Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World, Retold
INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
"Love stories by and about marginalized women . . . The heroines are strong and sure . . . Babalola's writing shines." -- New York Times Book Review
"Absolutely intoxicating." -- Casey McQuiston, New York Times bestselling author of Red, White, and Royal Blue and One Last Stop
A vibrant debut collection of love stories from the bestselling author of Honey and Spice, retelling myths, folktales, and histories from around the world.
A high-born Nigerian goddess, who has been beaten down and unappreciated by her gregarious lover, longs to be truly seen. A young businesswoman attempts a great leap in her company, and an even greater one in her love life. A powerful Ghanaian spokeswoman is forced to decide whether she should uphold her family's politics or be true to her heart.
In her debut collection, internationally acclaimed writer Bolu Babalola retells the most beautiful love stories from history and mythology with incredible new detail and vivacity. Focusing on the magical folktales of West Africa, Babalola also reimagines Greek myths, ancient legends from the Middle East, and stories from long-erased places.
With an eye towards decolonizing tropes inherent in our favorite tales of love, Babalola has created captivating stories that traverse across perspectives, continents, and genres. Love in Color is a celebration of romance in all its many splendid forms.
"I am in love with every single word Bolu Babalola has written. So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully." --Candice Carty-Williams, international bestselling author of Queenie
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BOLU BABALOLA is the author of the Reese Book Club pick Honey and Spice and the internationally bestselling short story collection Love in Color. She is a London based writer and lover of love. She was shortlisted in 4th Estate's B4ME competition for her short story "Netflix & Chill," a hilarious tale of teen romance. Bolu has worked as a writer for books, TV, and press, and as a cultural commentator.
"In telling these stories, Babalola herself becomes the seer and the seen, subversively providing a corrective to both the Western idea of who gets to indulge in love for love's sake and whose myths are worthy of retelling... Babalola's writing shines whether she's writing parry-riposte banter or fresh, evocative interiority; each story will likely find readers who choose it as their personal favorite in the book. Love in Color, as a whole, is a strong and necessary reset of who is the seer, who is the seen, and who gets to do both."--New York Times Book Review
Beautifully written and full of joy. Bolu Babalola is a star.--Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author
"Bolu Babalola splashes onto the scene with her fantastic debut collection... Magnificent... These stories are short, they're perfect for the beach."--Isaac Fitzgerald, Today Show
"Luscious... Come for the beautiful and achingly relevant narratives centered around dynamic women... stay for the reminder that the happiest ever after is falling in love with yourself."--Essence
A thrillingly gifted Nigerian-British author recasts literary legends... Babalola dives deep into the notion that "romance sweetens the casual bitterness we can encounter; it heightens the mundane and makes the terrestrial supernatural."--Oprah Daily
Perfection in short story form, I am in love with every single word Bolu Babalola has written. So rarely is love expressed this richly, this vividly, or this artfully. --Candice Carty-Williams, international bestselling author of Queenie
British cultural critic Bolu Babalola's delightful fiction debut is a work of power and pleasure. Drawing largely from African and Asian folklore -- featuring Thisbe, Scheherazade, Ọ?un, Nefertiti, and more -- Babalola crafts entirely modern love stories without any of the mistreatment of women that pervades so much mythology. The collection also includes three original stories from Babalola, all of which are more than deserving of their place next to the classics. As Babalola herself describes it, the book is 'a step towards decolonizing tropes of love.' It's also a lot of fun.--Buzzfeed
Bolu Babalola's decolonized retelling of love stories and myths from around the world is a best seller for a reason: We're all romantics at heart.--New York magazine, The Strategist
"Inventive, intimate, witty and wise, Babalola's irresistible explorations uplift you from the start. Here is love as freedom, love as deep joy. Romance will never be dead, as long as she's writing it."--Jessie Burton, New York Times bestselling author of The Muse
