I’m not so much a fan of short stories, but when I see a collection that I really enjoy, I tend to spend less time finishing it. There is something about finishing a story and knowing that the next one holds the same beauty with an entirely new set of characters and issues to treat. Yellow, a collection of short stories by Kelechi Nathan Odoemelam, is one. It draws you over and over.

The fact that this is a debut collection makes it all the more impressive. When you consider the clarity of Odoemelam’s imagery, the simplicity of the plots, the flowery language and the brilliance of characters make you want to read the stories.
In a very concise manner, he is able to engage the reader with a story that is dressed in love, life, and spirituality. He uses a simple and easy to comprehend diction to convey his message.

The title, Yellow, is very significant. Yellow signifies brightness, hope, and sunshine on one hand, and cowardice, caution, deceit, and jealousy on the other hand. These significance are well represented in the stories that make up the collection.

This collection has 14 engaging stories such as: Cherophobia, Like Water,  It Goes On, Days of our Lives, A fine forest moment and others.
The first story, Cherophobia, unveils the fears and hope that characterise human lives. Cherophobia means the fear of happiness and in this story the fear of the unknown leaves the characters in the dreamworld of love. The author develops characters who live their whole lives on ‘the island and others who are trying to find a place in the ‘mainland’.

William finds himself in a relationship that is ‘too good to be true’. This makes him to constantly ask himself questions. He asks himself whether he is good enough for Juliana.

Washed away by Juliana’s beauty, he feels inadequate to sustain it. William says, ”I was like a man carrying a precious jewel, afraid that someone would steal it from him.” He simply needed validation from Juliana.

“She was aware of my insecurities, but it didn’t move her. That night, as it rained angry violent drops on the glistening rooftops, I knew it was my purpose to lead her in a lifelong love. I also knew that I had no business in her league, and I wondered why God or nature or Fate or Providence was so kind. I took her hand, and led her in, away from the eavesdropping storm.”

In A fine forest moment, the author interrogates how marriages are conducted in the traditional way. Nnenna falls in love with Ibe, the super wrestler, but her father prevents her from marrying him.

“You have become a woman; an agbogho. I have chosen a suitable husband for you. He is rich, respectable and comes from a good line of farmers. His name is Anayo. He was here with his people a few days ago. The wedding will be in three market days. Prepare yourself. And tell that boy Ibe that the shameless romance both of you have been fanning, will stop henceforth. If he lays a finger on
your body again, I will kill him first, and then take it up with his father at the council of elders. Do you hear me?”

With diverse use of narrative styles, symbolism, and imagery, yellow practically portrays the many sides of human life. The good and bad are on one coin, it depends on the side that faces you, and how you react to it or maybe, you can’t really do anything to help yourself.
Each character struggles to make sense of his or her fate, sexuality and restrictions and the complexities society imposes on them. All of these characters have been brought up like true Africans finding themselves struggling to reconcile with their fate and judgmental mores of their congregants.

There is much to ponder in each of these beautifully crafted stories and much to enjoy about the author’s clean writing style that consistently manages to pack a punch.

The book, no doubt, is a beautiful escape into a world of imagery, colour and good literature. This group of stories deserves all of the accolades it has.