Reviews tagging 'Violence'

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

71 reviews

wanderlust_romance's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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

3.25

This was an intricate and messy romance. I'm going to focus on two aspects that made the story particularly challenging. First is the tourist aspect. The majority of this book takes place on an unnamed (or perhaps I missed it's singular mention) tropical island in the Caribbean. There is neither an established sense of place nor insights or observations from Feyi's perspective during her stay on the island. In that sense, the story felt unmoored and vague. (Though perhaps that's the point, as Feyi struggles to "feel alive" again.) Feyi has arrived in a landscape vastly different from her well known NYC surroundings, and she is immersed in a world of wealth, privilege, and access. This leads into the second aspect - the power dynamics. Feyi arrives in this island location as a guest of Nasir, albeit in his famous Michelin star chef father Alim's home. She is afforded access and introductions into the local gallery/museum scene through her connections to both Nasir and Alim. While she determines early on that her relationship with Nasir will not extend beyond friendship, a starting point they have both agreed to, Feyi never communicates this to establish boundaries or clarify expectations. Miscommunication has entered the chat - and it's a doozy. Nasir feels entitled to more from his relationship with Feyi, that she should be grateful for the access, lodgings, meals, and transport she's been provided, and perhaps that she is indebted to him as such. Which... doesn't really feel like friendship, though that's Nasir's claim - "let's go slow; I'll be patient; just friends for now." While Alim also holds a certain level of power over Feyi, through his fame, wealth, age, and connections, he is more mindful about that dynamic. There is less demand on his side. His acts of service toward Feyi are performed from a deeper sense of care and attraction, but also rooted in their shared connection over their loss of a spouse. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Violence, and Misogyny

Minor: Self harm

This book features cheating, miscommunication, and (for lack of a better term) a love triangle

thekrujue's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content and Violence

charlmh's review

adventurous emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death and Violence

jpreads6's review against another edition

adventurous funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Grief

kennedyasdfghjkl's review against another edition

challenging reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Blood, and Car accident

Minor: Violence and Racial slurs

riverrliam's review against another edition

adventurous emotional funny tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content

Moderate: Violence and Car accident

taleofabibliophile's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Cursing, Death, and Grief

Moderate: Infidelity, Homophobia, Biphobia, Violence, and Car accident

Minor: Drug use, Death of parent, and Child death

lynxpardinus's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Blood, Car accident, Death, Grief, and Sexual content

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Child death, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Violence, Death of parent, Gore, Homophobia, and Infidelity

Minor: Drug use, Self harm, Domestic abuse, and Cancer

auudrey's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Sexual content, Domestic abuse, and Violence

capriqueen's review against another edition

emotional reflective slow-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

3.0

This started off really strong for me. I like Feyi as a character and Joy is really funny, their relationship was my favorite. I liked reading about a woman working though her grief and learning to own her life and sexuality again

The main romance was enticing to me only when it was in the pre-stages. The forbidden flirting and shameful desire. I was gasping and kicking my feet

But as soon as everything got real, that’s when it got boring imo

The long drawn out (but very realistic) conversations about what to do, the disaster it brought to the family, all over a brand new relationship. I get it on one hand in-story but also found it hard at times to suspend my disbelief. And the titillation was gone. But I love Feyi’s development in the end

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, and Car accident

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Child death and Death of parent