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A review by moonlitemuseum
The Subtweet by Vivek Shraya
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
When I started reading the Subtweet and was greeted with Neela's intense internal monologue I couldn't help but wonder if I was going to finish. Not because the prose is bad (it's amazing, peppy and funny and dry in its character's high points and reflective and thoughtful and clear in their lows) but because it felt almost embarrassing to be so close in a character's head, knowing if I were in her periphery that she'd judge me and find me lacking. The things Neela turns her nose up at in the first chapter are all things I am embarrassed about propagating, and the critical observations she makes about those around her are harsh but thoroughly earned.
Then Rukmini appears. Rukmini is one of the most fun, vibrant and knotty characters I've had the joy of reading. Through Rukmini's perspective I quickly learned how to make sense of and appreciate Neela; then, asII sighed at some of Rukmini's more naive or sincere choices I began to realize that I had, perhaps, been too harsh on Neela at the start. This is just a chronicle of my reactions to the first two chapters or so, and the book has a thousand more tricks up its sleeve before it runs through to its climax.
The author is deft with her characters and knows well how to cast them in antagonistic and sympathetic lights, while beckoning the reader to commiserate with all of the central cast in how a white-supremacist society forces them to play against one another, to offer each other up in sacrifice. But as a white reader, I can only speak on this in a limited perspective. What did seep into my bones and hook my heart through my ribcage was how very real the Subtweet was in its approach of social media, jealousy, insecurity, the right to "own" a song or a friendship or a person, the way our own lack of true communication will twist around and throttle us when it matters most.
It's gonna be really hard to beat this one. This was a wonderful book and I enjoyed every second of it.
Then Rukmini appears. Rukmini is one of the most fun, vibrant and knotty characters I've had the joy of reading. Through Rukmini's perspective I quickly learned how to make sense of and appreciate Neela; then, asII sighed at some of Rukmini's more naive or sincere choices I began to realize that I had, perhaps, been too harsh on Neela at the start. This is just a chronicle of my reactions to the first two chapters or so, and the book has a thousand more tricks up its sleeve before it runs through to its climax.
The author is deft with her characters and knows well how to cast them in antagonistic and sympathetic lights, while beckoning the reader to commiserate with all of the central cast in how a white-supremacist society forces them to play against one another, to offer each other up in sacrifice. But as a white reader, I can only speak on this in a limited perspective. What did seep into my bones and hook my heart through my ribcage was how very real the Subtweet was in its approach of social media, jealousy, insecurity, the right to "own" a song or a friendship or a person, the way our own lack of true communication will twist around and throttle us when it matters most.
It's gonna be really hard to beat this one. This was a wonderful book and I enjoyed every second of it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death and Racism