Wow. It’s hard to write about this book - I just want you all to go read it! It was … simply beautiful. Tender, intimate, touching. A lyrical work of art.

 

The plot centers around a young man who meets, befriends, and falls in love with a woman. I know that’s a very basic description, but I think it’s helpful to sink into the novel and experience the plot points rather than know the outline from the start. It involves romance, but also grief & loss & home and a lot of other topics, all explored in a deep, sensitive way.

 

The writing style is poetic but not super heightened (ie. not too hard to understand); it was more like streams of thought woven together in a delicate way. The narration is in second person which was so unique and delightful! A little weird to grasp at first, but when it finally clicked in, I loved it. 

 

It’s a portrait of young love, but also a portrait of grief. There’s an undercurrent of fear - fear of losing each other, fear of losing the freedom that comes with home, fear of the narrator being reduced to his Blackness. 

 

The title? Love is like entering open water. There are no reassurances. You’re in the middle of the sea.

 

CW: racism, police brutality, death, grief, gun violence, hate crime, car accident, suicidal thoughts, animal cruelty (briefly mentioned)