Love in Color — Bolu Babalola

Paperback | William Morrow Paperbacks | April 26, 2022

The Gist

A short story collection about this crazy little thing called “love.”

Read if you like:

• Mythology and mythological retellings

• Strong-willed, complex female characters

• Character-driven narratives

• Short story collections

• Love stories

Verdict: Own It, Read It, Read Again

Bolu Babalola’s Love in Color is a collection of thirteen short stories that include ten retellings based on myths from Nigeria, Persia, China, Mesopotamia, Greece, and more, as well as three original stories. The opening story “Osun” perfectly sets up the theme of the entire collection. For each of these women, it’s not just about being wanted, powerful, or successful, it’s about being seen and heard for who they truly are—especially when falling in love. Throughout the collection Babalola’s writing is sharp, building backdrops with speed and ease to ground the reader, so they immediately understand the stakes for each of these women. While each story has different settings, stakes, and conflicts each one focuses on that thrilling moment of falling in love and the all-consuming rush of it. But while this leaves us feeling warm and fuzzy it is a bit one-note. Nevertheless, this doesn’t take away from the strength of Babalola’s prose and the subtle humor she weaves throughout the collection.

Some of my favorite stories were “Attem,” “Yaa,” and “Siya.”