A review by suchsweetsorrow89
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson

emotional lighthearted reflective relaxing tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

i think that this book, as a benefit to the author, is one that i have yet to see quite like it in the 21st century. this tender love story deals so intimately with art, masculinity, and blackness in such a way that really questions human expression. this tender love story between two friends follows an almost episodic plot, with less of a timeline and more of an inner look into the main character's own life and how that changes when in the face of love. one thing that i thought was really powerful was the times in which the author spoke on masculinity and the construction of such when in a world that holds the black body in this strange position, one which constantly uses it at their disposal.

my critique of this story is the language. while i think it was certainly beautiful, it read like it was attempting to replicate baldwin's writing style to a t rather than trying to do its own thing. at times, i thought this made the language feel like it was trying too hard or was just too flowery without any real grounding. the second part is this:
i was not a fan of the ending. though i do like that they did not end up together, i thought that the recognition of him being seen for him through her eyes was not strong. i really hoped that this construction of his identity is one that reflects the modern world-- as an ongoing process that, though can be affirmed through others, is a personal thing. idk i just wish that the ending were a bit more personal to him rather than ending through her own thoughts.
 

all in all, its a fine text and worth the read if you want a nice black love story
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