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A review by bibliomich
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
I'll start by saying that Caleb Azumah Nelson's writing is absolutely beautiful, and I would happily read more of his work. Because of the beautiful prose, I enjoyed much of Open Water, though overall there was something about the pacing that didn't quite work for me. The book felt like it either needed to be a shorter novella that really honed in on the themes or a longer book with more plot points. It fell somewhere in the middle, and I found myself both wanting more and also feeling like there were scenes that didn't quite fit. I know lots of readers loved this one, and I can absolutely see why. Overall I would recommend this book if you're looking for a poetic piece of literary fiction.
Graphic: Racism, Police brutality, and Grief
Moderate: Death and Violence