This is beautiful, moving, and lyrical. The way that Caleb writes transforms me. It felt like reading a 270 page long poem rather than a novel. This was my first book written by Caleb Azumah Nelson, and sure won't be my last! I'll read anything this author writes and immediately bought a hard copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the lyrical writing in this story about life, family, love and time. In a complex web of family and friendship the ultimate question is what is it to be truly free. The command of language is good and the plot moves in a clear manner. I highly recommend.

SMALL WORLDS was one of my most anticipated books last year after reading Nelson's debut novel ( and a 2021 favourite) OPEN WATER.

Unfortunately, Small Worlds didn't blow me away like his first book: it fell a little flat for me (sorry to say).

I think, though, that's bound to happen when you go in with such high expectations. And things did pick up more for me towards the end.

I did like the great music mentioned and loved how we were constantly reminded about the healing power of dancing throughout the story.

And I loved watching the power struggle, generational gap and evolving relationship between Stephan and his father. Eventually understanding the reasons for the underlying tensions served as a nice reminder that our perspectives are shaped by our own life experiences. The story gave a nice nudge about the importance of cultivating a deeper empathy for others, especially our parents, and how that can lead to much growth and transformation as we all journey through life. I liked that reminder.

3.5 stars for me

Caleb's writing will always grab me by the throat and make me a member of his world. I loved a large majority of this book but unlike Open Water, where everything was brand new, this felt more of the same. Still complex, still beautiful but very much similar to Open Water in subject matter. Unfortunately, this made me bored towards the end and the use of repetition, a stylistic device I loved at the beginning, began to feel excessive.

“We know death in its multitudes, but we’re all very serious about being alive”

Small Worlds did not hit close on the scale that Open Water did for me…but still gave me much to walk away with.

Caleb Azumah Nelson’s pen game can forreal provide a pulse into any small scale of emotion, feeling, or scenario. It feels poetic and consuming. This is the second time Nelson’s writing caught me swooning. The patterns of melanin skin reflected in the sun, languid bodies swinging to a heavy bass, the dark cloud of a well-greased Afro curling to the sky, slow tears escaping, traveling down flushed cheeks, a full mouth wrapping over an instrument in musical release, excited friends slapping calloused hands together before a night of partying, and the simple tangling of limbs in the heat of intimacy….small images from the book, small worlds like this is what Nelson ensnares me with. 🫠

Our narrator, Stephen’s small world:

(4): “I’ve only ever known myself in song, between notes, in that place where language won’t suffice but the drums might, might speak for us, might speak for what is on our hearts”

(9): “We’ve known each other so long, I know when she hears a sequence or a phrase which pleases, her features will soften, taken by something like wonder. We’ve known each other so long I don’t know what name to give this knowing.”

(71): “I feel tired inside, my spirit worn out by the effort I took to hope and dream, to believe, to imagine myself a future in which I could choose something for me.”

(80): “I’ll hide away my solitude, how its enormity had turned it into something I don’t know how to wrangle with, something thick and heavy and suffocating.”

(106): “ I want freedom to walk over to him, to pull him into an embrace, to be held; I want to feel the heat of his love against mine, to know if he really did love me. But more, I need more. I want to know my father because, facing this man, I don’t know who he is, or who he was”

(135): “I try to leave behind this ache, which has long made a home in the left side of my chest, but I fear this is the shape of the world now. I fear it might be forever.”

Thank you to NetGalley for “Small Worlds” by Caleb Azumah Nelson in exchange for an honest review. I have never read anything before like Caleb Azumah Nelson. He became an instant auto-buy author. Five stars for every book I’ve ever been lucky to consume his words with my eyes. I wish I could weave his prose into my DNA. It’s beautiful, it’s raw, it’s intimate, it’s heart-wrenching. I demanded to everyone I knew to drop what they’re doing and read this book! One of my absolute all time favorites. Thank you. I will read it again and again and again.

I read the author’s previous novel, Open Water, and enjoyed so I anticipated loving this as well. It was good but not at great as the previous book. I love his unique writing style, but the story fell a bit flat for me.

“Sometimes, silence in the face of trauma is useful. It allows for those grieving to mourn, to organize, for a feeling to lose its haze and ossify, and try to give words to what has been done unto us. And if not words, then sound, music, rhythm, an ah, a gasp, a hum, a groan, spillage, deluge. But a continued silence, this might consume us.”

This story is poetry. It is love in the form of a book. It is lyrical. It is freedom. It is grief.

This is the author's second book after Open Water, and it is as beautiful and gut-wrenching as his debut. I tried as hard as I could to separate it from his debut and look at the book as is. It is not a sequel; it is its' own story. Another fantastic story.

Honestly, I don't know how to describe why I gave it 5 stars, except that I did. Nelson's writing of his characters and their development over the course of a story is truly amazing. And I encourage everyone to pick up this book and understand the beauty of Nelson's writing. I will forever buy any book he writes.

Small Worlds by Caleb Azumah Nelson // 5 stars

Caleb Azumah Nelson does it again, there themes that are explored in this book and the symbolism of music is beautiful. Caleb Azumah Nelson has some of the best writing I've ever expirenced, extremely detailed and poetic. I would read just about anything he ever publishes.

A story chronicling parents never-ending desire to see their children succeed and have a life better than the one they lived. The coming of age story is beautiful and unique, while the writing has a wonderful musical flow. Thank you netgalley and Grove Atlantic, Grove Press for letting me read this ARC.

Caleb Nelson is simply a great writer. His voice and emotions are distinct in SMALL WORLDS. The quick verse gives great snapshot of life, its complexities, and its mundane. Refreshing.

Very sad to report that this one did not work for me. It's especially disappointing because "Open Water" was one of my favorite books of 2022. "Small Worlds" should have been a hit for me since Nelson's writing is just as beautiful and intimate as his previous novel, but I really struggled to get immersed in this story.

I haven’t read Nelson’s debut yet but this one had such beautiful, lyrical prose. A coming of age story about finding one’s path in life despite the protest of your parents wanting a more safe and secure future.

"Small Worlds" by Caleb Azumah Nelson delivers a nuanced exploration of relationships and identity. The prose is eloquent, capturing the complexities of modern life and connection

It took me three times to finally read this short book. I’m glad I finally did, it’s beautifully written. But, there’s quite a lot of phrases repeated in nearly every chapter, and parts felt like it was plot stuck between passages of dancing and music. I liked the ending with family reconciliation, but the story lacked depth to me because of the immense focus on dancing and music.

Interesting follow up to his first novel. It wasn’t my favorite but it was good. Will recommend to my followers

Beautiful, lyrical writing, but I just couldn't get into the story. This book was just not for me, but I do appreciate the thought and messaging and I will be giving Caleb Azumah Nelson another chance in the future,

“The air vibrates with something large and unknown, something which shimmers and shines, something which excites and terrifies. We don’t say goodbye-goodbye sound like an ending, and we don’t want the thing to end. Instead, after we separate, the soft pounding of fists accompanied by in a bit, which is less goodbye, more a promise to meet again.”
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Caleb Azumah Nelson you are a poet masked as a novelist. A wonder with words who makes me read and reread your gorgeous evocative sentences with a profound sense of joy in my heart.
The year #OpenWater came out it was one of my favorite books of not only that year, but of all time, and I’m so happy to have had an almost exact reaction to your latest.
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#SmallWaters follows a young Ghanian man in London and later in his home country. It’s about the discovery of love, it’s infinite joys and crushing lows. It’s about family: mothers and fathers and siblings and relatives, and the complicated dance we move among their bonds. It’s music, and rhythm, and life and death.
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It’s a beautiful portal into a life told in a simply stunning first person narrative. It’s writing as an art at the top of its form. As an added bonus I listened to this as well and Nelson reads it which at times feels like you’re in the front row at the greatest poetry jam.
A definite 2023 favorite.

If Jazz was a book, then it would be this book. The writing has a rhythm that shifts as you move through the story and I loved it.

"I've only ever known myself in song, between notes, in that place where language won't suffice but the drums might, might speak for us, might speak for what is on our hearts"

For me, this was a coming of age story. We have children of immigrant/ expat parents who have to find their own path as they finish school. They have options and opportunities their parents didn't have. We also have the impact what it is to be born into a new country with the marrying of cultures.

The general theme of parents wanting the best for their kids is universal. Is it a waste to want to play music when your parents sacrificed so much to give you a better life, or is having the choice to live the life you want proof that the sacrifice was worthwhile.

Beyond the music are the small worlds we create from time to time and it makes me appreciate the ability to create mine when this world is too big to deal.

If you like stories about family and coming of age with a sprinkle of romance, then this may be for you.
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Thank you @netgalley and Grove Atlantic, Grove Press for letting me read this incredible story.

Delicate portrayal of growing pains and the connections we make! Lyrically rich writing and interesting characters!