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broccoli_mmm's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Really beautiful prose and themes, felt more like a collection of poems and vignettes than a novel. Clearly a very talented writer. The pacing was a little funky and made the 2nd half tougher to get through. Very important & im glad this exists
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
sarah_js's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
A beautiful exploration of love, race, intimacy, and liberation.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, and Police brutality
sadhbhprice'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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Violence, Police brutality, Grief, Murder, and Alcohol
Moderate: Sexual content, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
af666014's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
A really beautiful reflection of experience as Black in the UK - I liked the interwoven themes of joy and also sadness. The style, while beautiful, was hard to read at times.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Violence, and Police brutality
reminiscences's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Police brutality, Car accident, and Alcohol
holly_daze_'s review against another edition
challenging
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
brezzylovesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
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
5.0
Wow. This is the first book I have fallen in love with since The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois in 2021.
Let’s get into it… Caleb’s extraordinary talent provides the emotional depth I crave in the books I enjoy. I was hooked by the prologue: “It was strangely quiet in the barbershop.” If you understand how culturally rich a Black barbershop is at any given time, you know.
Through the characters, I was able to research paintings and rap lyrics mentioned in this book, which made me feel closer to them and their experiences and the inexplicable emotions.
This love story consisted of safety. Feeling safe in relationships is not a hard task once you find someone who “sees” you, enveloping yourself in trust, vulnerabilities, and safety.
I enjoyed reading about his role in the family dynamics. I appreciated how his experiences are revealed throughout the book as you travel with the main character, who becomes comfortably uncomfortable confronting the traumas directly and indirectly experienced.
Caleb’s writing style is poetic but not challenging to understand. There were several short chapters and paragraphs that I reread because of how lyrical his writing felt to me.
The second-person narration involves you directly in the love story. The complexities of life come out seamlessly in his writing.
Let’s get into it… Caleb’s extraordinary talent provides the emotional depth I crave in the books I enjoy. I was hooked by the prologue: “It was strangely quiet in the barbershop.” If you understand how culturally rich a Black barbershop is at any given time, you know.
Through the characters, I was able to research paintings and rap lyrics mentioned in this book, which made me feel closer to them and their experiences and the inexplicable emotions.
This love story consisted of safety. Feeling safe in relationships is not a hard task once you find someone who “sees” you, enveloping yourself in trust, vulnerabilities, and safety.
I enjoyed reading about his role in the family dynamics. I appreciated how his experiences are revealed throughout the book as you travel with the main character, who becomes comfortably uncomfortable confronting the traumas directly and indirectly experienced.
Caleb’s writing style is poetic but not challenging to understand. There were several short chapters and paragraphs that I reread because of how lyrical his writing felt to me.
The second-person narration involves you directly in the love story. The complexities of life come out seamlessly in his writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, and Car accident
amyvl93's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-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
2.5
Open Water is a really tricky book to rate and review - as it contains some really beautiful writing, wrapped around a central relationship I found hard to buy in to - and it's one of the most hyped contemporary novels out there.
The novel follows 'you' a young black British man living in South East London and working as a photographer who falls for a young black British woman studying between Dublin and London and wanting to be a dancer. It unpacks their relationship from friendship to something more, alongside the experience of being black in London and the world, trying to find a voice, and trying to find a sense of belonging.
As I mentioned, Nelson's writing is often really moving and I liked his depictions of London, of the different facets of masculinity and the way he wove references to music, literature and film throughout. However, the writing about love always kept me at something of a distance and at times felt overwrought - aside from their being a mutual attraction and connection this felt abstract on the page. I never quite got a grip on who 'she' was - and why there was an attraction and love there that was unlike any other. We are told frequently about the level of emotion that 'you' are experiencing, but this never quite connected with me as a reader.
Nelson is definitely a talented writer and I'd be interested in seeing what he continues to write - this just didn't quite work for me.
The novel follows 'you' a young black British man living in South East London and working as a photographer who falls for a young black British woman studying between Dublin and London and wanting to be a dancer. It unpacks their relationship from friendship to something more, alongside the experience of being black in London and the world, trying to find a voice, and trying to find a sense of belonging.
As I mentioned, Nelson's writing is often really moving and I liked his depictions of London, of the different facets of masculinity and the way he wove references to music, literature and film throughout. However, the writing about love always kept me at something of a distance and at times felt overwrought - aside from their being a mutual attraction and connection this felt abstract on the page. I never quite got a grip on who 'she' was - and why there was an attraction and love there that was unlike any other. We are told frequently about the level of emotion that 'you' are experiencing, but this never quite connected with me as a reader.
Nelson is definitely a talented writer and I'd be interested in seeing what he continues to write - this just didn't quite work for me.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Police brutality, and Grief
rain02's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
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
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Grief
Moderate: Racism and Police brutality
Minor: Alcohol
abigail_r23's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-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? No
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality