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nicolemhill's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
reflective
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? It's complicated
4.0
I've never read a book that treated social media in a real, meaningful way — a way that actually contributed to the plot and the atmosphere.
It's an interesting satire with prickly, relatable, complicated women at its core.
It's an interesting satire with prickly, relatable, complicated women at its core.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
studydniowka's review against another edition
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Ogromnym plusem tej książki jest sposób, w jaki problematyzuje kwestię cancellingu i jak polityka tożsamości wykorzystywana jest do uciszania „nieprawomyślnych”, szczególnie kobiet. Minusem jest cukierkowe zakończenie, według mnie zbyt wygodne dla bohaterek, ale to nie zmienia faktur że warto się z nią zapoznać.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
whatisjordyreading's review against another edition
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
taratearex's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Wow, this novella is like a little work of art, the writing is lush, the characters are complicated and feel real, the social commentary is so nuanced with varying perspectives. A really fascinating work discussing friendship and rivalry, how artists of color are treated by the music industry/fans/white people, art and ownership... it really digs into a lot in a short amount of time. Given that one of the characters is said to be trans I did wonder why that wasn't included in later critiques related to this character, but given the depth and amount of nuance the story already had maybe that just wasn't where the author wanted to put the focus. The audiobook was great, but the quick pace of dialogue and changing POV's did make it a bit hard to follow at times, I picked up my physical copy a few times to get my bearings.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Car accident and Death
feministmidwife's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
I absolutely loved this second work by Vivek Shraya after "I'm Afraid of Men." Such a beautifully intense story about relationships, doubts of ourselves and others, the conversations we have in our heads that if only we said out loud perhaps we wouldn't end up in heartbroken quandaries. So grateful for Shraya's work.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism
kelly_e's review against another edition
reflective
tense
fast-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
3.5
Title: The Subtweet
Author: Vivek Shraya
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.5
Pub Date: April 7, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Original • Quick • Realistic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Neela Devaki has built her career writing songs no one else is singing. When one of her songs if covered by internet artist RUK-MINI, becoming a viral sensation, the two musicians meet and a transformative friendship begins. Before long, the pressure that pit women versus one another begin. As RUK-MINI's star rises, Neela’s peers out, leading to jealousy and self-doubt. A single tweet, will change everything, and they find themselves at the center of an internet firestorm. The Subtweet explores themes of race and gender, but also friendship, music and internet culture.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I wasn't expecting to enjoy a book centering around social media, but what is blatantly obvious coming out of this one is that Vivek Shraya is supremely talented! The Subtweet gives the reader an inside glance into the politics and workings of the Canadian music industry, and
captures the intricoes of female friendship. I appreciated the focus on female artists, and the explorations of arts and culture in Canada, something I have rarely come across in a book. With Vivek's dynamic writing style, I really got to know the characters in such an intimate way, so much so that I felt like I was standing between them. Due to it being on the short side, I was impressed by how Vivek managed to do so. Using social media, and detailing its power - both good and bad - was unique, and incredibly timely.
So much of this book was done right, but I really struggled with the structure. For me, long sections make for a less than enjoyable reading experience overall, and the same can be true here. At times this design made it seem disjointed.
Overall, a strong showing from an author on the rise, it definitely prompted me to reflect on my own privilege as a white cis woman in Canada.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers wanting a quick read
• music fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"For me to rediscover my independence, I had to slow down and tune into my body again."
"I wish we could go back to that moment. The discovering each other phase. The addictive self-revelation through another's eyes phase."
Author: Vivek Shraya
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Rating: 3.5
Pub Date: April 7, 2020
T H R E E • W O R D S
Original • Quick • Realistic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Neela Devaki has built her career writing songs no one else is singing. When one of her songs if covered by internet artist RUK-MINI, becoming a viral sensation, the two musicians meet and a transformative friendship begins. Before long, the pressure that pit women versus one another begin. As RUK-MINI's star rises, Neela’s peers out, leading to jealousy and self-doubt. A single tweet, will change everything, and they find themselves at the center of an internet firestorm. The Subtweet explores themes of race and gender, but also friendship, music and internet culture.
💭 T H O U G H T S
I wasn't expecting to enjoy a book centering around social media, but what is blatantly obvious coming out of this one is that Vivek Shraya is supremely talented! The Subtweet gives the reader an inside glance into the politics and workings of the Canadian music industry, and
captures the intricoes of female friendship. I appreciated the focus on female artists, and the explorations of arts and culture in Canada, something I have rarely come across in a book. With Vivek's dynamic writing style, I really got to know the characters in such an intimate way, so much so that I felt like I was standing between them. Due to it being on the short side, I was impressed by how Vivek managed to do so. Using social media, and detailing its power - both good and bad - was unique, and incredibly timely.
So much of this book was done right, but I really struggled with the structure. For me, long sections make for a less than enjoyable reading experience overall, and the same can be true here. At times this design made it seem disjointed.
Overall, a strong showing from an author on the rise, it definitely prompted me to reflect on my own privilege as a white cis woman in Canada.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• readers wanting a quick read
• music fans
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"For me to rediscover my independence, I had to slow down and tune into my body again."
"I wish we could go back to that moment. The discovering each other phase. The addictive self-revelation through another's eyes phase."
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Racial slurs
Moderate: Bullying, Death, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Cursing and Sexual content
lily1304's review against another edition
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This story made me SO thankful I'm not on social media and SO hopeful that I'll never be any kind of public figure. Sometimes I'm Neela, sometimes I'm Rukmini - although both of them are infuriatingly insecure at times. I'm excited to read more by Vivek Shraya.
It's categorized as "lgbtqia+" in StoryGraph, probably because the author is trans and at least one of the characters is trans. But blink and you'll miss that detail - it's incidental to the plot. This is much more a story about Indian women then a story about queer people - even though, obviously, it's both. I think queer people deserve both stories where our identities are central to the plot, and stories where they aren't. I deeply appreciate that one of the main characters is trans without, like, a "reason" she needs to be trans. And magically, no one is weird about it. That's not very common.
It's categorized as "lgbtqia+" in StoryGraph, probably because the author is trans and at least one of the characters is trans. But blink and you'll miss that detail - it's incidental to the plot. This is much more a story about Indian women then a story about queer people - even though, obviously, it's both. I think queer people deserve both stories where our identities are central to the plot, and stories where they aren't. I deeply appreciate that one of the main characters is trans without, like, a "reason" she needs to be trans. And magically, no one is weird about it. That's not very common.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying
Moderate: Racism
thewordsdevourer's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
so. good!!! the subtweet is a biting, incisive story on ownership and culture. ive never smirked so much reading a book; its social commentary and portrayal of the systemic, structural problem through the personal lens are at once both realistic and irreverent - dealing w/ yts is indeed exhausting.
this is not a perfect book, but it does its own thing rly well. my main issue lies w/ rukmini, whom i feel a lot of things related to her gets glossed over or goes unaddressed by the end of the novel. i feel like she's a lil too far up her own a55 to consider others' feelings, though absolutely no one in this story is perfect (but who is?). for example, why doesnt she show any public support for selfhood? she obsesses over listening to it early and even subtweets abt it, yet is absolutely silent when her friend's album drops. or when she takes ages to reply to neela's texts. the main problem isnt even abt miscommunication but lack of communication here. the ending's also a lil too abrupt imo.
still, this is a book refreshingly filled w/ complex brown characters; exploration of the internet maelstrom and our social media-obsessed age; and an interesting inside look into the music industry (and its many duplicitous, eyebrow-raising practices). i rly enjoy this book and will be checking out vivek shraya's back catalogue for sure.
this is not a perfect book, but it does its own thing rly well. my main issue lies w/ rukmini, whom i feel a lot of things related to her gets glossed over or goes unaddressed by the end of the novel. i feel like she's a lil too far up her own a55 to consider others' feelings, though absolutely no one in this story is perfect (but who is?). for example, why doesnt she show any public support for selfhood? she obsesses over listening to it early and even subtweets abt it, yet is absolutely silent when her friend's album drops. or when she takes ages to reply to neela's texts. the main problem isnt even abt miscommunication but lack of communication here. the ending's also a lil too abrupt imo.
still, this is a book refreshingly filled w/ complex brown characters; exploration of the internet maelstrom and our social media-obsessed age; and an interesting inside look into the music industry (and its many duplicitous, eyebrow-raising practices). i rly enjoy this book and will be checking out vivek shraya's back catalogue for sure.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship
Moderate: Bullying and Racism
Minor: Death
alyssamakesart's review against another edition
challenging
funny
reflective
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
4.25
Entertaining, heartbreaking and genuinely thoughtful. Exploration of what it means to be a visibly brown artist of the last few decades. I laughed, I rolled my eyes, I paused and stat on lines. While this is about a certain pov, I think many artists (writing, music, visual, etc.) of color will see themselves in this work. Especially those that live in multiple marginalizations.
The only reason I couldn't rate this 5 stars is because I was really confused the first 1/3 book because Shraya chose long chapters that would've been easier to follow if they were shorter. I got lost a few times in the audiobook.
The only reason I couldn't rate this 5 stars is because I was really confused the first 1/3 book because Shraya chose long chapters that would've been easier to follow if they were shorter. I got lost a few times in the audiobook.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism and Sexism
Minor: Death