Capturing Light: The Artistic Brilliance of Ann Liang’s ‘If You Could See the Sun | Review.
If You Could See The Sun Book by Ann Liang.
In HER NOVEL DEBUT, Ann Liang is confident in combining magical realism with rival academia, fantasy, and romance in the school life drama of a Chinese American girl who monetizes her strange new invisibility powers by discovering and selling her wealthy classmates’ most scandalous secrets named Alice Sun. With a realistic approach, this novel discusses the reality of life for students in an Asian international School. A brilliant mix-up between magical and reality with a well-written plot and beautiful writing. If You Could See The Sun is a novel that everyone seeks relatable school life and brings up issues about students' life struggles, including friendships, financial problems, Academic performance and decisions, social pressure, relationships, and many more.
BLURBB.
“I guess that’s the thing: I’ve spent my whole life longing to be seen, but I’ve also come to realize that when people look too closely, they inevitably notice the ugly parts too, like how the tiny cacks on a polished vase only become visible under scrutiny.”
STARTED WITH A MAIN CHARACTER, Alice Sun is a student in an international school named Airington. She is known as a top student who successfully always maintains her high grades, her classmates gave the nickname to her, Study Machines. However, she felt invisible because she was the only scholarship surrounded by the richest and most influential teens. And, she realized that she had the power to turn invisible.
The problems began when she found out her parents couldn’t afford her tuition anymore, even with the scholarship, she only got half of it. Alice thinks about making use of her powers- With his academic rival, Henry Li, they work together to create an application called Beijing Ghost which aims to help solve problems that occur among students at the school anonymously.
However, as time gets bigger, her desires get closer, bringing her into scandals and crimes that make her have to risk her life.
THOUGHTS.
“Descartes was wrong, you know, when he said, ‘To live well, you must live unseen.’ To live well, you must learn to see yourself first. Do you understand what I’m saying?:
WITHOUT THE MAGICAL SPICES in this novel, the story might have sounded so cliche. The invisible power that the protagonist has makes the whole of the story increasingly fun to read. You Could Be The Sun straightly added to my to-be-read list after I was finished with the author's other book, not only because the premise looks so promising, but also because I found the trope interesting. Who doesn’t love academic rivals? I always found out the story that was placed in Asia has a little connection to myself, it has the same fate.
When I started this, I got a welcome about the whole background situation of Alice Sun. She is from a middle-aged family, and her parents worked hard after moving from America to China to make sure that they could pay the tuition. As we know, anywhere, International school is always expensive, and most of the students are from very rich backgrounds family. Alice is kind of a lucky student who can become a part of them, the scholarship for a student who is at the same level as her is typically like a chance to have a better future. Because international schools have facilities and programs that can help their students to get greater education and opportunities.
The feeling of Alice becoming invisible is the truth when mostly they are talking about high-branded stuff, her family’s work problems, a luxury holiday, and many more, Alice can’t fit into it. And this inequality affects her daily life at school. No one knows about her family background, she keeps that secret. A good thing for her is she knows her worth to use her academic kinds of stuff to endure herself in school. What can I do except a good grades? And, she made it. She becomes a top student and everyone admits it.
When it comes to her invisible power, I love it. For me, Ann Liang gives a perfect example of how magic realism should added in a young adult novel. Even if it is explained with minimum information but still can be delivered well and acceptably. I am thinking a lot about where the power comes from. How to handle it? And how long the power will stay? Why Alice can do it right now? But, I remember Xiayo said, “Everything is temporary, Yan Yan. And all the more reason to seize whatever’s in front of you while it’s still there.” And, that made me forget about all the questions and realize something happens always has a reason, and maybe that is a way for us to use it as a solution to the problems we are facing.
A plot becomes so incredible when we are led into academic rival things. He is Henry Liu, the richest boy but he is so smart. Since their first grade, both Henry and Alice become rivals to each other. They are so competitive for everything. Alice said he hated being the second place. Her ambition is to always be in the first before him. But, if we are focusing more on their relationship, it is not rival. Because Henry didn’t think about that. He didn’t hate Alice like she did. Alice mostly shows her hate for Henry to the point because for many reasons she finds that the boy can’t understand the world.
Everything changes when the problem is coming. She knows her parents can’t afford it anymore and she must move, but, she wants to stay in that school, Alice has an idea to use her power. She thinks this is the one who can help her get out of that. After Henry accidentally discovers Alice’s powers, Alice asks him to work together to make an application named Beijing Ghost (Because Henry is described as mastering various things in programming). I love this concept so much. And also their relationship becomes so intense after this. In Alice eye’s, Henry is a kind of untouched man. He is rich, perfect, and smart. Everyone will interested in him. Alice finds out many Henry’s other side that she didn’t know before. And, it makes her realize her hate that she always put all the time is kind of nonsense. It is not a romance. Yes, I know we have a romance thing in their relationship. However, the development of their relationship as they become aware of each other’s attitudes, behavior, traits, and also their increasingly changing viewpoints is what makes it very interesting.
Chanel becomes the character I love the most, she is so a supportive friend to Alice Sun. They become a friend after Chanel has become her first customer, and when both find out has the same feelings for each other, Chanel becomes a friend and joins the team with Alice and Henry.
Beijing Ghosts leads Alice into scandals and crime among students, I think it becomes her struggle because she always does the right thing before and tries to always be honest in everything that she does and after she works on it, she must push herself to get out of her trust. It must be hard for her. I know she didn’t want to do this but everything like force her. After she faced the huge problem, Ann Liang slowly showed us how we must be responsible for our own choices. Everything we do always has a risk.
Alice is a relatable character that I ever met, she seems to be a representation of a student who is trying to survive in an environment that is difficult to accept. In the end, everyone does not win and has a good ending. But, I feel like we conclude that life in reality is not always what you want.
You Could Be The Sun has stolen my heart. I love this book so much. I enjoy every single chapter of following Alice a whole story. I love Henry. I love all about the teachers who become a good support to her. And, I also love how the end not to be forced to look good. I can see the reality that the author wants to show us. That is why this novel became my second top five stars this year.
By, thoughtsonmonday.
P.S.: I am sorry for the grammatical errors!
