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A review by shivani_n
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“You know that to love is both to swim and to drown. You know to love is to be a whole, partial, a joint, a fracture, a heart, a bone. It is to bleed and heal. It is to be in the world, honest. It is to place someone next to your beating heart, in the absolute darkness of your inner, and trust they will hold you close. To love is to trust, to trust is to have faith. How else are you meant to love? You knew what you were getting into, but taking the Underground, returning home with no certainty of when you will see her next, it is terrifying.”
“It’s one thing to be looked at, and another to be seen.”
god this book is AMAZING. completely unlike anything i've ever read before. nelson's writing style is so unique- it can be a bit confusing at times BUT it doesn't even matter because the way he describes things is so intense and raw and it makes you think so deeply about things you never considered before. the main character's journey of self expression and reflection of what it means to be a black man in the UK and what that does to him is so sad but it's so eloquently demonstrated. it covers so many topics, masculinity, vulnerability, relationships, self love, creativity, art, etc. the way he handles these topics is so delicate and there were just so many good quotes (genuinely ever other page of my copy is tabbed and highlighted/underlined). i also loved how many references there were to music in this book, and how he used the concept of a "home" as synonymous with "freedom". this book was just something from out of this world. i loved it so much. tbh everyone should read this.
“It’s one thing to be looked at, and another to be seen.”
god this book is AMAZING. completely unlike anything i've ever read before. nelson's writing style is so unique- it can be a bit confusing at times BUT it doesn't even matter because the way he describes things is so intense and raw and it makes you think so deeply about things you never considered before. the main character's journey of self expression and reflection of what it means to be a black man in the UK and what that does to him is so sad but it's so eloquently demonstrated. it covers so many topics, masculinity, vulnerability, relationships, self love, creativity, art, etc. the way he handles these topics is so delicate and there were just so many good quotes (genuinely ever other page of my copy is tabbed and highlighted/underlined). i also loved how many references there were to music in this book, and how he used the concept of a "home" as synonymous with "freedom". this book was just something from out of this world. i loved it so much. tbh everyone should read this.