Definitely lived up to the hype that I’d heard about the book. Beautiful and poetic writing - 5 stars

Two young people meet in a pub. Both are black British, both won scholarships to private schools, and both struggled to find belonging. .A beautifully written book: a love story which also explores race and masculinity.

I wanted to like this book but personally I just could not get into the writing style, and the narration in second-person. This format and style is definitely something I’m not used to and for me I couldn’t invest in the story the way I wanted to, as I couldn't enter the story or engage with the characters when told from the 'you' perspective. In itself this was interesting, as theoretically it should help see yourself in the shoes of the protagonist more than usual.

"Open Water" by Caleb Azumah Nelson is a lyrical and intimate exploration of love, race, and identity. The novel follows two young artists navigating the complexities of a modern relationship while grappling with societal expectations and racial dynamics in London. Nelson's prose is poetic, creating a deeply immersive and emotional experience for the reader. The novel's strength lies in its ability to capture the nuanced emotions and vulnerabilities of its characters, offering a poignant commentary on the impact of systemic racism on personal connections. "Open Water" is a beautifully crafted and resonant work that not only delves into the intricacies of love but also serves as a reflection on the broader issues of our time.

Open Water is a love story, but so much more and I found it completely captivating and compelling the whole way through. I think the elongated time span of the novel helps to invest in all the characters and it's so rich in it's themes. Would recommend this to everyone!

A love story like no other.

Open Water narrated by Caleb Azumah Nelson not only has stirred all my senses but it’s also opened something inside me that I’d (almost) forgotten I had, African heritage. Some reviews have said that Caleb’s voice is monotonous, not for me. Because this book is more like a poem on falling instantly in love, life in London, violence, falling out of love, deep depression, I can’t imagine it being narrated by anyone else except the person who wrote it. Caleb Azumah Nelson has used his African roots to write the storyline in a poetic way, used by Africans through thousands of generations to tell stories. It’s melodic, and the voice used at the end of the day relates stories of importance.

I loved how proud the protagonist is of his African heritage. How proud he is to come from Ghana. At the same time, he portrays how hard it is to be African (or black) in the United Kingdom. Stopped by the police for the slightest excuse. And always having to be aware that violence is lurking just around the corner. How hard it is to explain the feelings of his black life even to his black girlfriend.

If you want to hear just how hard it is to be black in a white society, then please listen to Caleb explain. We all need to learn how to walk in another person’s shoes and feel their pain, their joys, and more about their culture.

Caleb, I can’t wait to hear your next poetic masterpiece. In the meantime, I’ll listen to Open Water again and again.

Rony

Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I’ve seen incredible reviews and I really wanted to give a review like that, but I could not connect with these characters or get into the book. I tried it on ebook, physics book, and audio, and I could not get into it.

Open Water is complex, beautiful, lyrical and unusual in the best possible way. It's about Black love, Black art and navigating love, life and the struggles that comes with it.

It's written in 2nd person which makes it difficult to get into for the first few pages but once you get used to it, the book opens up and becomes all consuming. Although written in prose, it reads like poetry with unflinching honesty and beauty.

I would love to read this again for the first time.

This is such an unusual book. On the surface, it is a simple story, of two young people who fall in love. But it is so much more than that. Through the two protagonists, the author explores so much of life, and love, and society – it’s expectations, it’s cruelty, the freedoms it seems to offer that can be utterly superficial. It’s a story about being young, and hopeful, and about trying to make a life, a good life, in a world where those hopes are dashed.

I can’t fully understand the complex issues that this book raises – I have never had the experiences that are written about here, but this novel, as well as being utterly compelling and a joy to read for the beauty of the writing, goes a long way to show these experiences. It is written in second person – which does really take some getting used to – but it is so worth persevering, because the writing is so good. Not many authors could have done this so successfully, and it is a testament to the author’s talent that this is such a beautiful novel.

I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

Read this almost in one sitting - beautiful, poetic, poignant and the kind of book that stays with you.

This was a really beautiful read.

There is a poetic quality to the prose and the author has really written London well. This is a graceful dance through the ins and outs of love.

I loved the strength of the bond established, the intimacy, and the intensity. There are few books that focus on Black love, so I also really liked the fact that the story centred on two black artists.

A remarkable debut. Look forward to more from this author!

A deeply moving and affecting coming-of-age story. The kind of book that stays with you for a very long time. Beautifully written.

I am always honest in my reviews, and i honestly really struggled with this book.
It took me ages to get my head around the main male talking about himself as a different person - literally took me about 50 pages until I could read a sentence, without having to reread to see who he was actually talking about.
I persevered because this book has such good reviews, but I just feel overall that this book is what you would describe as poetically written and is just isn't my sort of thing at all.
I would compare it to how I felt about Les Mis at the theatre - everyone else was raving about it, and there is no denying that it has a powerful storyline underneath all the big descriptive words, but I like my books/films/shows easy going and entertaining.
Unfortunately not for me :(

A tale of love beautifully told which reveals the little intimacies within a relationship. The (unnamed) couple meet briefly but discover a bond that grows stronger with every meeting. This is not a relationship quickly consummated but something deeper and more meaningful.

Yet this bond begins to come unstuck as the man is burdened by society which sees his skin colour as a threat. How can a black man gaze into the eyes of his lover as he looks over his shoulder, forever wary of being stopped by police or subjected to violence?

His inability to be honest about such feelings, to unveil his fears, fractures the trust between the lovers.

Told in the 2nd person, which jars at first but leads to a deeper engagement with this moving and convincing love affair.

Full of emotion and replete with insights into the black experience, this is a wonderful read.

An absorbing and beautifully written intimate account of a relationship spanning over London and Dublin. I really liked the writer's style and it was eye-opening in terms of society complicating what should be simple. Very talented author.

A brilliant, insightful, and exciting novel from an under-published perspective. Perfect for lovers of literary fiction. One of the best novels of the last year. I look forwards to whatever the author does next.

What A beautiful debut, an intimate and visceral look at two black artists' relationship set in London, this book felt so alive and was an amazing representation of black British love, I also loved the addition of music being mentioned and would definitely listen to this books playlist! I found this such an easy read and wanted to underline every other sentence and savour it like poetry.

This is one of the most beautifully written and intense books I've ever read. With piercing prose, vivid settings and poignant relationships at its heart, this novel is a masterclass in exploring difficult topics in a spellbinding way. Caleb Azumah Nelson explores race as a black man in Britain in such a deep and eye-opening way that I couldn't put this book down despite the slower pace. There were a few moments when I was confused about what was going on but other than that, this is a book that everyone should give a chance.