If You Could See the Sun
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.
“To live well, you must learn to see yourself first.”
First Impressions: The Start of Something New
As a mainly mystery/fantasy reader, I was interested in broadening my horizons with a new book genre. I knew that I wanted to dive into a romance, but there are so many great romance books out there that it felt almost impossible to choose one. But as soon as I saw If You Could See the Sun’s cover and read the quick blurb on the back, I was absolutely set on this one. It felt perfect, with a dabble in all three of my favorite genres: Henry and Alice gave me the romance, Alice’s unexpected invisibility powers gave me fantasy, and the scandalous secrets of her classmates gave me some mystery.
This book was the perfect read, and absolutely exceeded my expectations in every way possible. Upon reading, I realized pretty early on that Ann Liang used an academic rivals-to-lovers trope for the relationship between Alice and Henry. I had not read much academic rivals-to-lovers before this book, but If You Could See the Sun made me fall in love with this trope almost instantly. It was perfectly executed, and Henry and Alice’s relationship felt so authentic, like an actual real-life relationship. What stood out to me most about this trope was that it was complex, and Liang did not limit their relationship to just the surface level, but instead dived deeper into the trope. While Henry and Alice were certainly academic rivals, it never felt as if they actually hated each other, and their competitive spirit only brought them closer together, creating such palpable tension that you couldn’t help but smile watching their relationship unfold.
“And everything about this moment is so lovely and so fragile in its loveliness that I’m almost afraid to hold it. Afraid that the spell will break.”
The Story: Secrets, Sunlights, and Something More
I am so happy that this was not your typical romance story where the relationship between the characters is the only plot line. If You Could See the Sun incorporates mystery elements, including Alice’s invisibility, which further “pushes” the relationship between her and Henry. I absolutely adored this because I love it when two characters that don’t get along too well are forced to work together on a plan. I will fall in love with this storyline every single time, and Liang executed it perfectly. The story kept my attention for every single page, and I loved this so much that I would read it again and again.
“If I’m not first, I’m nothing.”
The Setting: Behind the Boarding School Gates
Set in an elite Beijing boarding school, the setting of that story was absolutely perfect. I am obsessed with boarding school stories, and this book was no exception. You could feel the energy from the school radiating off the pages, with every single person fighting for that number one spot in the class. It also gave us different perspectives, and the contrast between how Alice feels being the only scholarship student, and the thoughts of the other privileged and rich students who do not have to work for their spot at the school.
“God, I’ve missed him. I somehow still do, even though he’s standing right in front of me.”
Their Relationship: Rivals, or Something like it
Everything about the relationship between Alice and Henry was perfect. Their slow-burning feelings for one another were growing throughout the book, and watching as they slowly realized their feelings for each other were changing. They were absolutely adoring, and you couldn’t help but fall in love with them. You could feel their tension, and I was so giddy reading each of their scenes, smiling through every page.
One of my favorite quotes between the two of them is, “‘You know’, I muse out loud. ‘If it weren’t for the fact that we hated each other’s guts, we’d probably make an impressive power duo.’ I expect Henry to raise his eyebrows at me as usual or make a cutting remark, but his footsteps suddenly slow beside me. ‘Wait. We hate each other?’” I could not contain my excitement when I read this, and there are so many conversations like this between the two of them that just make you fall in love with them. The fact that Henry never hated her just shows that they were never really rivals, but there was always this lingering connection between the two of them that they just didn’t understand at first.
It feels like a thousand banished and buried moments have been building up to this – to us alone and untethered and weak with wanting – and maybe they have.”
Writing Style: Words that Feel like Sunshine
This was my first Ann Liang work that I read, but I can promise that it won’t be the last. I absolutely fell in love with her writing style and just how authentic it all felt. Her writing is so smooth, and it flows so nicely, making you forget that it is a book you are reading and not reality. I discovered that If You Could See the Sun was Liang’s debut novel, and this just further emphasizes Liang’s talent. If this is just her debut, I am so excited to read her other works and see what she does in the future. Whatever it is, I know I will fall in love just as I did with this story.
“I want to laugh until my stomach hurts, and write until I’ve crafted something that delights me, and learn to bask in my small, private victories.”
Final Thoughts: A Lingering Love
I truly loved the story, and I could not recommend this book enough. It is perfect for readers of any genre and is uniquely captivating, immediately drawing you in. I am so excited to dive deeper into Ann Liang’s works, and if you haven’t read this book, please do!