Preview
  • You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

  • A Novel
  • By: Akwaeke Emezi
  • Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
  • Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (1,341 ratings)

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You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

By: Akwaeke Emezi
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
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Publisher's summary

A Good Morning America Buzz Pick

“A love story like no other, and this one…will have you gripped from page one.” —Vogue

“An unabashed ode to living with, and despite, pain and mortality.” —The New York Times Book Review

A New York Times bestselling author, National Book Award finalist, and “one of our greatest living writers” (Shondaland) reimagines the love story in this “riveting and emotional exploration of grief and taking a second chance on love” (PopSugar).

Feyi Adekola wants to learn how to be alive again.

It’s been five years since the accident that killed the love of her life and she’s almost a new person now—an artist with her own studio and sharing a brownstone apartment with her ride-or-die best friend, Joy, who insists it’s time for Feyi to ease back into the dating scene. Feyi isn’t ready for anything serious, but a steamy encounter at a rooftop party cascades into a whirlwind summer she could have never imagined: a luxury trip to a tropical island, decadent meals in the glamorous home of a celebrity chef, and a major curator who wants to launch her art career.

She’s even started dating the perfect guy, but their new relationship might be sabotaged before it has a chance by the overwhelming desire Feyi feels every time she locks eyes with the one person who is most definitely off-limits—his father. Can she release her past and honor her grief while still embracing her future? And, of course, there’s the biggest question of all—how far is she willing to go for a second chance at love?

“With tenderhearted characters and an immaculate balance of realistic dialogue and lyrical prose” (BuzzFeed), Akwake Emezi’s vivid and passionate writing takes us deep into a world of possibility and healing. You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty is a “a love letter to the brave choices we make in the name of love, the costs we pay for it, and the glory of the reward at the end” (Marie Claire).

©2022 Akwaeke Emezi. All rights reserved. (P)2022 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: LGBTQ+
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Featured Article: Audible Essentials—The Top 100 LGBTQIA+ Listens of All Time


While LGBTQIA+ creators have been around for millennia, it’s only recently that we’ve been hearing more diverse, more queer-authored, and more queer-performed stories about the entire spectrum of LGBTQIA+ experiences and identities. This list—just like the community it represents—is meant to be fluid. But most importantly, it’s meant to celebrate and reflect on the issues faced by LGBTQIA+ people everywhere.

What listeners say about You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A contemporary story about love after loss

First, why it wasn’t a full 5 for me: It was more sexual/erotic than I expected it, and expected more of the grief inner life aspects showing itself (it was just enough), plus some of the story and breaking of social boundaries seemed far fetched- but I liked wrestling with that and not judging the characters. The good for me: it was well written and I could feel the characters emotion/voices throughout, I loved the portrayal of all black characters in their beauty, doing life, experiencing loss and love, the lgbtq representation, age/generational representation, and the artists at different levels of success in their lives…all very believable and modern. I didn’t really love the narration as much as I wanted to but it was engaging.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

What a dangling participle

There must be a book 2. The ending is not complete.... Feels so unfinished. Can't wait for the movie.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Wow!!

I loved this book! Such a good story line and characters were so relatable and realistic! A must read.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I enjoyed the book.

i lived the book. Enjoyed the narrator's accent as it too me back to my home. I will read more titles from this Author.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Loved Every Second!

If you don’t love this book idk what’s wrong with you! lol it was great! I was hooked! The story is beautiful but WILD!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Book review

I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the narration. I could visualize each experience. My only gripe would be the excessive use of expletives. Outside of that I would highly recommend this audio version.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Hot and Messy

Great book, just like I like it, Hot and Messy. I need a book number 2 after this, we can't stop now.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

What a roller coaster!!!

Love the twist and turns,the love after lost. I need part two! More please

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

I’m a bit confused

There’s a lot of drama in this book. I mean she’s going between a son and father. I am not rooting for her but I did enjoy the story quite a lot

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Loved it

It was a great story. A nice listen while working a 10 hour shift at Amazon lol.

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