Dangerous Love follows a young artist named Omovo and the influence that corrupt politics has on his artistry in the ghettos of Lagos in Nigeria after the Civil War.

[2] The book is more conventional and realist than Okri's previous works, it also does not have as many literary critiques due to its experimental nature.

[citation needed] On May 30, 1967, a section of Nigeria succeeded as ethnic and political conflict continued, this act marks the beginning of the Nigerian Civil War that is mentioned in Okri's book.

"[citation needed] As Okri portrays life in Lagos post-civil war, he also describes the maturity of a young African artist and his perspective of his role in the future of Nigeria in Dangerous Love.

[5] Wendy B. Faris from the University of Texas notes a specific trend in Okri's book that she calls "scenic lists" that establish a mysterious and removed perspective of the setting.

Faris argues that this style creates a voice that connects realistic situations with a magical, spiritual, or "shamanic aura".

She characterizes Okri's pieces as "shamanic realism" as he mentions spiritual and supernatural aspects of life throughout his novels.

"[6] Monica Bongaro, PhD, categorizes Ben Okri as one of the "feminist male authors are making an effort to transcend stand sexual allegories, hence to resolve the problems of gender in ways that run counter to the biases embedded in African male literary tradition.

[7] Bongaro states, "With [Ifeyiwa's] sensitivity and delicacy of emotions, and her determination to cope with life in a sordid rat-infested house with a man she hates and to whom she has been married off by her family, Ifeyiwa stands in opposition to the horrifying spectacle of a society undergoing a process of decomposition.

"[7] In the first book of Dangerous Love, Omovo and his friend Keme find a young girl brutally killed in a ritual sacrifice.

[6] This experience appears in Omovo's nightmares and he compares this encounter to his childhood during the civil war where he witnessed the death of various Igbo people.

[7] Dangerous Love starts with the main character Omovo who gets a haircut and it goes badly so he ends up shaving his entire head.

Omovo's painting was stolen from his house and he ends up seeing it later on as the cover of a book, "written by an Englishman on the African condition.

He doesn't sleep that night and instead paints a piece called "Drift" that is of a scum pool that he walks by often by his compound.

The officials take the painting because they believe it mocks the progress that Nigeria has made and Omovo is perceived as a rebel.

Children of the compound surround Omovo and he gives them money, he talks with Ifeyiwa briefly to set up a meeting and she expresses concern for his well-being.

Chapter 4 focuses on Ifeyiwa, her father accidentally killed a girl and started a conflict with local groups.

Her relationship with Tapko is abusive, earlier she started taking night classes and her husband got jealous and he forbade her from going.

On his walk to his friend Okoro's house, Omovo runs into a woman that falls into some mud and ruins her dress and heels.

One mentions a doctor that created a medicine that makes a man and a woman stick together if they are committing adultery.

They walk back towards their home and it begins to pour, Ifeyiwa says that her husband was out that night so she won't be in trouble.

Ifeyiwa walks home and wanders to find a sickly and injured dog that is kicked by children playing a game.

Ifeyiwa is very sick after the night in the forest and her husband takes to juju medicine methods to make her feel better.

Eventually, Ifeyiwa falls back asleep and dreams of killing Tupko, when she wakes up she is recovered and plans an escape as she cleans the house.

After three days of being sick, Omovo goes back to work to find that he has been transferred to a different branch, instead of taking that job he collects his money and leaves.

Then, Omovo packs a bag and gathers his thoughts, he writes a letter to his father and leaves money for the rent.

Ifeyiwa travels over three hundred miles and is walking the last part of her journey when she hears people call out to her, she can't find herself to speak and they shoot and kill her in fear that she is an enemy.

An Igbo undergrad was shot in the back by soldiers in Omovo's old village, young boys then scavenged for money after the death.

A towns member finds Omovo at his house and tells him a story of a party that the compound had while his father was visiting relatives to ask for money.

Omovo wakes up and walks around and paints the Atlantic ocean at night with big ships on the beach and a tree in the foreground with the girl who was ritually sacrificed.