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archiveofrasa's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.75
I didn't realise until I was days deep into my annotating reread that the story is exactly what Sneha says it is in the beginning:
This is not a story about work or precarity. I am trying, late in the evening, to say something about love, which for many of us is not separable from the other shit.
—A1
when you read said story and the words and symbolism click into place, it's deeply satisfying. the book isn't trying to explore how Sneha directly navigates the capitalistic society of 2013-beyond, that aspect simply falls back as a foundation, as the unmovable constant in her life that continues to push her down. ATCBD is about Sneha as a person, her issues with intimacy, community, family, identity. the way Mathews going about exploring these facets intertwined with work life, as adult life must endure these days, was super compelling and so new.
while Sneha was absolutely a pain in the ass, all we gathered from her before she hurts others makes me want to know how things end for her, what other choices she makes and why she makes them. I've stopped looking for likeable main characters and instead found myself gravitating towards those who do fuck up, have problematic issues as to why they fuck up, those who have to learn things the hard way, especially if those people are queer people of colour. these stories awaken a sense of realism I definitely needed and even if it has only subtly made its way into the wrinkles of my brain, it'll stay with me for a long time.
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse and Drug abuse
Minor: Transphobia, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, and Police brutality
chthoniclamb's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Deportation and Alcoholism
hhbaker's review against another edition
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Pedophilia, Mental illness, Drug use, Racism, Deportation, Sexual assault, Fatphobia, and Sexual violence
sammyofthevalley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Sexism, Fatphobia, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Racism, Terminal illness, Deportation, Classism, Addiction, Police brutality, Alcoholism, Drug use, Xenophobia, and Transphobia
lorenag5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Xenophobia, Child abuse, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Colonisation, Deportation, Pedophilia, Classism, Outing, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Drug use, Drug abuse, Police brutality, Racism, Alcohol, Blood, Lesbophobia, and Addiction
rgander's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Racism, and Rape
marisamoo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content and Racism
Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Pedophilia
Minor: Death of parent
kathleencoughlin's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
3.5
Moderate: Child abuse, Deportation, Outing, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Minor: Lesbophobia, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Misogyny, Police brutality, Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual content, and Body shaming
kathleen_theresa's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Deportation, Sexual assault, Racism, and Child abuse
There were instances of what felt to me like penis envy that seems unnecessary.staceyface's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
4.25
Minor: Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Racism, and Rape