Open, Heaven

by Seán Hewitt
Open, Heaven cover
Good Books rating 4.11
Literary Fiction
Buy online
Waterstones
Paperback • £9.99 Hardback • £16.99
Amazon
Format/Price Check
Technical
  • ID: 538
  • Added: 2025-09-14
  • Updated: 2025-11-01
  • ISBN: 9780593802847
  • Publisher: Random House
  • Published: 2025-04-15
  • Formats: 32
  • Reviews: 4

Set in a remote village in northern England, Open, Heaven follows the story of James, a shy sixteen-year-old grappling with his newly discovered sexuality and the isolation it brings. His life changes when he meets Luke, a charismatic and troubled boy with a reputation for danger. Their intense connection and the terror of first love unfold over the course of a year, revealing deep longings for love, stability, and acceptance. /n/nSeán Hewitt's debut novel is a mesmerizing exploration of boyhood, sensuality, and the various forms of love. With striking lyricism and economy, Hewitt crafts a story that is both intimate and universal, reminiscent of the works of Garth Greenwell and Justin Torres. The novel is a hymn to the complexities of human connection and the transformative power of desire.

Reviews
NetGalley · 2025-09-14
moving 3.75

A beautifully written debut with lyrical prose that vividly conveys the emotional intensity of teenage identity and first love.

This review emphasizes the stunning, poetic language that reflects the author's background as a poet, using seasonal changes to mirror the protagonist's emotional growth. The emotional journey is described as both heartwarming and heartbreaking, with moments of deep sorrow and tension that evoke a powerful emotional response. The reviewer finds the novel to be a special and moving exploration of coming of age and queer identity, capable of both comforting and deeply affecting the reader.

Quick quotes

    The standout feature of Open, Heaven is the gorgeous, lyrical prose.

    Sometimes you want a book to give you a warm soothing hug, other times you want it to absolutely rip you apart.

    This book may possibly break you, but in the most beautiful of ways.

The TLS · Clemmie Read · 2025-06-27
empathic 4.20

The protagonist's obsession is seen as cruelly selfish, but the author challenges readers to empathize with this teenage solipsism. The novel is praised for its emotional depth.

Clemmie Read finds the protagonist's obsession with Luke to be cruelly selfish, yet they admire how the author challenges readers to empathize with this teenage solipsism. The novel is seen as a deep and emotional exploration of love and the complexities of human relationships. They appreciate the author's ability to evoke empathy for flawed characters.

Quick quotes

    His obsession with Luke becomes cruelly selfish, but Hewitt challenges us to empathize with this teenage solipsism.

    The novel is a deep and emotional exploration of love and the complexities of human relationships.

    The author's ability to evoke empathy for flawed characters is commendable.

ArtReview · Oliver Basciano · 2025-05-23
elegiac 4.00

An elegy to teenage first love and lost youth, evoking timeless melancholy beyond specific historical context.

Oliver Basciano reflects on the novel’s elegiac quality, appreciating its exploration of youth, memory, and the things left unsaid in queer experience. The timelessness of the story transcends its early 2000s setting, making it a poignant meditation on the melancholy of what might have been. While the reviewer usually prefers literature that transports them away from personal experience, this novel’s heartfelt portrayal of lost youth and incomplete love deeply resonated with them.

Quick quotes

    The elegiac strangeness of the story also stems from its timelessness.

    Open, Heaven brought me back, however, in its elegy to lost youth.

    The melancholy of what might have been or to the things left incomplete and unsaid.

The Guardian · 2025-04-24
exquisite 4.50

The novel is praised for its transcendent portrayal of gay desire and its homage to the English literary tradition. The poetic prose is highlighted as a standout feature.

This reviewer is captivated by the novel's lyrical and poetic prose, which shines throughout the book. They appreciate how it pays homage to the English literary tradition while offering a transcendent portrait of gay desire. The story is seen as a beautiful and moving exploration of love and longing, making it a standout debut novel.

Quick quotes

    A transcendent portrait of gay desire that pays homage to the English literary tradition.

    The poet's debut novel is a beautiful and moving exploration of love and longing.

    The lyrical and poetic prose shines throughout the book.

Appears in Lists