Reviews with content warning for Grief - Open Water

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.

Content Warnings

rain02's review against another edition

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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

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bisexualbookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional reflective sad fast-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

4.5

“It is like you both dived into the open water, but you have resurfaced with her elsewhere. It is like you formed a joint only to fracture, only to break … It’s easier to hide in your own darkness, than to emerge, naked and vulnerable, blinking in your own light.”

Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson is a poignant exploration of love, identity, and vulnerability through the lens of two young Black people in the UK. The novel’s unique use of second-person narration immerses readers in the emotional and psychological journey of an unnamed couple who are hesitant to fully embrace their feelings for each other. Nelson explores this dynamic with intimacy and immediacy, drawing readers into the couple's tentative dance around partnership.

The story centers on the narrator and his love interest, a dancer studying English literature in Dublin. Their connection is undeniable from the start, yet fraught with complications. The love interest's imminent return to Dublin fuels the narrator’s hesitancy, while her initial relationship with the narrator's friend, Samuel, adds another layer of tension. When she and Samuel break up, Samuel’s subsequent silence towards the narrator creates a barrier to their budding romance, reflecting the complexities of friendship and loyalty intertwined with emerging love.

Open Water aches with a curious desire, the kind that makes you want to swear off love if you can’t be together, even after only one date. Nelson masterfully elucidates the insufficiency of language to capture true feelings, portraying how the couple shares and explores each other’s favorite Black music, dancers, photography, and books. These shared cultural touchstones deepen their bond, highlighting the importance of Black art in their lives and relationship.

Nelson’s prose is both beautiful and brutal, perfectly capturing the narrator’s internal turmoil. The book poignantly illustrates the tension between longing and restraint that echoes between the couple. As the narrator and his love interest grapple with their identities and histories, they struggle to release control to the tender intimacy blossoming between them.

The relationship between the narrator and his love interest is not just a romantic journey but also a deeply personal quest to overcome a lifetime of racial trauma. Police violence and the constant threat of harm loom large, making it difficult for them to be present enough to develop and experience intimacy. Nelson’s depiction of this struggle is particularly powerful, probing the space between being seen and not being seen, and asking how implicated we are when someone fails to see us fully.

The writing style is introspective and lyrical, with a poetic cadence that evokes deep emotional resonance. The use of metaphor and vivid imagery creates a contemplative and intimate tone, allowing readers to connect deeply with the underlying emotions and themes. However, the second-person narration and the lack of names for the two main characters can feel slow to start and somewhat distancing initially. Despite this, the narrative picks up significantly around the 25% mark.

Though not all narrative threads come together perfectly by the end, and some may desire more clarity regarding the relationship’s outcome, Open Water remains a powerful and moving read. The gorgeous prose and Nelson’s ability to evoke profound emotions earn this book a strong 4.5 out of 5 stars.

📖 Recommended For: Readers who appreciate lyrical prose, those interested in exploring the complexities of love and identity, anyone who values stories centered on Black art and love, fans of Hanif Abdurraqib.

🔑 Key Themes: Desire and Vulnerability, Racial Trauma, Cultural Heritage and Identity, Love and Intimacy, Visibility and Invisibility.

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ameliesbookshelf's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

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

3.75

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milanaradic's review against another edition

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emotional informative 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? It's complicated

4.5

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ko_rax's review against another edition

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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? Yes

5.0

In the novel Open Water, the reader learns of the lived reality of the Black male body in modern society set against the backdrop of contemporary London.

"You hide your whole self away because sometimes you forget you haven't done anything wrong. Sometimes you forget there's nothing in your pockets. Sometimes you forget that to be you is to be unseen and unheard, or it is to be seen and heard in ways you did not ask for. Sometimes you forget to be you is to be a Black body, and not much else."

Whilst it took me a bit to get used to the second person pov, I have no other major "complains" concerning this novel. In fact, I believe that this stylistic choice benefitted it well, as it allowed the author to not only show lived reality, but let it come alive in a way that I as a reader physically felt the experience. By no means will I, as a non-Black person, ever understand the full scope of what it means to be a Black man, and yet I am deeply grateful for having been granted insight.

Additionally, I want to compliment the prose. The words are chosen beautifully and paint a picture of emotion and trauma in a way so bittersweet that I was left in a thoughtful mood very often. I strongly believe this novel should be read by everyone.

"It's one thing to be looked at, and another to be seen."

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revoli's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective tense fast-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

4.5

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jayisreading's review

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emotional reflective medium-paced

4.75

It’s one thing to be looked at, and another to be seen.

Open Water was a beautiful homage to Black love, Black tenderness, and Black art. Azumah Nelson’s prose was just stunning and dreamlike, especially how he captures the intimacy that comes with falling in love. So much of it came down to the little details that one notices about their beloved that I thought was so beautifully captured. I think what made this novel all the more intimate was a result of it being written in second person, positioning the reader to really experience how the narrator feels, the sensation that comes with being seen with such care and tenderness by a lover.

This novel is also a celebration of Black art. Azumah Nelson wonderfully weaves into his story the works of Black creatives including but not limited to James Baldwin, Barry Jenkins, Kelsey Lu, and more. In many ways, I felt the choice to make the main characters of this novel be artists themselves was a subtle yet powerful way for Azumah Nelson to show how Black artists continue the tradition to shape the beauty of Blackness.

Open Water explored other themes as well, such as Black masculinity and being Black in the United Kingdom. I did feel that these were a little too subtly addressed, perhaps a result of the novel’s primary focus being on a relationship. I think a part of me wanted this novel to be a little longer, as a result, to see how Azumah Nelson could have gone more in depth with these themes. I also wish the characters were a little more developed, just to see a clearer progress in the story.

I will say that Azumah Nelson has a distinct writing style that will work for some readers, while others may find it incredibly off-putting, whether it be because of the second-person narrative or the admittedly very purple prose (or perhaps both). I think convincing second-person narratives are quite difficult to write, but I thought Azumah Nelson handled it really well to fit the story he wanted to tell. I also really appreciated the prose (even if it did, at times, get a little too lyrical), and I could see how he was heavily influenced by other Black writers.

This was a really powerful debut novel, and I really look forward to reading more of Azumah Nelson’s writings in the near future.

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