“You owe me nothing. I owe you everything.”
Imbolo Mbue’s Every Story is a Love Story (Random House 2026) is a beautiful study in grief and growth, revolving mostly around how messy human-life actually is; we live in the grey, my friends – don’t let anyone tell you differently. And while I appreciate how messy we are and how people handle heartbreak differently, the conclusion of the novel (and Wolo’s journey to healing) was a touch unsatisfying.
I don’t think it’s a spoiler based on the blurb and the title, but what I may say next about the ending could spoil the novel. Consider yourself warned.
Wolo’s wife and unborn twins were killed in a car accident. Yoma was running when Victoria Snow struck her at a stop sign. It was deemed an accident, but Wolo is convinced there was a cover-up. Even after the wrongful death settlement, he longs for vengeance but more so for the truth. Then a letter shows up. Victoria has written him. She wants to meet. She wants his forgiveness. What happens next is Wolo’s journey to healing told in a shifting timeline as he recalls memories with Yoma as well as things he has done in his past that he should seek forgiveness for. It’s an interesting set up and the writing is beautiful, but there is a bit of disconnect in Wolo’s character that isn’t character growth. The pacing also hiccups and speeds forward at the end, which certainly contributed to my feelings about the novel as a whole.
The novel certainly gives rise to discussions surrounding the human capacity for forgiveness, but I think many will grapple with Wolo’s choice. But we’re messy, and that’s the whole point.
Read this book.
