Love In Colour by Bolu Babalola
Publisher – Headline
Published – Out Now
Price - £16.99 Hardcover - £7.99 Kindle eBook
Bolu Babalola finds the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology and rewrites them with incredible new detail and vivacity in this debut collection. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines iconic Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from countries that no longer exist in our world.
Whether captured in the passion of love at first sight, or realising that self-love takes precedent over the latter, the characters in these vibrant stories try to navigate this most complex human emotion and understand why it holds them hostage.
Moving exhilaratingly across perspectives, continents and genres, from the historic to the vividly current, Love in Colour is a celebration of romance in all of its forms.
As the dark nights lengthen in the UK its tempting to just imagine the world go colder. No wonder there are so many ghost stories out there at the moment, but we also need stories of warmth. In times like these I think it is important to remember the best thing about humanity - our capacity for love and beating the odds are often just as welcoming to brighten the days and nights ahead. This may explain why down the ages and across the world our myths while full of war and pain also have tales of love – not always ending well for the women involved (thanks to sexism) but myths can get rewritten and sometimes get the ending they should have had. In Bolu Babalola’s joyous Love In Colour we get an intoxicating collection of smart, varied tales that after a fairly stressful few weeks made me feel better about the world…and scream ‘no you fools kiss each other’ a lot..ahem
Amongst the tales I enjoyed were
Osun - Osun is at an academy and knows her own mind and status but is constantly involved with the selfish Sango. They orbit each other based around their respective high social statuses and despite his infidelities she knows he will come back to her so she can calm him down. But then she spies the very different Erinle. I loved this opening tale we get to understand Osun and the way she looks at the world and why she has kept with Sango but then the tale leads to a conclusion about what happens when you meet someone who actually appreciates you for who you are and not what you do for them. Loved the way it captures the feeling of lightening striking you out of nowhere and changing the world as you see it.
Scheherazade – A name all lovers of stories will recognise this time transplanted to a modern era. Scheherazade is a skilled political operative lurking in the shadows for her clients – creating new narratives to change the world. She meets Shahryar who works for the competition and despite both knowing they shouldn’t they start a very causal relationship. This is a story about growing into love the feeling that you know you can’t ignore them, and it manages to be tender and has a conclusion where the reader gets to decide what happens next. One of my favourites in the collection.
Pysche – Psy works for Olympus Magazine’s fashion editor the demanding Venus and takes the daily abuse and challenges (including pet care duties) in the effort to prove herself. Her friend Eros the office flirt (to say the least) has been always there to cheer her but their fragile almost relationship ended as soon as it began. Another of my favourites and a Greek myth as an almost Allie Mcbeal office dramedy was both unexpected and yet totally appropriate. Uplifting and also very funny.
Attem – A tale of two thieves in very different situations. Ituen roams the country stealing animals from the rich and using the wealth to save the indentured by paying off deaths. At the local market he meets Attem a new queen to the elderly and repressive king. Attem seeks a mere diversion for the night but in Ituen it’s a kindred spirit she finally finds despite the danger they put themselves in. A really compelling tale of love out of passion and the reader will strongly want a happy ending…
Yaa – I quite like the way this bookended Attem as it explores similar themes in our own time. Yaa is getting ready for the next stage of her relationship to her long-term partner Kofi. Both members of two of the most powerful families it seems right the two who grew up together should become partners. It may mean she can’t go on her ‘social justice rant’ but it’s the right thing to do…isn’t it? This tale is wonderfully constructed to explain Yaa’s life and then we see a curveball that was set up beautifully right at the start. Again, a tale of love versus responsibility – another of my favourites
Nefertiti – In modern Thesbes we go to the thoroughly disrespectful House of Aten nightclub where Ma Isis and Bastet work for the owner (and crime boss) Nefertiti now solely in charge of the operation – fighting rivals, the corrupt cops and seeking justice for men who don’t respect women. She gets captivated by the enigmatic Ma’at a woman who clearly has her own agenda but the two can’t escape each other. This was the standout tale for me I loved the inventiveness, Nefertiti’s voice that mixes humour and noir narration and a delicious air of unpredictability
Thisbe – Two college students separated by a wall…Thisbe is studious and in a very boring relationship with the dishonest nice guy Kazeem. What helps her relax is the very noisy neighbour’s soundtrack but occasionally she has to tell Pyramus to turn it down. I loved the transition to a college setting, and this is that tale of two students who discover a lot more in common than they expected – truly heart-warming how we are taken through the relationship.
Tiara – Prominent social media icon and about to be novelist is definitely not interested that her one-time love Seye is back in the country for an award ceremony. They broke up on bad terms when he left for the states. His arrival makes us go through the ups and downs of the relationship. I loved Tiara’s funny yet emotionally honest narration explaining a broken heart and trying to move on. How can I not love a tale where Hamilton was key to a relationship!
Alagomeji – A tale of young man and woman in Nigeria who are constantly in each other’s lives. Beautifully written and I advise the reader to pay attention to the names because this is a true love letter to love itself.
Babalola is a phenomenal author taking these myths (some I recognised well and others I had to later look up) and giving us a wonderfully varied collection. The brilliant use of style shifts, different character voices mean that despite the recurring theme I didn’t feel like I was repeating myself reading each tale – each had a slightly different take on the subject which means the whole reading experience was joyous. I will definitely be looking for future tales in the future and I think if you’re looking for a read that makes you smile this is one to pick up. Highly recommended.
