Published by Faber
Publication date – 17 August 2023
Source – review copy
From a child attending his first football match, buoyed by secret magic, and a wincingly humane portrait of adolescence, to the perplexity of grief and loss through the eyes of a seahorse, Thomas Morris seeks to find grace, hope and benevolence in the churning tumult of self-discovery.
Philosophically acute. Wincingly humane. Strikingly original. This outstanding suite of stories is bursting with a bracing emotional depth. Open Up cracks the heart as it expands the short story form.
Comprised of five short stories, Open Up examines young men’s mental health and disconnect from society. The tales take a look at feelings of inadequacy, lack of confidence, a failure to feel part of the world. They deal with heart break and growing up and the myriad number of emotions those entail.
Of the five stories, my favourite was Aberkariad, where a male sea horse pines for his absent partner and his sons have to fight against nature to not be lone parents. The story subverts the scenario of a single mother, raising children after being abandoned by the father. The first story shows a ten year old, who still believes his thoughts can manifest things, that there are signs in the every day. A trip to the dentist gives another young man the courage to face the world and smile.
The title and the words contained within the book are a call to address the assumed need to not speak about mental health if you are a man. The stories show that other people are struggling, that it’s ok to not feel ok and that there is no shame in acknowledging those feelings and emotions and in seeking help.
A thought-provoking collection with an important message.
You can buy a copy of the book here.
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From First Page to Last 