I feel a reading slump coming on, but not before I tell you all about the only two books I've been able to finish in the month of love. First of all, I'm ashamed to say "You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty" is my first Akwaeke Emezi read. I can't give you a reason why, but anyone who has an ever-growing TBR list will understand this on a spiritual level. No judgment here.
So, I managed to finally finish Akwaeke Emezi's "You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty" and S.A. Cosby's "Blacktop Wasteland." While I know of Emezi's work, this is officially my first introduction to their writing, and I can proudly say I've read everything S.A. Cosby has written.
But let’s talk about Emezi's YMAFoD (I have to abbreviate it—it's a handful to write). This story follows Feyi, a young artist grieving her dead husband and learning to navigate life again. In Brooklyn, New York, sex is casual, art is life, and grief is company, until she meets Nasir, a young doe-eyed Jamaican who promises so much more than mind-blowing sex. While this isn't what Feyi signs up for, she's intrigued enough to allow herself to be pampered and loved all the way to a family trip in Jamaica with Nasir—to meet Nasir's hot dad. Things get complicated from the minute our girl touches down.
At first glance, this book feels messy as hell! A love triangle I never saw coming. But as usual, I expect bigger themes, and it doesn't disappoint. For starters, I absolutely love the sisterhood between Feyi and Joy. Joy understands Feyi is still grieving her husband, and Feyi understands that Joy has her own insecurities. They create an honest, nonjudgmental friendship that challenges their way of thinking and helps them process their individual problems. They're there for each other through all that - mess.
Now while reading this book, i kept screaming the whole time, ‘Feyi, girl what are you doing? This is a whole mess”. I was re-echoing every alarming thought that Joy had as she watches her best friend spiral into a mess of situation but i left the book thinking, you know what? Sometimes, grief and healing is messy. It includes latching on to whatever drug, pull, escapade that can feel like relief. It is messy, thoughtless, and fuzzy.
It might sometimes hurt the people you don’t intend to hurt because you don’t have the answers yourself when others need it. You’re feeling your way through it all but the controlling factor here is the desperate desire to numb your pain even though you are also too afraid to let it go. Eventually time gives perspective and we come out on the other side with new lessons. Feyi would understand.
This was a solid 3.5 ⭐️ for me. And I would most certainly recommend if you haven't read yet.
Afia Kwakyewaa is a Ghanian writer and a marketing executive who is learning to pick up the pen again. She loves books, music, and makes a mean salad. Connect with her on Fable, Tiktok, or Threads
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