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matmatmatty's review against another edition
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
This is so beautifully written, I genuinely am in awe.
It is slightly difficult to explain what this story is about - this is the story of two people, black and living in London.
This both is and isn't a love story, but i feel this has a lot to say about the black experience and does it so well. I found some of the writing difficult at points, but so much of it was so beautiful it flowed off the page, almost like poetry. I bet listening to the audiobook would be a great experience.
Would recommend this one for sure!
It is slightly difficult to explain what this story is about - this is the story of two people, black and living in London.
This both is and isn't a love story, but i feel this has a lot to say about the black experience and does it so well. I found some of the writing difficult at points, but so much of it was so beautiful it flowed off the page, almost like poetry. I bet listening to the audiobook would be a great experience.
Would recommend this one for sure!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Drug use, Mental illness, and Alcohol
alda_a_leer's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
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
Lange nicjy mehr ab dem ersten Wort mich auf jedes weitere gefreut. Es war richtig schön zu lesen, ohne genau zu wissen was kommt, starkes Interesse und Einfühlungsvermögen der Charaktere. Schöne Wortfindungen schöne Beziehung der Charaktere. Besondere Beschreibung der Nähe, der freundschaft, des vertrauens, der probleme.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Mental illness
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
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
catandherbooks's review against another edition
hopeful
reflective
sad
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
4.75
Stunning. A kind of story I would usually avoid (romance-wise) written in the precise way I craved to read it. Azumah's writing is tender and beautiful and I can't wait to read more from him
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Death and Racism
Minor: Blood
dacha's review against another edition
emotional
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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Mental illness
ko_rax's review against another edition
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.
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."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Racism, and Police brutality
Moderate: Mental illness, Violence, and Grief
Minor: Drug use, Sexual content, and Alcohol
virgcole398's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness and Police brutality
florenceassetto's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
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
5.0
the way that love and blackness is talked about in this book is TRULY something special! honestly i felt so much for this characters knowing so little about them but the rawness and honestly of the emotion was something so so special. the inherent beauty of the words and feelings is brought out by the poeticism (real word?) of the writing and it is something so so special. i would recommend this book to everyone any time, it's honestly so beautiful in a kind of haunting way (i am yet to stop thinking about the tenderness of both words and feelings) and honestly this is a book i must own so next job is to buy it and have my own physical copy - perfect is a word i don't use often but this one i adore wholeheartedly
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness and Violence
claraandthebooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Sehr sehr schön gewählte Worte, stilistisch besonders. Super informativ und interessant deshalb auch krass und erschreckend (s. Rassismus-Erfahrungen). Manchmal hat es sich gezogen. Ansonsten top, wunderschöne Liebesgeschichte, realistisch beschriebene Bindungsängste.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Police brutality
Moderate: Mental illness