Open Water: Winner of the Costa First Novel Award 2021

WINNER OF THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARD 2021SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES YOUNG WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARD A tender and touching love story beautifully told Observer 10 Best Debut Novelists of 2021 Hands-down the best debut Ive read in years The Times A beautiful and powerful novel about the true and sometimes painful depths of love Candice Carty-Williams bestselling author of QUEENIE An unforgettable debut... its Sally Rooney meets Michaela Coel meets Teju Cole New York Times A love song to Black art and thought Yaa Gyasi bestselling author of HOMEGOING and TRANSCENDENT KINGDOM Two young people meet at a pub in South East London. Both are Black British both won scholarships to private schools where they struggled to belong both are now artists - he a photographer she a dancer - trying to make their mark in a city that by turns celebrates and rejects them. Tentatively tenderly they fall in love. But two people who seem destined to be together can still be torn apart by fear and violence.At once an achingly beautiful love story and a potent insight into race and masculinity Open Water asks what it means to be a person in a world that sees you only as a Black body to be vulnerable when you are only respected for strength to find safety in love only to lose it. With gorgeous soulful intensity Caleb Azumah Nelson has written the most essential British debut of recent years.An amazing debut novel. You should read this book. Lets hear it for Caleb Azumah Nelson also known as the future Benjamin ZephaniahA short poetic and intellectual meditation on art and a relationship between a young couple Bernardine Evaristo author of GIRL WOMAN OTHERA very touching and heartfelt book Diana Evans award-winning author of ORDINARY PEOPLE A lyrical modern love story brilliant on music and art race and London life I enjoyed it hugely David Nicholls author of ONE DAY and SWEET SORROWCaleb is a star in the making Nikesh Shukla editor of THE GOOD IMMIGRANT and BROWN BABYA stunning piece of art Bolu Babalola bestselling author of LOVE IN COLOURFor those that are missing the tentative depiction of love in Normal People Caleb Azumah Nelsons Open Water is set to become one of 2021s unmissable books. Utterly transporting itll leave you weeping and in awe. Stylist An exhilarating new voice in British fiction Vogue A poetic novel about Black identity and first love in the capital from one of Britains most exciting young voices Harpers Bazaar An intense elegant debut GuardianWINNER OF THE COSTA FIRST NOVEL AWARDWINNER OF BAD FORM BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES BOOK OF THE YEARSHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES YOUNG WRITER OF THE YEAR AWARDLONGLISTED FOR THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE AND THE GORDON BURN PRIZE 2021 A NATIONAL BOOK AWARD 5 UNDER 35 HONOREE Review A beautiful and powerful novel about the true and sometimes painful depths of love -- Candice Carty-Williams Sunday Times bestselling author of QUEENIEOpen Water is tender poetry a love song to black art and thought an exploration of intimacy and vulnerability between two young artists learning to be soft with each other in a world that hardens against black people -- Yaa Gyasi bestselling author of HOMEGOINGThis is an amazing debut novel. Its a beautifully narrated intelligently crafted piece of love that goes deep then goes deeper. You should read this book. Lets hear it for Caleb Azumah Nelson also known as the future -- Benjamin Zephaniah award-winning poet playwright and novelistOpen Water is a very touching and heartfelt book passionately written which brings London to life in a painterly emotive way. I love its musical richness and espousal of the power of the arts - pictures sounds movement -- Diana Evans Women’s Prize shortlisted author of ORDINARY PEOPLEOpen Water encapsulates what it means to fall in love explores what it means to move throug