Book Review: Love in Colour

Love In Colour is exactly that. People of Colour in Love and Bolu Babalola creates new stories from mythical tales and celebrates love showing us the power of love from around the world.

Bolu separates the book into two parts; Old Tales & New tales.

My favourite story is the one of Attem and Ituen. Attem is a queen that is married to a king, who she doesn’t love but married to better her family. Attem has no affection or physical desire for the king whatsoever so to satisfy herself, she would pick out men to be with. On this one particular day at the market, she spotted Ituen, a hunter by trade.  Attem and Ituen’s story is one of choice. That women have the power and choice to choose who they want to be with. It has the sweetest ending and a powerful message.

Bolu brilliantly targets everyone with every story. From majestic & mystical tales to modern everyday love that we see; highlighting the beauty & strength of women, showing us that love in colour, in every aspect, exists.  

The last story in the book, Alagomeji, blew me away. Bolu writes about, in what I assume, her parents love showing that time was constructed with love in mind. It is the perfect story to tie up Love In Colour. She ends off with a beautiful quote ‘’Time and love are intertwined, they are both measures of life, they are the two clocks. And, for love to operate as it should, it is imperative that the timing should be right. Just as it is in this story.’’

The recurring themes in the stories are women becoming their own, women being seen & chosen & also having the power to choose.  

I am also glad that I read this story in the month of love. It made me feel warm & fuzzy & hopeful to believe in love. Love in Colour was a great reminder that love does exist and we should never settle. 

Most of the endings were predictable, but a good predictable and I think that was the point. Happy, predication endings. With no twists & turns & no little trauma. Because love should be easy.

There was not one story I didn’t enjoy.  Bolu poured her soul into this book & in the introduction, she says “I hope it brings you joy” I can safely say, the mandate was met. 

Review by Boipelo Mokgothu

Posted by Afro Kulcha in Uncategorized