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holly_daze_'s review
challenging
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? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Violence, Police brutality, Grief, and Murder
brezzylovesbooks's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
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
5.0
Wow. This is the first book I have fallen in love with since The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois in 2021.
Let’s get into it… Caleb’s extraordinary talent provides the emotional depth I crave in the books I enjoy. I was hooked by the prologue: “It was strangely quiet in the barbershop.” If you understand how culturally rich a Black barbershop is at any given time, you know.
Through the characters, I was able to research paintings and rap lyrics mentioned in this book, which made me feel closer to them and their experiences and the inexplicable emotions.
This love story consisted of safety. Feeling safe in relationships is not a hard task once you find someone who “sees” you, enveloping yourself in trust, vulnerabilities, and safety.
I enjoyed reading about his role in the family dynamics. I appreciated how his experiences are revealed throughout the book as you travel with the main character, who becomes comfortably uncomfortable confronting the traumas directly and indirectly experienced.
Caleb’s writing style is poetic but not challenging to understand. There were several short chapters and paragraphs that I reread because of how lyrical his writing felt to me.
The second-person narration involves you directly in the love story. The complexities of life come out seamlessly in his writing.
Let’s get into it… Caleb’s extraordinary talent provides the emotional depth I crave in the books I enjoy. I was hooked by the prologue: “It was strangely quiet in the barbershop.” If you understand how culturally rich a Black barbershop is at any given time, you know.
Through the characters, I was able to research paintings and rap lyrics mentioned in this book, which made me feel closer to them and their experiences and the inexplicable emotions.
This love story consisted of safety. Feeling safe in relationships is not a hard task once you find someone who “sees” you, enveloping yourself in trust, vulnerabilities, and safety.
I enjoyed reading about his role in the family dynamics. I appreciated how his experiences are revealed throughout the book as you travel with the main character, who becomes comfortably uncomfortable confronting the traumas directly and indirectly experienced.
Caleb’s writing style is poetic but not challenging to understand. There were several short chapters and paragraphs that I reread because of how lyrical his writing felt to me.
The second-person narration involves you directly in the love story. The complexities of life come out seamlessly in his writing.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Police brutality, and Car accident
apersonnamedfaith's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is such a beautifully written story. It feels like a much longer book than it is just because of how much meaning and depth was packed into it. I have a deep appreciation for writers who are also truly artists, and that certainly applies here. Nelson has found the least flimsy of words.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Violence
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
niamh_p_delaney's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism and Violence
nhacco's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I thought this would be a love story but it’s mainly a reflection on the frailty of Black men’s lives in a white society. It’s very important to read this perspective. I just chose the wrong timing to be reading about anxiety and fear of death, personally. Aside from theme, I found the style confusing and a bit disjointed. A lot of references and images that seem out of place to the reader - almost like reading poetry without the beautiful lyricism. Just felt a bit disconnected. And the love story dragged. For such a short book, it felt super long. Now onto the positives. A really realistic approach to the start of a relationship in the modern world. Also shows great appreciation for music and art in general, in a really captivating way. Recommend reading while listening to the Spotify playlist that is comes with. As a memoir/piece dedicated to someone, it’s nice. As a poetic piece on love, leaves something to be desired.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Racism, Violence, and Police brutality
bricharis's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence
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
alexisvana's review against another edition
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
I'm SO in the minority for pretty much every part of my review, but here goes...
- I think the writing style (i.e. prioritizing poetic/lyrical prose over like... baseline plot development) actually mostly worked for me, I'm shocked! There were a couple times where I highlighted lines because I thought "hmmm... this line sounds pretty, but it doesn't make a lick of sense" but aside from that, I generally enjoyed it
- Don't care about the second person narrative in this context. For me, this very rarely works for my brain in novels/memoirs and I don't really understand what purpose it was serving here
- I think the plot of the first 70% of this read like an episode of 'Friends' in that... I feel like we were romanticizing deeply problematic/toxic behavior. I think 5-10 years ago I would've been absolutely swooning but now I'm like "damn, I would've dumped BOTH of you a long time ago" lol
- In general, I think there was far too little character development for this to be moving for me. I'm walking away knowing next to nothing about our main characters other than they are presumably very hot and drink pretty much constantly
Not mad I read it, but I think it should've just been a poem or a novella - I think the lack of character devleopment/floofy writing style would've been much more successful if it were less drawn out.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Police brutality, and Alcohol
ajas_bookclub's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Violence