An ambitious novella, Caleb Azumah Nelson delivers a lyrical tale of young lovers who have to navigate their complicated feelings for one another as well as the isolation they have felt growing up as Black British. Their story is told using 2nd person and is extremely reflective of the emotional struggles that both of the characters face.

They meet in a pub through his friend and her boyfriend and soon realize that they care deeply for each other. Through their connection of art, she a dancer and he a photographer, they begin meeting to work on a collaberation which leads to conversations about their childhood and shared similarities. When they realize that these feelings exists, things become complicated with their friends Samuel and even after the friendship and relationships end, the main characters still do not share their true love for one another.

As their relationship grows the story takes a turn into deeper issues such as the main characters fear of the police and of feeling like he is nothing more than just a "black body." There are scenes depicting police harrassment and possible gang violence which all lends itself to understanding why the main character is so closed off and unable of trusting or letting himself be loved by his best friend and now lover.

There are both wonderfully beautiful things about this story and very frustrating things about it which might be more of a personal preference. The good is that Nelson writes so beautifully that it seems as if he is writing the soul of a romantic as true as a soul could ever be written. The metaphors that he chooses to illicit a feeling of place and emotion are quite masterfully done. One can really feel the agony of the decisions being made and those left unmade.

What I didn't enjoy, however, is the point of view. It left me feeling quite detached from the characters. I often had a hard time keeping track of who was being referred to at certain points in the narrative. Because I felt no connection to the characters, I had a hard time feeling a great depth of emotion either way other than annoyance. Annoyance was the greatest feeling I had because I felt as if I was reading the diary of an angsty teen who was caught up in the idea of romantic relationships as opposed to the reality. It reminds me of how whole heartedly kids give themselves to their first few relationships before realizing that the "perfect match" doesn't actually exist.

Then, the book takes a turn into the racial injustice part. It seems to almost come out of nowhere and is not fit into the book seamlessly. One minute we are reading about two young adults who love each other with a will they/won't they type feeling, and the next we are in this place with the male lead decides that his months or years (hard to tell) of pining after this woman are worth throwing away because of racial injustice. It wasn't explained enough or melded together enough for my liking. Both of those topics on their own make sense, but enough wasn't done to fit them together in the same story.

Lastly, I'm not sure if I would classify this as a novel/novella as it reads more like the author's stream of concious or rambling thoughts. While some of it was quite lyricaly and beautiful, a lot of it almost seemed to spill out of the authors brain onto the page with no logic.

That is not to say that this book isn't worth reading, it just wasn't for me!

Thanks to netgalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy in return for an honest review.

This book is a moving narration of 2 young adults, both Black and English who meet in a London pub. Themes of intimacy and vulnerability in relationship are beautifully portrayed against and within the backdrop of the effects of racism. This is a book that you’ll want to read, both for the insights you’ll receive and simply for the beautiful writing style of this author. #openwater #goodreads #amazon

I really tried with this book, especially given that it’s so short. I finally moved on with my life about 40% in because, OH MY GOSH!, nothing happens.
On top of it having almost no plot, it’s written in second person for some indiscernible reason. I’ve found very few books where second person writing wasn’t totally distracting, the You series being a brilliant exception. This book is no You. And unless you enjoy rambling, self-indulgent writing that goes nowhere, you’re better off just reading You. Or almost anything else.
Thanks to #netgalley and #vikingbooks for this ARC of #openwater in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to read Caleb Azumah Nelson's novel, I had been hearing a lot of buzz around this book, unfortunately it didn't gel with me at all.

I felt the prose was somewhat inflated and came across as pretentious, the feelings that I wanted to have towards the main characters was lost in the flowery words so I felt little connection with them and their growing love towards one another. For a short book it took me a long time to get through it and I found it to be a real slog in parts. I would often get lost and I was unsure who was speaking a lot of the time.

I did however, enjoy the musical component of the book and the interweaving of specific songs and albums with memories and what was happening in the story at the time.

I appreciate that this is a raw text, stripped bare to show the roughness of living life as a Black man in modern society and the systemic racism dealt with daily and there will be many readers that will enjoy this book for it's starkness but I needed more depth and connection.

The deep yearning in this book was palpable— the yearning for freedom, yearning for love, yearning to be seen, yearning for safety, yearning for equality. I took my time reading this book, so I could savour the language and really confront myself with the narrative (made easier because of the use of second person). This novel deals with shared trauma and how that can bond two people together and depicts dating in the modern world and how vulnerability can be so hard to express. It was so realistic that it was hard to painful to read at times.

This debut novel absolutely blew me away. I cannot wait to see future works by Caleb Azumah Nelson, I am such a fan!

This novel is set in Southeast London and follows the relationship of two young Black British people. While at the surface it is a love story, the true story expands over so many topics such as grief, trauma, systemic racism, vulnerability, and solace to name a few. I would not call this a light read, as it covers heavy topics but in the most lyrical way. This novel felt so deeply real that you could feel the emotions of the bloom and eventual wilt of the main characters’ relationship.

I absolutely adored the writing style, which was so beautifully lyrical - you can tell that the author was inspired by poetry in their writing style. The novel is in second person yet told from the point of view of the main male character, which was so unique and really grabbed my attention. Another interesting writing technique was the repetition of some phrases, with reminders interspersed throughout the novel of the importance of these mantras. The weaving of cultural references to music, film, literature, and art by Black artists dove you even further into the already culturally rich story. Finally, the metaphor of the title, Open Water, in describing the characters’ relationship is so unbelievably poetic.

This novel is out now in the UK and will be published in the US in a few months and I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy!
UK Pub date: February 4, 2021 by Viking Books UK, Penguin Books UK
US Pub date: April 13, 2021 by Grove Press, Black Cat, Grove Atlantic

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press, Black Cat for the gifted e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson.

This made me feel things, something I do not enjoy doing, but was well worth it! The second person narrative makes the reader feel and touch everything the narrator did. The writing style enables you to truly see the vulnerability of being a young Black man in today’s world. I can see how some may not love this writing style but I loved the rawness of it. Nelson is an incredible writer and I can’t wait to read his next work!

An outstanding debut novel that navigates a love story through racial trauma. The author pays homage to an eclectic array of artistic influences, from painters to musicians, weaving their art into his rhythmic prose. The name dropping could have easily been off putting had it been a less skilled author. Fortunately, Nelson handled these coolly and effectively, setting a mood even if I was unfamiliar with the artist. I also appreciate how this introduced me to several new artists. The author makes several references to the film Moonlight, directed by Barry Jenkins, both by name and not. Even the cover of the book seems inspired by the movie poster. It’s clear Nelson sees himself in the new wave of black arthouse creators, and that’s exactly where he belongs.
It is difficult to go from poetic yearning, pain, and fear, to such realistic and powerful dialogue between characters, but Open Water succeeds.

It’s hard to remember not to judge a book by its cover when you see one as nice as this!

I am going to have to break with all of the extremely positive reviews here and say that I found the writing in Open Water to be overwrought and pretentious. The style in which it was written negates the more important themes in the novel and makes the book as a whole feel vapid.

While I sometimes appreciate novels written in the second person, this one just felt awkward and detached. The main characters only feel like a rough sketch, failing to make an impression and overall I felt the story was shallow. It almost feels like the author tried so hard to impress with his writing that he left the actual story with no substance. Some phrases like “It is an honest meeting” or “What is a fracture? What is a break?” are tucked in so often to the point that the repetition of prose becomes grating.

I was not impressed by this one; I just did not appreciate the writing style. I am sure other readers will enjoy this, but it was not a fit for me.

This was totally a #bookstagrammademedoit read. I requested it from NetGalley after seeing so many good reviews (and from readers whose opinions I respect) so I was interested.

I knew vaguely what it was about: a love story between two artists and the realities of being a Black man in the world. But why was I under the impression that the protagonists were both men? This is a heterosexual love story.

I was prepared to love this book and be really moved by it, but (and I’m almost afraid to admit it) I just didn’t.

Why?

First off, I found the second person narration uncomfortable and did find it a bit confusing when mixed with speech sometimes (wait, ‘you’ narrator? Or ‘you’ narrator’s interlocutor?). However, I did get used to this as the book progressed.

I think I was expecting more from the love story part. Perhaps the female character (does she have a name, or did I miss it?) was underdeveloped but I just never felt like she was invested in the relationship and I felt sorry the narrator. She gave me the impression she was just leading him on, keeping him on the back burner, waiting for someone else to come along but unwilling to release him.

Another thing that frustrated me, and perhaps this is because of the hype surrounding this book, I kept waiting for something to happen. Some big event! And there isn’t really. At least not in the sense I was expecting. The inevitable end (the blurb tells us they’re going to break up!) is quite anti-climactic.

I know the author wants to communicate how it feels to be a Black man, when just living might mean expecting to die, but the message seemed both too subtle and too expository. Personally, I’m turned off by fiction that ‘tells’ me what to think, I want to be shown events in the story and infer the meaning (or else I read non-fiction). It’s not to say I disagree, of course.

The overall impression I got from this book was definitely one of ‘first novel’. By which I mean I felt there was an eagerness to impress the reader and to sermonise: this is what I know about music, these are all the places I’ve travelled to, this is what I want to tell you, etc.

I didn’t hate the book. I think the author has something to say and I look forward to reading something more refined in the future.

"To be you is to apologize and often that apology comes in the form of suppression. That suppression is indiscriminate. That suppression knows not when it will spill. What you're trying to say is that it's easier for you to hide in your own darkness, than energy cloaked in your own vulnerability. Not better, but easier. However, the longer you hold it in, the more likely you are to suffocate. At some point, you must breathe."

Open Water is Caleb Azumah Nelson’s debut novel that explores love and what is it like for a Black British Man living in South East London. Told from the second person narrative we are taken through the Photographer and Dancer intense first meeting, to them being friends, best friends and inevitably lovers. The author captures the awkward yet very tender and vulnerable moments between this couple. Added to the dynamic of new lovers, there is the exploration of what is means to be a Black Man trying to live-in South-East London and how easy your life can be taken from you.

The book takes us on a journey of two friends becoming more and eventually collapsing. We see their awkwardness blossom into love and friendship. Within this love story, we catch glimpses of what it’s like to be living in a world as a Black man trying to come to terms with racism and police brutality. Our main character struggles with this and tries to remain strong and brave. He refuses to show emotions and his vulnerability but this takes a toll on him. He is afraid of falling into a depression over the injustice he endures and begins to shut the world out, including his girlfriend. There's a real sense of tenderness and vulnerability articulated in this short piece of writing.

The author has said of his writing and photography in a way which I think captures the impulse behind this book:

"Black people generally are subject to sociological organisation; subject to continuous discrimination on institutional and structural levels; rendered subject and servile and dangerous, criminal, broken. I ask those in front of the lens, those on the page, to bring themselves. Bring themselves whole. Bring themselves true. To bring their quiet, the rich interior lives which are often overlooked. To bring their joy. There’s power in this. Photography, like writing, is a memorial device, selecting a moment to be preserved, one which emerges from the flow of time but is imbued with all that we know, all that we feel. In this way, photography allows us to build our own archives. To assemble our own legacies. Speak our own truths. Our joy."

The story is a transparent one – but with depth: just like the open water of the title.

This Novella starts off like an ode to love - the falling in love by two black artists, a dancer and a photographer. We see what draws them together, the shared experiences of having attended private, mostly white schools.
Contrasted with the love story are the encounters the young black man faces with the police, walking while black, driving while black,sitting while black. The more violent encounters other blacks face that are recorded that year. It’s the contrast between being seen as unique by one and as an “other” by society. Nelson captures the exhaustion, the overwhelming fatigue of being marginalized. “You’re free to go now, '' they say. Are we ever?”
It’s a unique narrative style - an unknown narrator (finally revealed at the end) speaking to the male main character. The book reads almost like poetry. The book captures a world of experience in its short form.
My thanks to netgalley and Grove Atlantic for an advance copy of this book.

Caleb Azumah Nelson's Open Water is one of the most beautiful books I've read. It is the author's debut novel about a man and a woman who meet, become friends and fall in love. It is beautifully written, poetic and realistic.

I was given the opportunity to read and review this book through Net Galley and I am so glad! The story sucked you in and you'll find yourself thinking about the characters long after you finish the book. Can't wait to read more by this author!!

NETGALLEY REVIEW:
This book completely broke my heart. The second-person narrative made the whole reading experience so much more evocative and vivid. I felt like I could feel, touch and see everything the narrator did.
Caleb Azumah Nelson has so evidently written from deep inside his heart, and has done so extraordinarily beautifully. Each sentence, phrase, paragraph, word, chapter reads like delicate poetry.
Nelson has the rare talent of being able to mould the thoughts and emotions of a reader.
An outstanding debut.

OPEN WATER by Caleb Azumah Nelson is a really emotional debut novel! I loved this book! It’s a heartfelt love story featuring a man and woman, both Black British, dealing with trust and intimacy. The second person narration really drew me into the main character and I could feel all his pain and vulnerability being a young Black man in today’s society. The writing is lyrical and even though this story is told in vignettes I got a complete arc of his past and their relationship. I also loved all the musical references throughout. At the end of this book I was in tears because I was so invested in this character. Nelson is a fantastic writer and I truly cannot wait to read his next book!
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Thank you to Grove Atlantic via NetGalley for my advance review copy!

As soon as I saw this book cover I just new I had to read this. So beautiful.

This is a story of two black artists in London that meet, become friends, fall in love, and break up but it so much more than just that. Being a middle aged white woman I can't even begin to image what being a young black man in the world today would be like. I don't often read from the point of view of a black man trying to be seen in the world and to say it broke my heart on many occasions would be an understatement. I watch the new stories of the many instances of police brutality and I am outraged and I am saddened. Saddened that these are conversations that we still need to have in 2021.

For such a slim novel this is very dense. The poetic prose is something to be savored. I can't even tell you how many quotes I highlighted.

"You can hear fear. You can hear bodies being crumpled. A knee on a crooked back, a book folded in on a crooked spine. We haven't done anything, we haven't done anything, you hear Daniel say. They do not listen. You are heavy and scared. They pat you down and rifle through pockets and ask what it is you're hiding. You want to say the ache, but you don't think they would understand. Not when they are complicit. This goes on until they grow tired, they grow bored, they lose their focus, there is a call somewhere else. Just doing our jobs, they say. You're free to go now, they say.

Are we ever?"

I did struggle with the 2nd person narration in the beginning but as I got into the flow of the story it became easier. This is a poignant and important story and one that I am so glad to have read. 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Grove Press, Black Cat for my digital ARC.

This wasn't nearly as romance-y as I thought it was going to be, but it was a WOW book just the same. Told in second person point of view (how often have you read a book in this perspective??), this is a debut novel featuring a young man and woman who meet, become friends and then fall in love. There is a LOT of wonderful discussion points in this book as it's extremely literary. The feeling of being an "other" is the dominating force that permeates our male lead.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, so I won't speak any further about the plot. Do not be deceived by the length of the book for it packs a lot of punch. I was very moved by many passages and it made me think beyond the understanding I thought I had on what it must be like to walk around with Black skin. The writing style was reminiscent of Sally Rooney and was just stunning. It took a little practice, but my thoughts on why this was done in a second person narrative are simply that this is no one in particular's story. This isn't just the feelings or experiences of character's X or Y, these are the thoughts and feelings of many. One of the aspects of reading I always enjoyed was trying to read between the lines on what the author was saying. With Caleb Azumah Nelson, there is much to be read between the lines and that is the best part. I would highly recommend for a book club or buddy read. This is definitely an author to watch!

One criticism I do have (which has nothing to do with the book itself so this did not impact my rating), was that the formatting of the digital galley I receive was confusing at times. Things were not spaced properly and I while I was also acclimating to the second person narrative, I had to re-read passages over to make sure I knew who was speaking. I switched to the protected PDF and had better luck because the format was how it would be in print.

Open Water was so much more than I could've imagined. The protagonist's inner-most thoughts made for a very raw and emotional journey through the experiences (mostly) of love, but also of joy, of trauma and growth. I really value reading the Black experience. It is a privilege. I appreciated the poetic way in which Nelson developed passages--from the word choice to the Black cultural references.

The one thing I wasn't that fond of was the third person writing style, but this is a very minor comment.

A big thank you to Grove Atlantic and Net Galley for the free eARC. I plan to purchase a physical copy of my own. There were so many incredibly poetic thoughts and passages scattered throughout, and I found myself always bookmarking a page here or there to come back to. Highly recommend this read!

This book is an experience, the words written on the pages are poetic, beautiful written,about what it’s like to be seen as a friend and lover. About what it’s like to be unseen by prejudice, and how that affects people in their life experiences. About how we sometimes use our our music, our, talents, our relationships to either be seen or to look inside others, or to escape the pain of seeing and experiencing too much that hurts. This book is beautifully written, it’s a book that you have to sit down and enjoy,it’s wonderful and heartfelt. I look forward to reading more books from this author. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity of reading this book.