Invisible Among the 'Golden Youth': A Review of Ann Liang's If You Could See the Sun

An invisible straight-A student and very visible consequences: Alice Sun's story.

Have you ever wondered what you'd do if you became invisible? That's exactly the chance that falls to the protagonist of If You Could See the Sun, and the girl uses her superpower as a way to make money.

One Goodreads user, Itsmejessica, described it as a fun, easy story to sink into — about a girl who can suddenly turn invisible, her antics, and a coming crush on her academic rival — calling it a great foundation for an entertaining read, she wrote on the platform.

If You Could See the Sun is the debut novel by Chinese-Australian author Ann Liang, a New York Times and indie bestselling writer.

The Plot of If You Could See the Sun

Because of her family's financial troubles, ambitious high schooler Alice Sun faces expulsion from her prestigious school in Beijing. Her parents can no longer afford tuition, so the girl decides to find a way out on her own.

Just yesterday, Alice was an ordinary student, but everything changed when her gift suddenly appeared — the protagonist now has an uncontrollable power to turn invisible.

Alice takes a risky step — selling her wealthy classmates' secrets. She attends school alongside spoiled members of the 'golden youth' who don't consider her their equal because of her modest background. Good grades and hard work don't fix her situation, since Alice needs money, and the people who look down on her are the ones who have it.

The protagonist is willing to spy on her classmates to keep her shot at a good future. But hunting for other people's secrets turns out to be far harder and more dangerous than she expected, since her final assignment involves kidnapping a classmate.

A 'Beijing Ghost' From a Fierce Rival

Henry Li is Alice Sun's main competitor for the title of 'Best Student.' Ever since he arrived at the school, the two have had to share that title. For Alice, who craves undisputed academic recognition, the situation becomes a painful irritant.

But when Alice discovers her ability to turn invisible, she turns to Henry specifically. She needs an ally — rational, careful, technically skilled. She offers him a partnership: using her gift to make money.

Together, the characters create an app called 'Beijing Ghost,' where students can leave anonymous requests. The roles are clearly divided: Alice takes on the dirty work of carrying out the tasks, while Henry handles the technical side and keeps the platform running. At least, that was the plan.

In practice, though, Henry doesn't limit himself to coding. He regularly gets involved in risky operations. One telling episode involves stealing test answers, where he deliberately takes a risk and fakes fainting in front of a teacher to cover for their actions, even though he knows breaking the rules could get him expelled.

The rivalry between the two characters gradually transforms. 'We hate each other' turns out to be more of a defense mechanism. A conversation in chapter seven about their supposed mutual hatred underscores that real interest was hiding behind the competition all along. Competition gives way to partnership, partnership to friendship, friendship to falling for each other.

The Protagonist's Growth

Alice has what could be called 'straight-A student syndrome' — either she's the best, or it's a total failure. Every bad grade feels like a catastrophe. A forgotten history test triggers panic and tears right in front of her teacher.

The protagonist's invisibility reflects her status among her privileged classmates. Her drive to be first is an attempt to prove her own worth in a world where status and money set the rules of the game. Even while discussing her essay on Macbeth with Mr. Chen, the conversation unexpectedly shifts to the question, 'What does Alice actually want?' — and the girl finds herself at a loss.

The protagonist can't give a clear answer — her thoughts jump between becoming an influential civil rights attorney, the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist. All these options sound prestigious, but vanish just as quickly as they appear. It all comes down to: 'I want to get good grades. Finish school. Find a job I'm good at.'

But the protagonist finds the real answer to that question by the end of the book, once all her plans and expectations fall apart. She remembers the English writing course Mr. Chen recommended to her. Alice finally realizes she wants to do what she loves, not just what looks prestigious.

If You Could See the Sun traces the protagonist's slow journey toward growing up. Real superpower, it turns out, isn't the ability to disappear — it's becoming visible to yourself first.