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A review by readwkit
I Hope This Doesn't Find You by Ann Liang
4.0
4.5
"For ten years I thought I was preparing to destroy you, when really I was preparing to love you."
academic rivals...oh how I love this trope from the bottom of my heart. there's something weirdly heartening abt two rivals who know each other so intimately that they have no choice but to fall for each other. it's like it's pre-destined. this trope never fails.
and Ann Liang really did a great job with this one. It's actually one of the best books written by her, I'm afraid. It's captured the intimate nature of being an academic rivals so well. And most importantly, they really are rivals for the most bit. That’s what I love to see.
This wasn't the typical 'he's always been in love with her and she just never knew' plotlines—they truly despised each other. They had battlelines drawn and they are petty to each other 24/7. They can't help it, even when they are knee-deep in attraction to their rival. And that's how you deliver the best trope in the whole wide world.
I love seeing two rivals genuinely getting lost in the current and finding themselves in love with the person they'd sworn to loathe.
I really liked how Sadie's behaviour was addressed seriously throughout the book by different people in small bits and pieces. It wasn't a big unraveling moment, instead, simple moments of realization and honest talk and make her understand how her willingness to be a doormat is seriously destroying her own self-being.
I loved how Julius kept a steady pace of push and pull with her. They fought just as often as they drew close. They remind me so much of the lyrics
Balancing between your teeth
Where you keep me 'cuz you know I am yours
~Abby Cates, April Fools
He finds a myriad of excuses to get close, to start an argument just so that she keeps talking to him. It's embarrassing how down bad he is for her.
Honestly, the only minor flaw that I should point out is the way there's so little subtext in Ann Liang's writing. I really like the addition of complex nuances for each character, I do, but a lot of the effect gets lost when it's really spelt out to you. Like, we read about how Julius' expression is of xyz but there's a hint of abc in it. It's like she reads his mind and feels his emotions from just scanning his face, which became a bit laughable after it happened more than 6 times. Either way I had so much fun reading it that I didn't really think too much about it.
songs I 100% associate with these two idiots:
-mirrorball
-bodybag
-gold rush
-sparks fly
-i can see you (TV)
"For ten years I thought I was preparing to destroy you, when really I was preparing to love you."
academic rivals...oh how I love this trope from the bottom of my heart. there's something weirdly heartening abt two rivals who know each other so intimately that they have no choice but to fall for each other. it's like it's pre-destined. this trope never fails.
and Ann Liang really did a great job with this one. It's actually one of the best books written by her, I'm afraid. It's captured the intimate nature of being an academic rivals so well. And most importantly, they really are rivals for the most bit. That’s what I love to see.
This wasn't the typical 'he's always been in love with her and she just never knew' plotlines—they truly despised each other. They had battlelines drawn and they are petty to each other 24/7. They can't help it, even when they are knee-deep in attraction to their rival. And that's how you deliver the best trope in the whole wide world.
I love seeing two rivals genuinely getting lost in the current and finding themselves in love with the person they'd sworn to loathe.
I really liked how Sadie's behaviour was addressed seriously throughout the book by different people in small bits and pieces. It wasn't a big unraveling moment, instead, simple moments of realization and honest talk and make her understand how her willingness to be a doormat is seriously destroying her own self-being.
I loved how Julius kept a steady pace of push and pull with her. They fought just as often as they drew close. They remind me so much of the lyrics
Balancing between your teeth
Where you keep me 'cuz you know I am yours
~Abby Cates, April Fools
He finds a myriad of excuses to get close, to start an argument just so that she keeps talking to him. It's embarrassing how down bad he is for her.
Honestly, the only minor flaw that I should point out is the way there's so little subtext in Ann Liang's writing. I really like the addition of complex nuances for each character, I do, but a lot of the effect gets lost when it's really spelt out to you. Like, we read about how Julius' expression is of xyz but there's a hint of abc in it. It's like she reads his mind and feels his emotions from just scanning his face, which became a bit laughable after it happened more than 6 times. Either way I had so much fun reading it that I didn't really think too much about it.
songs I 100% associate with these two idiots:
-mirrorball
-bodybag
-gold rush
-sparks fly
-i can see you (TV)