A review by withlivjones
Love in Colour: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold by Bolu Babalola

lighthearted relaxing fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

A wonderfully written collection of short stories. Babalola excels in all kinds of settings, genres, and narration styles, and each tale is packed with heart and prose that reads like poetry. Although I wasn’t familiar with a lot of the original myths, I was impressed by how easy it was to follow the stories regardless. I love how the women in these retellings are given the agency that they lack in the original versions so that even the stories written in a historical setting feel modern. I also really liked the full circle moment of the final story. 

I only wish that these short stories were longer - sometimes things moved quite quickly, and for a book that is about the intricacies of romance, I would have loved for some of these romances to have been explored in more depth and detail. I would honestly read an entire novel about Babalola’s version of Nefertiti! 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings