Open Water (2021)-Caleb Azumah Nelson
This book has been accurately described as an “achingly beautiful love story”
Content Warnings: racism, police brutality, anxiety and depression, death, grief
Rep: Black
Fav Quote: “You don’t always like those you love unconditionally. Language fails us, always. Flimsy things, these words…Language fails us, and sometimes our parents do too.”
Open Water is a contemporary love story written in a striking lyrical prose. It follows two unnamed main characters, both Black and British, both young artists—a photographer and a dancer. They first meet at a party, introduced through the boyfriend of the young woman –the dancer—who the young man—the photographer—is friends with. This first interaction, however, they “negate as too brief an encounter.” Their true first encounter is a meeting at a bar where they agree to undertake a project of photographing Black creators. This sparks the beginning of their ever-growing and evolving friendship.
From the start, the characters feel as though they know each other far more intimately than their short time together could logically allow, but nonetheless there’s a pull between them that neither can ignore, as much as they try. In fact, only ten pages from their first meeting, the man is already stocking his fridge with her favorite food to make her feel at home.
The book is written entirely in a second person point-of-view—rather than the main character being referred to as “he”, he is only ever referred to as “you”. This adds a unique element of intimacy between the character and the reader as you are invited to imagine yourself as this man through all his struggles and joys and loves. Similarly, when a character is unnamed and referred to simply as “she,” the book is always returning to the woman whom the main character is falling quickly in love with.
There are minor elements of the book that go largely unexplored in its mere 164 pages. The woman’s passion for dancing is briefly introduced at the start of the characters’ getting to know each other but far less explored than the main character’s career in photography. Likewise, the photography project that initially brings them together remains incomplete and unexplained by the end of the story.
Nevertheless, Open Water is stunning and beautiful and has you feeling each of the characters’ emotions so deeply. You can breeze through this book in terms of its shortness, but your short journey through the book will move you and will stick with you long after you finish reading.