Genre
Coming-of-age
Setting and Context
Milwaukee during a reccessionary period in the United States
Narrator and Point of View
The novel is told from the first-person perspective of Sneha, who is looking back at her 22-year-old self.
Tone and Mood
The novel is depressing, wise, tender, emotional, romantic, and capacious.
Protagonist and Antagonist
Sneha is the protagonist; the economic conditions Sneha graduates into is the antagonist of the novel.
Major Conflict
Sneha's struggle to survive despite poor economic conditions while managing her love life with Marina, an enigmatic dancer.
Climax
When Tig's plan comes into fruition, leading to drastic consequences for the characters.
Foreshadowing
Sneha falling completely in love with Marina is foreshadowed by some of their earlier interactions.
Understatement
Just how unfair it was for Sneha to graduate during one of the biggest crashes in U.S. is understated throughout the novel.
Allusions
There are quite a few allusions to U.S. History (particularly the 2008 Financial Crisis), to the geography of the United States (particularly Milwaukee), allusions to LGBT culture, other popular culture, and religion.
Imagery
As Sneha's financial situation worsens, imagery surrounding evictions and bad imagery becomes more common.
Paradox
Sneha is a lesbian but doesn't act out on her feelings even in the very accepting U.S.A. (she came from India).
Parallelism
n/a
Metonymy and Synecdoche
n/a
Personification
The economic crisis in the United States is personified throughout the novel.
