwormjillk lol!! I wondered about the audiobook. Are you enjoying the narration? 2y

Megabooks @squirrelbrain good point! I don‘t get much about what the foundation of their friendship is. But then again, I don‘t rehash my life story with long-term friends, so in that way, I guess it was normal. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤔 2y

Megabooks @MicheleinPhilly lol! I can see that Michele. 😉😉😂 I‘ve read Issa‘s book but never see the show. I don‘t have hbo rn. ☹️

Megabooks @Cathythoughts yeah, maybe this is more a Meg-is-from-the-south thing. I agree that it was natural for the characters and that it was noticeable for me. 2y

Megabooks @jlhammar yeah, they have written so many genres that I think some of them are going to be misses. I finished a couple of days ago, and I‘m having trouble coming up with a review because the first and second halves seemed like different books. That‘s all I‘ll say. 🤐🤐🤐 but yeah, the first half was shallow as a wading pool for me too. (edited) 2y

Bookwormjillk @Megabooks it‘s a good narration! 2y

cariashley @BarbaraBB ha that‘s spot on, totally agree with you! I‘d also add that the audio narration works well for this one. I think I‘d actually fully dislike it in print, it‘s at least entertaining on audio. 2y

batsy The swearing didn't bother me at all. But like @BarbaraBB I felt the dialogue a bit stilted & one dimensional. It felt a bit like the author was trying hard to mimic the Instagram vernacular of self-care & feminism which often feels like the characters were talking in slogans. Whereas in Freshwater you could see that the author is capable of writing with great depth. So again I felt this was part of their attempt to write an entertaining romance. 2y

Ruthiella I might be showing my age, but it bugged me. Mostly because it‘s so boring and repetitive to read. Like, find another adjective and adverb? 2y

Well-ReadNeck I don‘t mind it. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Feels authentic to me. Goes with age, trying to find a place to enjoy sex in the hostile world of toxic masculinity. Take back the words. Also, finding an almost HS mentality to cope with/avoid tragedy. 2y

squirrelbrain It‘s so interesting how we‘re all seeing this differently - surely some of this must reflect our ages, backgrounds and upbringings? For those of you who didn‘t like the language would you have bailed (or did you) if this hadn‘t been a #camplitsy choice? 2y

marleed My entire career was spent on army installations so I‘m well accustomed to hearing (and using) the word f**k. I did think it was used so often here (noun,verb, adjective) that it lost it‘s effect and took away from the story. Have you ever watched a comedy routine so filled with expletives that it‘s no longer as funny as it was when the routine began? Like that. (edited) 2y

Cinfhen I did audio and the language felt authentic / not anything worse than I‘ve heard before and it was certainly similar in

The Death of Vivek Oji: A Novel

Hooked_on_books The swearing doesn‘t bother me. But I also don‘t hesitate to swear. However, the use of sweating for sex is interesting. I feel like referring to it as “fucking” suggests there‘s no great connection or meaning there and the person is just getting off. It makes it shallow and a little sad, in my opinion. On the other hand, I LOVE Joy. I think she‘s a great character. 2y

Kitta I live in brooklyn and I found the language pretty true to what I hear from others talking and the amount of swearing didn‘t bother me, I didn‘t even notice it I don‘t think. 2y

squirrelbrain That‘s maybe why many of us aren‘t feeling that connection @Hooked_on_books - too much sex-swearing. What is is that you love about Joy? For me, she comes across as very caring and supportive of Feyi. 2y

Kitta @Hooked_on_books yes! I wanted more of Joy! She‘s a great character. 2y

Hooked_on_books @squirrelbrain Her name defines what she brings to the story—joy. She enters and the pages just light up. She‘s so over the top that I find her wildly entertaining, though we‘ve also glimpsed some depth. She just delights me. 2y

Megabooks @Bookwormjillk @cariashley @Cinfhen y‘all are making me wish I‘d gone audio, but I don‘t take notes as well listening as in print. 2y

Megabooks @batsy yes, Vivek oji was much deeper too. (Freshwater is still on my TBR.) Their writing is usually a lot smarter than what I saw in the first half. It was kind of a letdown, tbh. 2y

Megabooks @Ruthiella yes, the dialogue was repetitive and like @batsy said, very of the moment social media speak. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

Megabooks @squirrelbrain very good point, Helen! I think language is such a cultural or regional thing in addition to being tied to things like career or family. 2y

Megabooks @Well-ReadNeck excellent point about taking back language. 💯 agree that it could be an age thing and reclaiming language is huge! 2y

Megabooks @marleed yes, it was quite repetitive. I felt like they had the same conversation about sex six dozen times! 2y

Megabooks @Hooked_on_books interesting thought about fuck being a shallow word for sex, and yes, joy would definitely be a fun friend, but I have a feeling I‘d find her overwhelming irl! 2y

Megabooks @Kitta thanks for the local perspective! 2y

Ruthiella @squirrelbrain I would not have picked it up were it not for #CampLitsy. I am still interested in reading their debut, however.

Freshwater

(edited) 2y

Megabooks @Ruthiella I‘m not sure I‘d want to read more by them if I hadn‘t read Vivek Oji first. I‘m definitely going back and picking up Freshwater too. And I‘m not ruling out any new books they release based on this one.

KarenUK I‘m with @MicheleinPhilly and @TrishB I‘m a bit of a potty mouth myself. And I love the ‘Insecure‘ reference. That‘s how their relationship felt to me. I wasn‘t bothered by the language. I spent my twenties in London, being a bit of a ‘hoe‘ too! So this felt very authentic and natural on the page to me. I don‘t agree that sex without connection is ‘sad‘ or ‘shallow‘. It can just be physically pleasurable and fun, no more, no less. 2y

Suet624 @batsy your comment was really helpful. I think you‘re spot on. I know the type of writing Emezi has done and this was so far from that that I just floundered reading this story. I wanted to enjoy it but just kept muttering while I was reading it. 2y

Suet624 I swear. I have no problem with swearing. However, I started the book being really surprised by how much swearing there was. I live in an area with lots of colleges, I hang out at events with lots of college students, and I haven‘t heard the word ‘fuck‘ used as many times as I did in this book. Color me surprised by her repetitive use of the word. 2y

Megabooks @KarenUK excellent points!! 👍🏻👍🏻 2y

Megabooks @Suet624 while I don‘t mind swearing either, I found it notable how often she and joy dropped the F-bomb. 🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

batsy @Suet624 I know what you mean! I still haven't finished because I'm struggling; I have about 20% left. I find the 2nd half worse than the 1st & am basically hate-reading it to get to the finish line at this point 😩 2y

Sparklemn Like others have said, I didn't notice the swearing at all. The sex discussions remind me of being young and my friends and our antics. While I'm enjoying this book now, I would have loved it back then. 2y

Suet624 @batsy hate-reading is the worst. 2y

Megabooks @batsy oooo…yeah. Hate reading can be awful! @Suet624 👎🏻👎🏻 2y

Megabooks @Sparklemn true that they (the characters) and the author are all young. 2y

MrsV I swear with the best of them, so that didn‘t bother me so much. 2y

Megabooks @MrsV yeah, it seemed not yo bother very many of us, but it just stood out to me. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️ 2y

32 likes65 comments

You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty | Akwaeke Emezi

And our last question before we open up the camp for later activities. 😉

Feyi tragically lost her husband. This has affected the art she makes and the relationships she has with other characters. How well do you think she‘s coping with his death?

Thanks for joining us! Be sure to meet back for campfire s‘mores tonight and return next Saturday to discuss the whole book! 🏕 #CampLitsy

See All 56 Comments

BarbaraBB The grief part was one of the strong parts of the book for me. That was a storyline that worked well and the relation to het art was very clear to me. I‘d have preferred to hear more about her art. 2y

Chelsea.Poole These past several years have been rough on my family. I read for escape and though it‘s nice to see yourself in fiction, I was hoping for something a little more lighthearted. Though I brought that to the table as a reader, I can appreciate a deeper level to Feyi and her subsequent interactions with others based on her grief. 2y

Soubhiville @BarbaraBB Me too! I wanted to dive in to her art. I also wanted her to dig into her feelings about loss- she seems to be repressing. Which is understandable, everyone has to grieve at their own pace. I have a feeling the second half of the book will lead her to explore her feelings deeper and hopefully heal. 2y

Megabooks @BarbaraBB I would‘ve liked to know more about her art too. Maybe we‘ll find out more when she has her show. 2y

Megabooks @Chelsea.Poole I‘m sorry to hear that Chelsea. Escapism is one of my favorite parts about reading as well, and when I do (rarely) read romance, I expect something light. Maybe that ms unfair of me to paint a whole genre that way. I think it will be interesting to see what more comes out about this in the second half. 2y

Oryx @BarbaraBB definitely agree with the art thing- that's the most interesting part, and at the halfway point I wanted to know more and how it connected with her grief. 2y

Megabooks @Soubhiville yes, 💯 grief is a very personal thing. She‘s definitely looking for escape in her relationships in the first half. Maybe that‘s the right choice for her. 2y

Laughterhp I think she‘s coping with it well. I‘ve never lost anyone like that so I can‘t relate but her grief definitely feels real. And I think she‘s working through it. This was definitely a heavier topic for a romance novel but I think it‘s working. 2y

Megabooks @Laughterhp yes, it touches on more painful topics than many romances I‘ve read. (I did go through a phase in 2012-13.) But reading it so close to @BarbaraBB and @Cinfhen ‘s buddy read a few weeks ago, maybe it‘s written about more than I realize. It wasn‘t husband loss grief in that what, but it felt similar it having a heavier topic.

(edited) 2y

TrishB I think 5 years after this still feels very real and her art was really interesting and yes, as others have said, some more focus would be good. 2y

Megabooks @TrishB 💯💯 agree that it would still be a raw thing that she‘s working through. 2y

Leniverse The "working through grief through art" part is the interesting bit of the book. And the food descriptions, I love those too. Looking forward to the exhibition. 2y

Bookwormjillk I agree with most here. I want to hear more about her art. 2y

Bookwormjillk @Megabooks I keep thinking of Seven Days when reading this too. 2y

squirrelbrain I‘m not sure that she is coping very well @Laughterhp - at the moment it feels like she‘s repressed a lot of feelings which have suddenly come to the surface. I don‘t feel that her grief is fully explored yet, and I wonder if we‘re going to find out more in the second half as I think there‘s a feeling of guilt there too. 2y

Leniverse As for it not being as light and fluffy as a lot of romances, honestly that's why I only read queer romance. They tend to deal with all sorts of bleak topics, not just the obvious ones of homophobia and coming out, and avoid a lot of gender stereotypes. And on that note I have to say that while I don't particularly care who, if anyone, Fayi ends up with, I lost respect for Nasir over his vehement denial of his father's sexuality. 2y

BarbaraBB @Bookwormjillk I did too but so far I admit I prefer