Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson

42 reviews

alannashelfhelp's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism and Death of parent

hi97's review

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol and Racism

Moderate: Police brutality, Death of parent, and Slavery

aishallnot's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism

Minor: Sexual content

alexdayhey's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Slavery, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Death of parent, Deportation, Hate crime, Racism, and Violence

teeclecticreads's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

Oh sweet, talented Caleb. You sir, are a special breed of writer. I’m in even more awe of this novel than I was of Open Water. The language was so vivid and all the descriptions tickled against my senses. I love the thoughtfulness put into the sequence of the storytelling; how the same or similar phrases were juxtaposed and sprinkled throughout the chapters. I grew a love for all the characters and felt the hurt that they felt with their respective losses. So glad I’m ending 2023 with such a great piece of work.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Police brutality

Moderate: Death of parent and Emotional abuse

alyxinthestars's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent and Racism

sydapel's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective slow-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

5.0

If there's someone else writing like Caleb Azumah Nelson, point me to them immediately. The sheer lyricism and musicality of his descriptions, how each emotion his characters experience flies off the page and directly into my chest is absolutely astounding to me. This is a gorgeous coming of age story about where we feel at home, with whom home is and how the small worlds of safety and understanding we create with loved ones are deeply personal, but also universal. I don't this this would be for everyone, especially as the pace meanders a bit in the middle, but I found the payoff in the final few chapters to be so worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Drug use, Grief, Police brutality, Death of parent, Xenophobia, and Alcohol

oz2021's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and Alcohol

Moderate: Mental illness and Death of parent

laurareads87's review

emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.0

Open Waters follows Stephen, a young Ghanian-British man, in the years after high school; it is especially focused on his relationship with his father and his changing connection to his long-time friend.  Stephen is a musician, and I loved Nelson's inclusion of so many musical references; I would love a playlist of all the songs mentioned in this book.  I found it more interesting as it went along, and didn't love the repetitive writing in places.

Content warnings: racism, discrimination, police brutality, grief, death of a parent, drug & alcohol use

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Grief, Police brutality, and Death of parent

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, and Drug abuse

zara89's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Alcoholism, Hate crime, and Alcohol

Moderate: Death of parent and Death