Reviews with content warning for Transphobia - All This Could Be Different

Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'

All This Could Be Different by Sarah Thankam Mathews

47 reviews

epen's review

emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Prose style a bit choppy for me—it took me some time to get used to. A bit overwritten in that vein sometimes, but not too often; I think the author’s descriptive language and use of literary devices were mostly solid. Complex queer characters and good portrayals of friendship. Dialogue a little off sometimes. Totally gratuitous transphobia toward non-binary people by the protagonist that sort of improved by the end of the novel but not sufficiently for how explicit it initially was.

Loved the portion of the book during which S was with her family in India, and particularly the portions about the plants that grew. Also encouraging for a story to have a coming out arc that didn’t end in disownment.

sometimes felt a little 2018 for a book written in 2022.
Overall enjoyed and would recommend.

Content Warnings

phalanq's review against another edition

Go to review page

Not my nonbinary ass getting jumpscared with nonbinary specific transphobia. Literally edit that out and I’m sure this book would be great. Enjoying it otherwise but I don’t need to read this rn so dnf at 22%. Maybe I’ll try again when trans people have rights.

Content Warnings

thisbookrox's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional hopeful reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

i enjoyed this book. the prose was strong, there were lovable characters, and i enjoyed the timeline.

highlights - Tig is an amazing friend, the found family storyline really stuck with me, and the story overall was a reminder of how close all of us in the working class are to slipping into poverty.

i am taking a star away because of the fatphobia and transphobia. the MC did improve over the course of the story, but there were very blunt comments and rants about these things.

Content Warnings

kaseycanread's review

Go to review page

emotional reflective sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Content Warnings

jessalex610's review

Go to review page

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very relatable story about a young freshly out of college person, trying to figure out her sexuality and her way in the world, while bringing in a refreshing immigrant perspective. I cried many times. I screamed many times. But mostly I just felt a very deep sense of relatability and comfort that I am not the only young person also struggling to figure out what their life is in their mid-20s.

Content Warnings

caseythereader's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Content Warnings

janaptrsn's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Truly an extraordinarily beautifully complex novel. What drew me in was the cover art, of course; the fact that it played in Milwaukee, a city I have personal ties to; and the perspective of a queer brown immigrant. From the first few pages, I was drawn into the setting of the book by its beautiful prose, which in some parts still felt like reading a diary or text from a friend. Reading „All this could be different“ feels like being inside a complex, reflective, stubborn, colorful, hurt, loving, sad mind. While I could relate so some experiences, I could also grasp other experiences I had bo personal relation to. The characters in this book are multi-faceted and refreshingly human. This book captures life so far in the twenty-first century from an intensely realistic lense and touches on many important societal issues. It is painful and soothing at the same time. It is real, and I would recommend it to every human out there. Thank you Sarah Thankam Mathews, I am so looking forward to your future work!

Content Warnings