ALL THIS COULD BE DIFFERENT book review

All This Could Be Different debut novel by Sarah Thankam Mathews. This National Book Award nominee is a unique slice of life chronicling a young immigrant building a career and social life for herself in Wisconsin. Sneha is introspective, often quiet and torn between pursuing a career that would interest her versus what is just handed to her. As the first in her family to go to college and a first generation immigrant, she experiences a lot of self-imposed pressure for her job, money and lifestyle. She wants the respect of her boss and her parents' approval while securing enough funds to support her Midwest lifestyle and to contribute to their life back in India. Her thankless, low paying office job and her growing acceptance of preferring women over men, make it hard to keep up with appearances and enjoy the life she has fallen into.

Sneha grows to appreciate her select few friends, a group of fun and fascinating millennials she attracts along the way between college and work. They help her be honest with what she truly wants, find her footing, and teach her how to stick up for herself in challenging situations. While seemingly nothing not much happens in this subtle All This Could Be Different, so much is going on with the protagonist and the story. It ultimately is a subtle, warm and dazzling saga of queer love, friendship, work, and precarity in twenty-first century America. It is both witty and wildly moving, leaving an indelible mark on every readers heart while showcasing Thankam Mathews as a refreshing new talent and a necessary literary voice.