The Viral Underclass was a sobering and important read for me as a middle-class, cisgendered heterosexual Caucasian woman. Steven Thrasher tells the story of coping with the medical system, government bureaucracy and societal indifference through viral epidemics like HIV and COVID as a vulnerable and disenfranchised member of society. Whether through poverty, disability, immigration status, incarceration, sexual orientation, gender identity or some intersection of these factors, the people discussed, in Thrasher's detailed and heavily researched book, have to navigate the challenges of viral outbreaks without the supports that they should have. Along the way, they do get support, not from government institutions, insurance or the medical system, but from others in their community and social network who go above and beyond to challenge traditional institutions and systemic discrimination to get the recognition and support that they require.

This is a thought-provoking book which makes timely points about equality and social justice. We like to say "we're all in this together", but Steven Thrasher makes it very clear that this is not true. I would like to thank Celadon Books for providing me with a copy of this important book to read and review.