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Reviews tagging 'Transphobia'
All This Could Be Different: A Novel by Sarah Thankam Mathews
47 reviews
archiveofrasa's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-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? Yes
4.75
started this because I loved the voice, stayed because of the outstanding character work. Sneha is such an interesting and well realised character, as are all the other characters, Tig, Thom, Marina, Amit. even the more minor characters add a lot of realistic depth to what the book is trying to explore.
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:
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.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Sexual assault, and Mental illness
Moderate: Child abuse and Drug abuse
Minor: Transphobia, Fatphobia, Alcoholism, and Police brutality
team_worm's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
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
5.0
My best novel of the year so far. I read it in one breath, stoping only to savor the sentences which cut deepest. The prose sparkles like broken glass! All feelings felt by the characters in this one - joy, sadness, outrage, triumph, heartbreak, anxiety, panic, loneliness, hope — you’ll feel them too. You will also feel exasperation as they are, some of them at least, very flawed. Some of Sneha’s and Thom’s opinions are not my own, but I thought they evolved throughout the book in satisfying ways. If anything, more than people usually do irl. I cared so much about the characters. Would particularly recommend for fans of the great believers and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow. A true millennial novel of queer friendship, trauma, and late capitalism.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
Minor: Transphobia
starbeans's review against another edition
cw: child abuse, sexual abuse, heavy drug use, alcoholism, transphobia
I… can't really rate this.
Sneha is a first-generation Indian American woman whose parents have gone back to India, leaving her alone in a foreign country at just 17 years of age. Sneha massively struggles — with her existence as an immigrant, with her queerness, and, honestly, with her gender.
I liked how it handled a lot of its very complex themes. There's a huge amount of friendship, of warmth, of how differently topics surrounding mental illness are still handled throughout the world. Of how differently trauma can resurface in different people, or in the same person at different times. The communist themes spoke to me, but what unfortunately did not, was the transphobia. It got better the longer the book went on, but there was definitely some unresolved gender-questioning going on in Sneha that felt like it was just brushed aside, at least for me.
Still, after having my doubts about this for the first third, I'd recommend reading this!
I… can't really rate this.
Sneha is a first-generation Indian American woman whose parents have gone back to India, leaving her alone in a foreign country at just 17 years of age. Sneha massively struggles — with her existence as an immigrant, with her queerness, and, honestly, with her gender.
I liked how it handled a lot of its very complex themes. There's a huge amount of friendship, of warmth, of how differently topics surrounding mental illness are still handled throughout the world. Of how differently trauma can resurface in different people, or in the same person at different times. The communist themes spoke to me, but what unfortunately did not, was the transphobia. It got better the longer the book went on, but there was definitely some unresolved gender-questioning going on in Sneha that felt like it was just brushed aside, at least for me.
Still, after having my doubts about this for the first third, I'd recommend reading this!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Transphobia, Drug abuse, Child abuse, and Alcoholism
sammyofthevalley's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- 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
This wasn’t my type of book - I don’t usually read sad endings or books which are completely focused on angst. However, I also feel justified in disliking it, as the main character never develops. My FAVORITE part of books is character development, but the only upward motion we see in S is because of a time skip when the development has happened without the reader. I would have liked a lot more payoff for suffering through her situation. But that’s how life is
Content Warnings
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
tonionnalee's review against another edition
sad
tense
medium-paced
- 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? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia
k_strau's review against another edition
I gave this two tries in hopes of it being something that it isn't. Turns out it's using non-binary transphobia as an arbitrary plot point with seemingly no rhyme or reason, I was hoping it would end up being for some character development or actually have a purpose but it doesn't look like it. Did the only reasonable thing an dnf-ed it. We really don't need transphobia in the fictional world in addition to the actual shit show we are already living in.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Transphobia
If you are trans or a trans ally - don't bother.bootsmom3's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
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
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Transphobia, Alcohol, Deportation, Sexual content, Classism, Mental illness, and Racism
Moderate: Homophobia, Death of parent, Medical content, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, and Lesbophobia
Minor: Police brutality and Alcoholism
meemawreads'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
3.0
This book didn't stick with me as a whole. In the month since I read it, I've forgotten the end. I still remember the MC's transphobia that mysteriously resolves with no explanation? I remember how obsessed she is with thin, white women, too. Internalized white supremacy was strong. Hilariously, I also remember starting to root for her to kiss Tom because I am rooting for him... a lesbian book emphasizing my straightness how embarrassing. Anyway, I wouldn't recommend this if you hate dysfunctional relationships and remembering the chaos of your early post-college days. I would recommend this to someone who likes flawed protagonists and appreciates the complications of immigrant family stories. Three taters 🥔🥔🥔/🥔🥔🥔🥔🥔
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racism, and Child abuse
Minor: Transphobia and Fatphobia
calicos's review against another edition
dark
inspiring
reflective
medium-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
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Racism, and Child abuse
Moderate: Fatphobia and Transphobia
reneereads_'s review against another edition
The beginning of the book is very misleading, and I had no idea what I was about to read, but I definitely wasn’t expecting the main character to go on a transphobic rant and have it never mentioned again. My initial thought at first was “is this ignorance going to change by the end?” but after reading several reviews, it doesn’t sound like it. I also noticed the strange descriptions for the Black characters in this book, as well as the main characters “taste” in women (white and thin). Overall, I’m disappointed. Really thought I would like this. The cover is pretty, queer main character, and the plot seemed intriguing enough for me. But it’s not worth my time. And for people relating to her, maybe that’s not such a good thing 😬.
Content Warnings
Minor: Transphobia