Description
In London, a young Black man enters a love story that begins with tenderness and possibility—only for the relationship to strain under the weight of what he carries beneath the surface. As his sense of self fractures, the novel traces how pressure, fear, and racial trauma can seep into intimacy, turning everyday moments into tests of visibility, safety, and belonging. With lyrical precision and a deeply emotional voice, the book explores love as both refuge and battleground, while confronting the violence of being persistently unseen, unheard, and misread. Blending poetic realism with psychological intensity, this debut by Caleb Azumah Nelson offers a haunting, intimate portrait of vigilance, identity, and the cost of survival.
Available Editions
paperback
Grove Press, Black Cat
Published Apr 13, 2021
160 pages
ISBN: 9780802157942
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Community Reviews(1)
"You want to tell her there are some things you won’t heal from, and there is no shame in your hurt. You want to tell her that in trying to be honest here, you dug until shovel met bone, and you kept going. You want to tell her it hurt." absolutely gut wrenching and yet it glides over you with a lyrical flow you'd expect to see in poetry.
Details
First Published
2021
Language
eng
Content Warnings
Content and trigger warnings for Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson.