"Love" (2003) is the eighth book written by Toni Morrison. The story uses a storytelling method that does not follow a straight timeline. It focuses on the lives of several women and their connections to Bill Cosey, a hotel owner who died many years ago. People around Cosey were influenced by his life, even after he passed away. The main characters are Christine, his granddaughter, and Heed, his widow. Christine and Heed are the same age and were once friends, but forty years after Cosey's death, they are enemies. Despite this, they both live in his mansion. Morrison uses a storytelling method that switches between different times and perspectives, revealing details only near the end of the book. All characters in the novel have some connection to Bill Cosey.

This is similar to a theme in Morrison's 1987 novel "Beloved," where characters communicate with the dead. In "Love," a character named Junior acts as a medium, helping the spirit of Bill Cosey interact with the living.

The storytelling method in "Love," such as switching between different time periods, shows a recent trend in Morrison's writing style.

Critical reception

Elaine Showalter, who wrote for The Guardian, described the book as "small in size but powerful, not fancy, and filled with unusual and strange characters and ideas that challenge common beliefs and are not popular." In The New York Times, Laura Miller said that Love is better than some of Toni Morrison's earlier books, such as Beloved and Sula.