Guys, I think I’m finally doing it… I’m reading more than two books a year! Even if they are audiobooks… but, hey, I do what I can.
My latest audiobook read was Not Here to Be Liked… and, yeah, I felt mixed on this one, which seems to be becoming my norm these days. Oh, well…
Read on to hear my thoughts!
The Book Overview
Basically, this book was a YA novel about Asian-American high schoolers and feminism. However, it was also a contemporary romance, and it took cues from a lot of modern rom-com flicks.
The Book Cover and Description, Taken from Goodreads:
Eliza Quan is the perfect candidate for editor in chief of her school paper. That is, until ex-jock Len DiMartile decides on a whim to run against her. Suddenly her vast qualifications mean squat because inexperienced Len—who is tall, handsome, and male—just seems more like a leader.
When Eliza’s frustration spills out in a viral essay, she finds herself inspiring a feminist movement she never meant to start, caught between those who believe she’s a gender equality champion and others who think she’s simply crying misogyny.
Amid this growing tension, the school asks Eliza and Len to work side by side to demonstrate civility. But as they get to know one another, Eliza feels increasingly trapped by a horrifying realization—she just might be falling for the face of the patriarchy himself.
In a lot of ways, this book takes on social issues, but it keeps itself grounded in that rom-com style.
My Review
Right from the first chapter, I already knew hot this entire book was going to play out–no joke. I’m sorry, but it’s just so obvious when the guy our main character despises suddenly gets the role she wanted so badly (the editor-in-chief of the school newspaper, that is) that it’s going to become the “enemies to lovers” trope.
And… again, sorry, but I am really not a trope girl…
It Deals with Social Topics, Though
I have to give this novel credit where credit is due, though, and that is in the fact that it shines light onto Asian-American and other minority characters and, of course, feminism. And, actually, there were a lot of points within the feminism realm that I really rooted behind.
For example, our main character made a major point out of the fact that only a handful of past school editors-in-chief were women. And, as a being a young lassie once myself at a school that had zero women as school paper editors-in-chief… well, actually, we never had any school newspaper, so I can’t really relate. But, I’m sure other ladies elsewhere certainly can relate, whether it’s a school paper situation or within the modern workplace.
But the “Rom-Com” Piece Was Missing
I must admit I am slightly a sucker for a great rom-com… but, unfortunately, this book didn’t have any of the feels for me.
As I read (or listened, really) to this book, I kept feeling like there was this forced tension between our two main characters, and it never felt natural. Instead, it felt as if the progression of the pages were just shoving the two “love interests” closer together, and there was never a moment of “awe!” about it, if you know what I mean.
Basically what I’m trying to say is the romance felt stereotypical and unnatural. Remember how I said that I’m not a trope kind of gal? Well, once in a while, I do fall for a good trope… when it’s actually used to make you see and feel something unique—not when it’s just used for the sake of pulling out another carbon copy of another “awkward teen romance”.
Also, aside from the quite failed romance side of things… I never really saw any of the “-com” components of “rom-com” in this book, either. Sorry, but I didn’t have a laugh-out-loud moment… not even once.
…And Our MC Was a Tad Unlikable
Look, I really do hate to hate on characters, especially of the main variety, because it feels a lot like hating on real people. However… there are some (very few) qualities that makes it difficult for me to genuinely “like” a person or character, and our main character here has one of them: she believes she is better than everyone else.
Our main character in question is also a huge perfectionist, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but this trait in combination with her beliefs of herself makes her quite the little narcissist.
But, I suppose, the title of the book is Not Here to Be Liked, so, maybe, just maybe… this was done on purpose.
Oh, well, maybe we’ll find better luck with my next read…
Tl; DR: Not Here to Be Liked is about an Asian-American feminist teen who falls into a forced romance under the guise of the “enemies to lovers” trope.
–Kari
Kari Lynn M. 