This is my third Ann Liang read and I believe her second dark academia book.

What I really liked about Ann Liang first is her writing style. Accessible writing style is difficult to achieve especially when it revolves on a plot that blends modern contemporary setting and magical realism. And I can say that Ann managed to deliver the expected voice of Jenna Chen.

Storyline is also a strong point to discuss since this novel promises a discussion about comparison and pressure that is normalized in most, if not all, Asian families. Jenna Chen, our MC, has been doubtful of her hardwork right from the very first chapter as she can’t seem to attain the level of success that her cousin, Jessica Chen, is enjoying.

What Jenna doesn’t know is that her random wish upon a star will suddenly come true and she will assume the life of her beloved cousin Jessica but at what cost?


This is borderline dark but not as dark with Ann Liang’s debut. I like the discourse about familial expectations that pushes kids to the point of no return, in this case, Jenna and Jessica share the same school and same family but never the same level of success hence imagine the comparison.

There is also a romance element in here that somehow became a major element at the end and as usual, I enjoyed how the author balanced the mystery of Jenna/Jessica and the romance without overshadowing each other.

One thing that I noticed in my experience reading IANJC is that I was expecting more but nothing too surprising came. I think it was more of a me problem since I put too much expectations.

Rated this one 4stars. If you enjoyed IF YOU COULD SEE THE SUN, there’s a high chance you’ll love this one as well