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janey's review against another edition
4.0
Beautiful and heartbreaking.
I totally get why everyone raves about it.
I totally get why everyone raves about it.
jodiedv98's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
sad
tense
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
5.0
oceanvvaves's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.5
rebeccafriedman's review against another edition
5.0
So beautifully written, poetic to its core. This book explores the experience of a black man; his love, vulnerability, anxieties, his joy, and passions in such a beautiful way.
emoi21's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.75
clarbineds's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
oldschool_screenname's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is and is more than a love story and is and is more than a sad guy book. I'll definitely revisit Open Water both for its own sake and in order to build a reading/listening/viewing list from the works it references.
The pacing was, at times, a little sluggish and the prose crossed a line in to "a bit much" for me in some places. It was still compelling all the way through in its presentation of the young artist's full range of complex emotions and experiences. It's possible that the problem lies with readers who say this book about a young Black man coming to a new relationship with himself and a world that seeks to suppress him is "a bit much." As a reader, there were places where the narrative lagged, but the protagonist is such a fully realized charachter that I'm rooting for him to express himself loudly and however he damn well pleases.
The pacing was, at times, a little sluggish and the prose crossed a line in to "a bit much" for me in some places. It was still compelling all the way through in its presentation of the young artist's full range of complex emotions and experiences. It's possible that the problem lies with readers who say this book about a young Black man coming to a new relationship with himself and a world that seeks to suppress him is "a bit much." As a reader, there were places where the narrative lagged, but the protagonist is such a fully realized charachter that I'm rooting for him to express himself loudly and however he damn well pleases.
mpeach's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
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? No
4.5
Graphic: Gun violence, Hate crime, Racism, Grief, and Classism
Moderate: Car accident and Alcohol