Love made you Black, as in, you were most coloured when in her presence. It was not a cause for concern; one must rejoice! You could be yourselves.

Open Water is an honest and intimate love story that feels deeply personal. It’s about Black joy, it’s an homage to Black artists, it is a book about freedom, culture, connection and love. At the same time, it is about the inherent trauma of living as a Black man in today’s society and the fact that police violence and systemic racism never seem to be far away. It is about pain and fear and the way these seem to seep into every aspect of life, even the parts you’re trying so hard to protect. It’s about the longing to be seen, the vulnerability in intimacy, the fear of being misunderstood. It is about being able to be yourself, truly.

The writing is lyrical and poetic, almost musical. The second person perspective pulls you in close and Nelson’s repetition of phrases creates a certain rhythmic effect. A lot of times this felt hard-hitting, but the repitition sometimes lost some of it force and tended to feel a little, well... repetitive. Even so, I loved the writing style and overall it really resonated with me. I think this is one of those stories that'll linger with me for a while.