Scan barcode
A review by abookandchai
Not Here to Be Liked by Michelle Quach
5.0
4.5 stars
check out the full review along with an aesthetic on my blog!
I loved reading this so so much.
Not Here To Be Liked is the YA contemporary I needed! It follows Eliza Quan the hard-working managing director of her school’s newspaper running for the post of editor-in-chief. And she’s the perfect choice, until Len, the ex baseball star runs against her and wins. What follows is the start of a feminist movement in her school, questioning the sexist behaviour prevalent.
As the title suggests, Eliza is not here to be liked. She doesn’t care what others think of her, one quality I desperately wish I had, she’s driven, she knows what she’s worth and she wants to be acknowledged for it. I grinned so wide at her girlboss moments. She isn’t perfect by any means, Not Here To Be Liked very aptly incorporates the process of learning and unlearning, realising in a teen’s life through conversations with people around her. She has her uncertainties , she makes mistakes. I really admire Michelle Quach for including all the patriarchal ideas and microaggressions in an easy flowing writing style.
Despite the warning of “this book contains an unlikeable female character” I loved following Eliza’s journey in addressing the school’s sexist history head on and how she questions what it really means to be a feminist. Only to realise that there’s no specific textbook definition for it. I loved her attitude, originality and her growth.
I loved the discussions of double standards, of the internalised misogyny—slut shaming, how a girl and guy can wear the same clothing but get judged for it differently, girl-girl hate—of the stigma and stereotypes existing in our society. The entire story starts off with Len, an inexperienced candidate being voted for the position of the editor-in-chief, simply because he seemed more like a leader from his speech. All the while Eliza, very qualified and experienced, was criticised for “not being too nice”, for “trying too hard” or “being overly critical” when she was just doing her job as a journalist and editor and even being just as intense, critical and with high standards as her male coworkers.
The fact this nuanced exploration of sexism, feminism, classism and racism is done from an Asian lens just made the book even better.
“So first it’s because I don’t try, and now it’s because I try too hard? Which is it?”
The exhale from James is weary. “You know what I mean, Eliza.”
“No,” I say. “No, I do not know what you mean.”
Okay hear me out: you bash an ex-jock who stole your position as an editor-in-chief in a manifesto which surprisingly got published and now there’s a feminist movement growing in your school. But turns out… you’re falling for the very same jock, the face of the patriarchy and that leaves you wondering if you’re really a feminist when you have feelings for the boy you’re against. It was lovely to see Eliza come to terms with her feelings as well as staying true to her feminist ideas. I love me a good romance, Eliza and Len are the perfect definition of rivals. Their interactions are so adorably entertaining and their dialogues are wonderful. I loved the slow build up into being friends, bonding over boba, baseball and reading and eventually into something more.
Not Here To Be Liked, set in an Asian majority area, sheds light on the lives of immigrant children and their relationship with parents and the pressure imposed on them to be ambitious and make their place in the foreign country. The relationship between Eliza and her sister, Eliza and her parents and her observation of the relationship between her parents and of course her friends Serene and Wiona were lovely to read about. From their conversations, we even see the feminist views of Eliza's mom, which was an interesting addition. I love that Quach included the POC diversity and showed their struggles too — Wiona for example, worried about a demonstration project at school as she doesn’t want to be the “angry black woman” or Serena wanting to be liked by people. I’m really glad they all came to understand each other and enjoy the company!
Not Here To Be Liked is a wonderful contemporary, a mix of light romance and important discussions. This is definitely debut to not be missed!
thank you usborne & netgalley for the arc!
check out the full review along with an aesthetic on my blog!
I loved reading this so so much.
Not Here To Be Liked is the YA contemporary I needed! It follows Eliza Quan the hard-working managing director of her school’s newspaper running for the post of editor-in-chief. And she’s the perfect choice, until Len, the ex baseball star runs against her and wins. What follows is the start of a feminist movement in her school, questioning the sexist behaviour prevalent.
As the title suggests, Eliza is not here to be liked. She doesn’t care what others think of her, one quality I desperately wish I had, she’s driven, she knows what she’s worth and she wants to be acknowledged for it. I grinned so wide at her girlboss moments. She isn’t perfect by any means, Not Here To Be Liked very aptly incorporates the process of learning and unlearning, realising in a teen’s life through conversations with people around her. She has her uncertainties , she makes mistakes. I really admire Michelle Quach for including all the patriarchal ideas and microaggressions in an easy flowing writing style.
Despite the warning of “this book contains an unlikeable female character” I loved following Eliza’s journey in addressing the school’s sexist history head on and how she questions what it really means to be a feminist. Only to realise that there’s no specific textbook definition for it. I loved her attitude, originality and her growth.
I loved the discussions of double standards, of the internalised misogyny—slut shaming, how a girl and guy can wear the same clothing but get judged for it differently, girl-girl hate—of the stigma and stereotypes existing in our society. The entire story starts off with Len, an inexperienced candidate being voted for the position of the editor-in-chief, simply because he seemed more like a leader from his speech. All the while Eliza, very qualified and experienced, was criticised for “not being too nice”, for “trying too hard” or “being overly critical” when she was just doing her job as a journalist and editor and even being just as intense, critical and with high standards as her male coworkers.
The fact this nuanced exploration of sexism, feminism, classism and racism is done from an Asian lens just made the book even better.
“So first it’s because I don’t try, and now it’s because I try too hard? Which is it?”
The exhale from James is weary. “You know what I mean, Eliza.”
“No,” I say. “No, I do not know what you mean.”
Okay hear me out: you bash an ex-jock who stole your position as an editor-in-chief in a manifesto which surprisingly got published and now there’s a feminist movement growing in your school. But turns out… you’re falling for the very same jock, the face of the patriarchy and that leaves you wondering if you’re really a feminist when you have feelings for the boy you’re against. It was lovely to see Eliza come to terms with her feelings as well as staying true to her feminist ideas. I love me a good romance, Eliza and Len are the perfect definition of rivals. Their interactions are so adorably entertaining and their dialogues are wonderful. I loved the slow build up into being friends, bonding over boba, baseball and reading and eventually into something more.
Not Here To Be Liked, set in an Asian majority area, sheds light on the lives of immigrant children and their relationship with parents and the pressure imposed on them to be ambitious and make their place in the foreign country. The relationship between Eliza and her sister, Eliza and her parents and her observation of the relationship between her parents and of course her friends Serene and Wiona were lovely to read about. From their conversations, we even see the feminist views of Eliza's mom, which was an interesting addition. I love that Quach included the POC diversity and showed their struggles too — Wiona for example, worried about a demonstration project at school as she doesn’t want to be the “angry black woman” or Serena wanting to be liked by people. I’m really glad they all came to understand each other and enjoy the company!
Not Here To Be Liked is a wonderful contemporary, a mix of light romance and important discussions. This is definitely debut to not be missed!
thank you usborne & netgalley for the arc!