Reviews with content warning for Racism - Open Water: Winner of the Costa First Novel Award 2021

Reviews tagging 'Racism'

Open Water: Winner of the Costa First Novel Award 2021 by Caleb Azumah Nelson

375 reviews

dacha's review against another edition

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emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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apersonnamedfaith's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is such a beautifully written story. It feels like a much longer book than it is just because of how much meaning and depth was packed into it. I have a deep appreciation for writers who are also truly artists, and that certainly applies here. Nelson has found the least flimsy of words.

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sammyb's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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nneka23's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Very lyrical and emotional read. At some points, the writing style became a bit repetitive but over all, I enjoyed the writing. Nelson somehow finds a way to give the perfect descriptor(s) to all the small and big feelings that are so elusive to capture in words. This was an experience all the way through. So glad I read it.

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uwishuwouldknowthat's review against another edition

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Beautiful prose and smart words! It's very poetic and hence, quite heavy on the stylistic devices. So it takes some time to get through.

I'm not in the right had space for such detailed writing right now, but I really enjoyed what I read so far. 🌊

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ko_rax's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

In the novel Open Water, the reader learns of the lived reality of the Black male body in modern society set against the backdrop of contemporary London.

"You hide your whole self away because sometimes you forget you haven't done anything wrong. Sometimes you forget there's nothing in your pockets. Sometimes you forget that to be you is to be unseen and unheard, or it is to be seen and heard in ways you did not ask for. Sometimes you forget to be you is to be a Black body, and not much else."

Whilst it took me a bit to get used to the second person pov, I have no other major "complains" concerning this novel. In fact, I believe that this stylistic choice benefitted it well, as it allowed the author to not only show lived reality, but let it come alive in a way that I as a reader physically felt the experience. By no means will I, as a non-Black person, ever understand the full scope of what it means to be a Black man, and yet I am deeply grateful for having been granted insight.

Additionally, I want to compliment the prose. The words are chosen beautifully and paint a picture of emotion and trauma in a way so bittersweet that I was left in a thoughtful mood very often. I strongly believe this novel should be read by everyone.