In 2021, I was gifted money to get this book by a book club member, thank you Prince! I’m extremely happy I got this book, definitely one to re-read.
To think I started reading it last year, finished the first story and abandoned it🤦, mostly due to varying reviews on it.
This year my #Buyonebookamonthchallenge2022 on twitter has kicked off but I wouldn’t be buying the books till later, need to finish up the ones I have, gradually becoming more of a book buyer than a reader😂😂
If you follow my blog, you will know I don’t do the whole in-depth review, sorry I’m not so great with words.😏 I rave about books I loved as well as the ones I didn’t. Give me a good story; sweet, angry, happy, anything intelligent to keep me hooked from start to finish, that’s all I need.
Bolu did the thing in this beautiful book and as a certified lover girl, despite contrary opinions which I do not care about😏, this was a perfect collection of love stories. Sweet, mushy, feel good, warm love stories retold from mythical tales around the world.
Bolu retold mythical stories from patriarchal times into stories of brave, strong, fierce, daring, audacious, intelligent women who also loved deeply or somehow found their way to love. Women who discovered they could be more and became more.
There were happy ever afters, tragic stories but in all love stood tall and supreme, a collection of 13 stories with 3 being original shorts from Bolu. I loved her originals.
My favourite stories were Scheherazade, Attem, Psyche, Siya, Naleli, Thisbe, Tiara and Alagomeji.
Tales of beautiful women in flawed societies, who found strength in being who they were, being self-aware, finding love in the strangest settings, defining women as strong and vulnerable, strong and love deeply, warriors and beautiful as well. Diverse women fully represented, widows, lesbians, thick and so on.
Love so strong, descriptive, although a bit rushed, word flow intact, few cliffhangers, touching every stage of life and love barely from the sexual perspective but the point of total affection for a person.
A mix of historical and contemporary settings where Bolus’ infatuation with the millennial and Gen. Z demographic cohort shined through. Infusing a word like ‘raggedy’ and in Naleli’s story, her bestie Letsha screaming “That’s my best friend! Baddest bitch in Maloti Valley. Tidies sitting pretty in that pink bikini, Ayy!” totally took me out. 😂😂 Bolu is an exciting personality and it shows in these stories.
The cover design too was a hit!
Sadly, parts dragged in the stories and some were a bit rushed. There was a bit of the same storyline in the stories, less substance in the plot, but I didn’t have a problem with it, definitely would recommend this book!
The last story, Alagomeji, centred on Bolus’ parents love story, was the sweetest Nigerian love story I have read in a while.
Bolu is an amazing storyteller, the flow of grammar and infusion of humour made every story an experience.
Pictures of my favourite passages:
Till our next post!
Check out my bookstore as always and if you need a book not available on the site send a message on Twitter, Instagram or WhatsApp. I’m also running a valentine book package sale and Book sales at discounted prices, purchase yours today and spread the love! 😍
The Readers Hut 