TW: racism, cyberbullying

An enlivening exploration that brought to the forefront some issues relating to online culture, especially with the immediacy & intensity in engagement towards social discussions (e.g. racism, accountability, etc).

Shraya wrote in a compelling manner, evoking the same reactive emotions in me, the sorts one might feel when using social media sites. In other words, her writing was full of conviction; you'd find yourself being absorbed into the storyline with the line between what the characters went through, & what you perceived, blurring. I was engaged emotionally, but was also left contemplating a lot of the astute observations & commentaries made even hours after I've completed the book. I know I will still think about them for some time after.

Aside from the social commentaries, I thought this book explored well how the uncertainties & insecurities that may exist in our everyday interactions can be exacerbated by the internet. What should be a private misunderstanding or issue between two individuals can become a platform for unrelated audiences to engage & speculate sans valid evidences, reflecting a form of toxic entertainment. And critically, the book also pointed out how this toxicity could also be found done under the name of social justice. It highlighted how we tend to approach things in apathy & often, free of nuances - giving people no room for growth. That being said, how can people grow when we, the online community, cannot even agree on what one can do to show remorse? Furthermore, Shraya also pointed out how the unjust system (e.g. the privileged stay privileged, the powerful still exploits every day people) could be uphold while we were distracted by the chaos.

The book was well balanced out in terms of being driven by the plot & characters. Though at the end, there were one resolution that felt a bit like a cop out:

why Kasi has not been responding to Neela.

That being said, I did thought the (primarily) open ending was just perfect, though some might feel frustrated. However, I'd say don't let that stop you from reading this rather astute book. My mind & heart were opened wide to absorb it all in.

The harmony was not just between the progress between the plot & characters, but also between the insightful views & the humanity within the persons (i.e. characters) that are the nexus to this story. The Subtweet was such an engaging read!