Beautiful writing here and dance and music were well woven through the story. I requested based on the author and it didn’t disappoint.

I remember being blown away by the beauty of the prose in Caleb Azumah Nelson's Open Water, and was excited to be offered an early copy of his newest book. While Small Worlds did not provide the sweeping lyricism of the earlier work, it has a pace and rhythm all its own, providing an elegiac portrait of Ghana, its land and people. What is paramount here is how music and dancing are woven into the life of Stephen, the protagonist, and his family, most notably his father, demonstrating Nelson's wide arc of musical interests and influences.

Thank you Grove Atlantic for this copy.


Set over the course of three summers, Small Worlds follows Stephen, a first-generation Londoner born to Ghanaian immigrant parents, brother to Ray, and best friend to Adeline. On thusp of big life changes, Stephen feels pressured to follow a certain path—a university degree, a move out of home—but when he decides instead to follow his first love, music, his world.


The book is mostly narrated from the perspective of Stephen. There are many common themes such as love, shame,loss, grief and unfulfilled dreams. Throughout the book, we get to know the backstory of his parents and better understand how their life experiences impact the way they view the world and the choices their children make. Stephen craves the approval of his father which is seen repeatedly throughout the years. Music along with Del are constant sources of love for Stephen. However, the constant longing for approval impairs his ability to fully commit to either out of fear. Grief is known to have a way of bringing loved ones closer. In think him n returning to family's homeland began the healing process. However, I felt th is novel was a little slow at times. I felt his story was drawn out and stagnant which might have been Caleb's intention, yet, the ending with his father seemed a bit rushed.

This was my first book from the author. Open Water is on my TBR list. I think aside from a few issues, overall this is a good book, 3.5/5

I’ll admit this was a bit underwhelming compared to the authors other works, but can i blame them for setting the bar so high? A good companion heading into warmer and brighter weather.

I ran to request this when I saw Caleb Azumah Nelson was publishing a new book. And a coming of age story infused with music and dancing? Sign me up. I loved Open Water so much and had such a great feeling about this one....

And I was right.

While this differs from Open Water in a few ways, we still get that gripping poetic prose we expect and love. This was beautiful and heartbreaking. Small Worlds has a way of invoking feelings and moving you to the beat of it's story. I can't wait to see what he writes next.

4.5 rounded up to 5!

One thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing, so Stephen let us take a glimpse into his small world with grace. With a pool of music, varied cultures, and love across ages, this small world of them whirls highs and lows, meeting half-way or not meeting at all. But most of the story centers on summer, and we're young. Dangling on the hopes someone accepts and believes you. Clinging to the comforts of something or someone that can give you space where you can be free.

This book feels like it was made just to break me and comfort me afterwards. I felt Stephen's character too much; it's personal to me. Although Stephen's culture and taste of music are different from mine, its rhythm pulled me in. Its vibe was like what I got from A24's Moonlight; it's quiet but managed to make me stay and care for its story. It's also about family dynamics, coming of age, and leaving you with the impression that makes you say, “I don't know how to recover, and I don't think I want to.”

I knew the author's writing style would blow me away, even before I got to the first page. Open Water was my favorite read last year, and I can say Small World topped that. When a poet writes a novel, it's the way Caleb delivers it. He has a technique, which is seemingly evident in his paragraphs, where he repeats sentences to give emphasis. What I loved among those repeated lines was, “Anger is just love in another body.”

When July comes, I hope and encourage you to pick this up. You will transcend. Caleb's words will lift you up and also slump you down with heartache. But most of all, his story, especially this, will make you realize that you should dance more, feel those beats, do what you love, and make a small world where you will love everything and be loved by everyone.

As soon as I saw Caleb Azumah Nelson had a new book up on netgalley, I had to request it. I absolutely adored Open Water and so I was so excited to get into this one. I definitely think it started off slow so it took me some time to get into but Caleb Azumah Nelson’s writing style is just as beautiful and poetic in this as it was in Open Water. This follows Stephen over the course of three summers during a time in his life where he isn’t sure what he wants to do with his life.

The main focus of this book was the relationships in Stephen’s life. Sibling relationships, familial relationships, as well as friendship and romantic. I adored the relationships in Stephen’s life and I especially loved seeing the growth between him and his father since they had a rocky relationship to begin with. Stephen is one of my favorite main characters because he is just so relatable in the way he feels and how the relationships suffer in his life suffer as a result of the hard times he faces. I think this was such a great read and I would definitely recommend it and I can’t wait to see what else this author will publish in the future.

"Small Worlds" is a poetic British-Ghanaian coming-of-age story set over the course of three summers. The prose is super lyrical and very elegant (albeit a little repetitive at times), and for that alone, it's very much worth reading. I especially loved the vibrant emphasis on music and life throughout the book. In my opinion, Caleb Azumah Nelson is an author to watch.

Sadly, I'm not going to be able to finish this one. The writing style here is somewhat distant and I find it hard to connect with the characters. It is abstract, and I find it confusing. There are books that have good ideas, but the execution just doesn't work for me.

This book wasn't for me. I can appreciate the lyrical style of writing but I appreciate more traditional prose and less monologuing and speaking in verse to tell a story. I know this writing style will resonate with many, I just couldn't connect with it like I wanted to.

Thank you to Grove Atlantic & Netgalley for sharing this title~ HOLY MOLY THIS BOOK WAS INCREDIBLE! Ok, now that I’ve calmed down, let me tell you why. Small Worlds, the second novel from acclaimed breakout author Caleb Azumah Nelson follows Stephen, a young man living in a Ghanian neighborhood of South-east London as he navigates finishing secondary school, university, first love, paternal and maternal relationships, his love of music, space, grief, and himself. Told in the lyrical style we have come to expect from Nelson, punctured with refrains about the creating and filling of space, the survival tactic of dancing, the promise to stay alive we make each time we tell someone “in a bit”, Small Worlds is the story of home, of leaving home, losing home, finding home, of home being in you, in other people, home being both space and closeness, home being the small worlds we create every minute. CALEB AZUMAH NELSON IS A GENIUS. This book is perfect. I can’t wait to get my physical copy. Highly highly highly recommend.

sings....
Strumming my pain with his fingers
Singing my life with his words
Killing me softly with his song....

Mr. Nelson did it again. I love how this author poetically weaves his characters experiences of love and heartbreak through family, relationships, food, music, spirituality, and culture. It is not just a backdrop of a story told it is THE STORY. It is his LIFE. The music is inside him, apart of him and the community, the surroundings. It is how he survives with the people he loves along side him. Life can be a hammer but the loved things and people around him and what he has left to hold onto are his survival. I love the way this author writes and makes you just not hear but feel his words and meanings. I want to buy this physical book when it comes out.

The first novel I read from this author was Open Water which is on my list of top 10 favorite reads from 2023. Small Worlds is just as lyrical, raw and real. The prominence and theme of generational trauma is the driving factor of this novel. My heart broke into pieces and was put back together more times than I can count. Beautifully written!

I am broken; in pieces; come undone by the prose and genius of nelson.

Small worlds was such a tender read; one that speaks of the silences we try too hard to fill. It’s a narration of the delicate threads that bind our small worlds together—the intricacies of family, friendship, and love.

I wish I could find the words to explain what it felt like to read the last two chapters. I was dizzy with emotion; nelson’s words racked through me like a tsunami in summertime. Reading small world was like coming up for air after spending a century underwater—giving clarity, reprieve, relief; someone has finally found the words to explain the moments in between.

Nelson tackles the struggles of growing up an immigrant amidst a world that refuses to remain silent in their prejudice. He talks about the love of a family that shines through music and a shared meal. His narrative speaks of intergenerational trauma; how our past and inability to forgive casts its shadow on everything we do. He describes the loneliness that comes with growing up; how that feeling of loss can make you spiral into the darkest depths of your thoughts.

Despite the vast differences in our culture, I felt such a deep connection with Stephen and how he viewed the world. Found myself crying as I finished this in the morning. Will pick up Open Water for sure.

This is an incredible book about the small worlds which we inhabit, exploring identity, place, family, and love. The use of repeititon gives a poetic feel to the narrative, and the nature of the complicated father son relationship is beautifully explored. The theme of vulnerability first explored in Open Water is further developed here, and ties together with the other themes in the story.

I gave this book five stars.

My review on TikTok is to be posted soon.

After loving Open Water, I was excited to pick up Small Worlds. This follows Stephen over three summers in both London and Ghana. At its core, it's a book about familial relationships (particularly between fathers and sons and that heavy sense of expectation), faith, grief, trauma, racism, discrimination and friendship (both blossoming and fracturing).

Caleb's uniquely poetic and lyrical prose once again shines through in Small Worlds. He effortlessly weaves current issues into Stephen's storyline and how they impact his life as a Black Brit. I also loved that the arts (music, dancing and singing) were such a strong part of the book; almost like their own character. This was truly a love story beyond that between two people. It was about embracing the simplicities in life.

Not having read Nelson's first book, I went into Small Worlds with no expectations.

We begin by following a young man, Stephen, during the course of the summer, in London, he's graduating from high school and, hopefully, going to University for Music,

We're introduced to his Ghanian family, still very much connected to their roots and to family in Ghana, whom they visit annually. And to Stephen's friends and possible love interests.

I found the writing lyrical, musical, filled with energy. Perhaps one could call this style "overwritten" but not having read Nelson's first book, I'm not sure if this is simply his writing style.

The book then moves ahead to college - things aren't as Stephen had wanted them to be is all I'll say to avoid spoilers. And then we move ahead another year and experience Stephen a little older, trying to get settled, having relationships, experiencing life's ups and downs.

I was rooting for Stephen the entire way in this book. I really enjoyed being in the atmosphere of his family, his community, his friends, through all of the ups and downs.

um dos livros mais lindos e doloridos que eu já li na minha vida, mas tbm um dos mais necessários! eu nem sei como descrever a escrita do Caleb e o quao perfeita ela foi.

O livro acompanha o menino Stephen em três fases da sua vida e como a presença da musica é um dos motivos para ele continuar a sonhar a ponto de ela tbm ser o motivo de ele se afastar dos pai e tbm a maneira como ele se reconectam.

além de falar sobre o assunto super delicado que é a imagraçao e como eles estao sempre tentando criar um lugar para si... e infelizmente sobre a violencia policial que eles sofrem.

simplesmente, perfeito e eu amei a oportunidade de le-lo.

This book is absolute art.. This book is all about rhythm; the rhythm of music, the rhythm of life, and the rhythm of a well crafted story. This book is lyrical and completely moves you in the same way that a good song can make you move. It lifts you up the way music does and when it comes to a halt you feel the shift in the moment , the shift in the story.. and during these shifts my heart felt heavy for Stephen. For a young man struggling with loneliness and his place in the world. I think the author did an excellent job highlighting what is going on for some young men right now. It is a subtle feeling of confusion and loss. Stephens struggle is both familiar and unique and I think young male readers could see parts of themselves in Stephens story..

absolutely stunning. i’m completely floored! every single word, sentence, phrase and page was exquisitely crafted. i felt transported into the world - i could smell, see and hear what was going on so clearly. this writer is something special! beautiful.