For many good reasons, Sneha, struggled to find her way as a new college graduate in 2008. Matthews portrayed these challenges with humor and empathy. The characters were sympathetic although some did seem too good to be true. I liked how friendship was more important than romance. All of the characters grew over the course of the novel in ways I found believable. ( )

A twenty three year old lesbian immigrant woman struggles to succeed both financially and romantically in Milwaukee Wisconsin. She has friendships with many varied people including an employer who doesn't always pay her.. She finally finds Marianna who seems to be the woman of her dreams but things are always a struggle. She has a checkered family past and was abused by an uncle. All this leads to periods of aimlessness and lack of confidence. Mathews is a wonderful young writer and this is a marvelous first novel. ( )

Heart-wrenching and empathetic. As she discovers them, you get a real feeling for S's character and values. A deep and unflinching look at love and learning to love while growing up and finding your feet in a nearly unforgiving world. ( )

This is an interesting book. It was nominated for the National Book Award and ended up on a few other top novel lists. The lead character, Sneha, is a 22 year old first generation Indian immigrant. She is gay and has moved to Milwaukee in 2013 for her first post graduation job. She is working as a contract employee for a consultant on a project for a large company. She is living in an apartment paid for by the consultant but one with a management landlord from hell. The book deals with how she deals with navigating all the ups and downs of a young woman trying to make her way in the world of friends, lovers, parents, work etc. As an older white hetero male, I realized that the characters in the books are ones that I would never know but through a novel. The beauty of fiction. This book is well written with wonderful prose. The characters can be frustrating in their relationships and their actions but it does take me back to my own youthful adventures. The joy of a decent paycheck and meeting new friends and developing your way in the world. The book does dwell mainly on the LGBTQ community but also includes straight friends. Mathews tells everything through Sneha which puts a lot on the character. She has to deal with her own culture, especially her parents who are back in India and do not know about her being gay. This is very worthwhile book because it deals with a demographic that will continue to grow and will come into conflict with the existing white culture that they are trying to integrate into. I will look forward to future work from Mathews. ( )

In a long line of books about angsty twenty-somethings trying to find themselves and figure out life, Sarah Thankam Mathews delivers one that steps out of the crowd with All This Could Be Different. Sneha has just moved to Milwaukee for her first job out of college and she wants all of the normal things — success at work, friends, and a girlfriend — but finds it all very difficult to navigate as she is burdened with family secrets and personal issues. Mathews separates herself from so many similar themed novels with interesting characters and sparkling prose that make them leap from the page with believability, and enough plot to keep things moving. All This Could Be Different is an excellent novel that explores themes of LGBTQ+, friendship, relationships, family, and racial justice. ( )