Not Here to Be Liked

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Today is the day that the staff of the Willoughby Bugle, my high school paper, will select its new editor in chief for next year. It’s a hallowed ritual, occurring around the same time every spring—and this year, being a junior, I finally get to be in the running. To be fair, what I’m wearing is a big polyester sweater the exact gray of parking-lot asphalt, and it isn’t anybody’s idea of a good look. But I don’t care. In fact, this is basically how I dress every day. I read once that a lot of important people have a uniform to save their mental energy for things that actually matter, so I’ve started doing it, too. Kim thinks this is a horrible way to live. I received this book for free from NetGalley, Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

i felt like this was so evident that would be for sure later mentioned but nope, we’re supposed to believe Eliza lost just cuz Len is a guy. actually we don't see a single misogynistic action throughout the election, it was so clean that it gives no reason to hate Len, and so it just makes Eliza stand out as super whiny and for no reason. maybe the author should've made Len or her peers misogynistic towards her, but then it would've been super difficult for us to like Len... She antagonized Len for winning an election democratically, fair and square. He had done nothing wrong, he was always nice to everyone including her. And she never apologized to him for the insults she posted online, for treating him badly, or for making him the bad guy. I not only loved that we got to know more about an Asian family, it also felt like a realistic portrayal because no family is actually perfect. We usually get dead parents trope (no offence meant here) to show a dysfunctional family in YA but a complete family also has it’s fair share of arguments and fights.Yeah, exactly!” Serena snaps her fingers in recognition. “But we want to break out of stereotypes, right? Wouldn’t this be a great way to do that?” Eliza is self-involved to a point where she doesn’t even question not once that maybe, just maybe, Len could be a great win for the newspaper. The Wall of Editors is the first thing I see every morning when I walk into Mr. Powell’s classroom for zero period. And every time, even if just for a second, I pause to admire it, reminding myself of what I’m working toward. Because here’s the truth—at Willoughby, when you make it into that lineup, it means you mattered. Like being school president, the other top position on campus, being editor in chief of the Bugle means becoming part of an institution. Even if you end up doing a totally worthless job, your spot in history will be preserved forever. You’ll always be able to say, Well, at least I made it on the wall. as much as i loved the characters and their dynamics since the story is character-driven and really focuses a lot on their decisions and thought processes, i also appreciated how nuanced the issues described in the book were. it's not your basic guide to feminism for dummies or anything, it didn't dive deep into all the controversies and take down the patriarchy, but it wasn't surface-level either in any way. Michelle Quan handles such an important topic beautifully and rises all the right questions. Also, the rep in this is great. Bottomline: add this to your TBR and thank me later!

I really want to write a mystery with a hardboiled teen girl sleuth, like an Asian Veronica Mars . But first I have to get over my fear of dead bodies! The last draft I have belongs to Natalie Weinberg, another sophomore. I scan the room to see if she’s here yet, and I spot her approaching Len’s corner. Which is a little odd. It’s fine. I flip through my binder to find his draft, which I edited last night. His story is about the annual student-council bake sale, which would be a real snoozer even in more capable hands. Today is the day that the staff of the Willoughby Bugle , my high school paper, will select its new editor in chief for next year. It’s a hallowed ritual, occurring around the same time every spring—and this year, being a junior, I finally get to be in the running.Eliza Quan fully expects to be voted the next editor-in-chief of her school paper. She works hard, she respects the facts, and she has the most experience. Since I’m the only candidate, I just need enough votes to be confirmed,” I explain, finishing off the last bite of sachima. “It’s really more like, you know, a Supreme Court appointment than an election.”