You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty
{{short description|2022 novel by Akwaeke Emezi}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox book
| name = You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty
| image = File:You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty.jpg
| caption = First edition
| author = Akwaeke Emezi
| country = United States
United Kingdom
| language = English
| genre = Romance novel
| published =
| pages = 336 pp.
| isbn = 9781982188702
| publisher = Atria Books (US)
Faber & Faber (UK)
| pub_date = 24 May 2022 (US)
26 May 2022 (UK)
| audio_read_by = Bahni Turpin
| dewey = 823/.92
| congress = PR9387.9.E42 Y68 2022
| media_type = Print, ebook, audiobook
| isbn_note =
(hardcover 1st ed.)
}}
You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is a 2022 romance novel by Nigerian writer Akwaeke Emezi.{{Cite news |last=Kwon |first=R. O. |date=2022-05-20 |title=An Ode to Living With, and Despite, Pain and Mortality |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/20/books/you-made-a-fool-of-death-with-your-beauty-akwaeke-emezi.html |access-date=2022-06-27 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=C.J |first=Nelson |title=Akwaeke Emezi's 'Fool of Death' Reconstructs The Margins Of Ideal Romance |url=https://www.teenvogue.com/story/akwaeke-emezi-fool-of-death |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=Teen Vogue |date=30 May 2022 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Akwaeke Emezi's Inspirations Writing 'You Made a Fool of Death With Your Beauty' – Thrillist |url=https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/akwaeke-emezi-you-made-a-fool-of-death-with-your-beauty-inspirations |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=www.thrillist.com}} It is Emezi's first romance novel and third adult novel, and it follows Feyi Adekola, a Nigerian American visual artist, as she heals from the trauma of widowhood and finds new love.
Background
The novel is Emezi's first romance novel and they stated that the novel was partly inspired by the Florence + the Machine song "Hunger".{{Cite web |last=Ukiomogbe |first=Juliana |date=2022-05-23 |title=How Florence + the Machine Inspired Akwaeke Emezi's New Novel |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a40051302/how-florence-the-machine-inspired-akwaeke-emezis-new-novel/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=ELLE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Marks |first=Olivia |title='Romance Gets a Really Bad Rap': Akwaeke Emezi on Writing This Summer's Must-Read Love Story |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/akwaeke-emezi-you-made-a-fool-of-death-interview |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=Vogue |date=28 May 2022 |language=en-US}} Emezi pulled the title of the book from the song lyrics after trying alternative names for the novel which they felt didn't fit. While writing the novel, they did not want it to fall under the regular trope of romance novels and instead made it about an illicit love triangle. Emezi wrote the novel with a queer gaze and also had it feature a supportive queer friendship.{{Cite web |date=2022-05-31 |title=Akwaeke Emezi on How Modern, Inclusive Romance Novels Are Expanding the Possibilities of Love |url=https://lithub.com/akwaeke-emezi-on-how-modern-inclusive-romance-novels-are-expanding-the-possibilities-of-love/ |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=Literary Hub |language=en-US}} They deviated from the normal heterosexual romance trope and made it a queer romance with the main characters Feyi and Alim being bisexual and Joy being a lesbian. Feyi's art in the novel is also based on Emezi's experience as a visual artist.
Reception
The book received generally positive critical acclaim and reception.{{Cite web |title=Summer reading: the 50 hottest new books for a great escape {{!}} Summer reading {{!}} The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/jun/25/summer-reading-the-50-hottest-new-books-for-a-great-escape |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=amp.theguardian.com}}{{Cite web |last=Bowman |first=Sabienna |date=2022-05-24 |title="You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty" by Akwaeke Emezi |url=https://www.popsugar.com/node/48659814 |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=POPSUGAR Entertainment |language=en-US}} It was the most anticipated book of 2022 by multiple media outlets including Vogue, Thrillist, Essence, The Washington Post and Vulture.{{Cite news |date=2022-06-02 |title=You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty — Akwaeke Emezi's reinvention of the romance novel |work=Financial Times |url=https://www.ft.com/content/85fa2df6-508f-4a9a-b4b1-b6dfdca8659f |access-date=2022-06-27}}{{Cite web |last=Krajeski |first=Justin |title=15 best books by LGBTQ+ authors in 2022 |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/select/shopping/books-lgbtq-authors-ncna1296054 |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=www.nbcnews.com |language=en}} Writing for Vogue, Emma Specter praised the writing stating that "Emezi can write a love story like no other."{{fact|date=December 2024}}
The New York Times Book Review praised the novel calling it "[A]n unabashed ode to living with, and despite, pain and mortality…and it could appeal especially to people who, living through an isolating pandemic that has accelerated loss, hunger for more joie de vivre." A review from PopSugar called the novel "A riveting and emotional exploration of grief and taking a second chance on love." Publishers Weekly noted that it "...is sure to tug at readers' heartstrings."{{Cite web |date= |title=You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty by Akwaeke Emezi |url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781982188702 |access-date=2022-06-27 |website=www.publishersweekly.com}}
Adaptation
In April 2021, Deadline Hollywood announced that Amazon Studios won the right to adapt You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty into a feature film.{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=2021-04-29 |title=Amazon, Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society Land Akwaeke Emezi Novel 'You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty' |url=https://deadline.com/2021/04/amazon-michael-b-jordan-outlier-society-akwaeke-emezi-novel-you-made-a-fool-of-death-with-your-beauty-1234746124/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=Deadline}}{{Cite web |date=2021-05-11 |title=Akwaeke Emezi's Novel 'You Made A Fool Of Death With Your Beauty' To Be Adapted Into A Film By Amazon Studios And Michael B. Jordan |url=https://magazine.watchjaro.com/akwaeke-emezis-novel-you-made-a-fool-of-death-with-your-beauty-to-be-adapted-into-a-film-by-amazon-studios-and-michael-b-jordan/ |access-date=2022-04-12 |website=JARO Magazine |language=en-US}} It was purchased in a high six figure deal which Deadline called the biggest book deal of the year so far. Michael B. Jordan's Outlier Society will develop it alongside Elizabeth Raposo. Emezi will serve as the executive producer.