Quick Thoughts: If You Could See the Sun by Ann Liang

If You Could See the Sun

by Ann Liang

October 11, 2022

Goodreads Summary:

Alice Sun has always felt invisible at her elite Beijing international boarding school, where she’s the only scholarship student among China’s most rich and influential teens. But then she starts uncontrollably turning invisible—actually invisible.

When her parents drop the news that they can no longer afford her tuition, even with the scholarship, Alice hatches a plan to monetize her strange new power—she’ll discover the scandalous secrets her classmates want to know, for a price.

But as the tasks escalate from petty scandals to actual crimes, Alice must decide if it’s worth losing her conscience—or even her life.

In this genre-bending YA debut, a Chinese American girl monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates’ most scandalous secrets.

Review

If You Could See the Sun was an engaging and thoughtful read. I liked the characters and could relate to some of what they went through. The story was very realistic.

What I Liked:

- a genuinely smart story

- heartfelt familial interactions

- important discussion on class division and racism

- mouth-watering descriptions of food

- a subtle but cute romance

- seeing Alice actually getting to know Henry

- likable teachers

- a few moments of hilarity

- some drama-worthy scenes: the kidnapping, outsmarting the school board rep

- a clever twist of a solution

- promises of a better future

The Not So Much:

- I was sad Alice's power was not explained in any concrete way

"I'm friendly with everybody...but I'm friends with nobody." (p. 33)

"I think about guilt and karma and survival and how being good doesn't ever promise you anything in this world- only power does that." (p. 167)

"Reputation is currency, a source of power." (p. 321)