I Am not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang | Book Review

“You have to prove yourself over and over, and when the glory for your most recent achievement expires, as it must, as it always will, you have to start again, but with more eyes trained on you, more people waiting for the day when your talent withers, and your discipline weakens, and your charm wears away. Success is only meant to be rented out, borrowed in small doses at a time, never to be owned completely, no matter what price you're willing to pay for it.”

I Am Not Jessica Chen by Ann Liang follows Jenna, a girl who always feels like she’s not good enough especially compared to her perfect cousin, Jessica. Jenna thinks that if she were like Jessica, smart, pretty, and admired, her life would be easier. Then one day, she wakes up in Jessica’s body and finally gets to live the life she’s always envied. But as she experiences Jessica’s world, she realizes that perfection comes with a price. Jessica’s life isn’t as effortless as it seems, and success doesn’t always equal happiness. As Jenna struggles with her new reality, she starts questioning what really makes a person valuable, is it grades, status, or how others see you?

(I Am Not Jessica Chen oleh Ann Liang bercerita tentang Jenna, cewek yang selalu merasa kurang, apalagi kalau dibandingkan dengan sepupunya, Jessica, yang kayaknya sempurna banget. Jenna mikir, kalau saja dia bisa jadi Jessica yang pintar, cantik, dan dikagumi, hidupnya pasti bakal lebih gampang. Suatu hari, dia bangun dan ternyata dia ada di dalam tubuh Jessica! Akhirnya, dia bisa merasakan hidup yang selama ini dia idam-idamkan. Tapi, ketika sudah nyemplung di dunia Jessica, Jenna baru ngeh kalo kesempurnaan itu tidak semudah kelihatannya. Ternyata, hidup Jessica tidak segampang yang dia kira, dan kesuksesan tidak selalu membuat bahagia. Nah, di tengah perjuangannya menghadapi realitas baru ini, Jenna mulai mikir: sebenernya apa sih yang bikin seseorang berharga? Apa itu nilai, status, atau gimana orang lain melihat kita?)

⚠️ WARNING 

🔺May cause sudden rage at the education system

🔺Asian kids will feel personally attacked (in a good way)

🔺Risk of side-eyeing your "perfect" classmates forever

🔺Do not read if you’re currently avoiding your parents’ "So when are you getting into Harvard?" texts

🔺Possible existential crisis: "Wait, do I even want this grind?"

TL;DR: Jenna yeets herself into her "perfect" cousin Jessica’s life, thinking it’ll solve everything. Spoiler: It doesn’t. Privilege is wild, academic pressure is a scam, and nobody’s life is as flawless as it looks.

🚨 READ THIS BOOK IF

🔺You’ve ever googled "how to explain to my parents that art history is a real major"

🔺Your family group chat gives you performance anxiety

🔺You need a reminder that success ≠ happiness (but you’ll still grind anyway because trauma)

BOOK REVIEW 

Ann Liang’s I Am Not Jessica Chen is about Jenna, a girl stuck in the shadow of her "perfect" cousin, Jessica. Straight-A student, universal fave, future basically handed to her on a silver platter, Jessica’s life is #goals. Until one day, Jenna wakes up in Jessica’s body. Finally, she gets to live the dream, right? Wrong. Turns out, being at the top isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and perfection comes with major baggage.

Biggest lesson? Hustle culture lied. Jenna thought crushing elite schools, racking up accolades, and fitting society’s mold of success would fill the void. Spoiler: It doesn’t. This book drags toxic grind mentality, how we wreck our mental health chasing validation, and asks: What if self-acceptance > external wins?

The comparison struggle? SO real. Jenna’s convinced being Jessica 2.0 would fix everything. But plot twist: Even "perfect" people battle demons. How about social media? It's only a highlight reel that makes us feel like we’re failing IRL. This book is a reminder that success ≠ happiness. Stop chasing the idealized version of success and figure out what actually matters to you.

For Asian household kids, this book will hit different. The "Why can’t you be like your cousin?" guilt trips? The Harvard-or-bust pressure? Jenna’s story gets it. In many Asian families, your grades = your worth, and falling short feels like betraying your entire bloodline. If you’ve ever cried over a B+, you’ll feel seen here.

Immigrant family trauma? On point. Jenna and Jessica’s parents push them to be the best because they sacrificed everything for that "better future." But when success is the only option, burnout (or a breakdown) is inevitable. This book nails the guilt of balancing your dreams with your parents’ sacrifices. If you’ve ever felt that weight on your shoulders, this book will definitely feel personal. Heavy? Yes. Relatable? Absolutely.

Asian parenting? This book gets it. Love isn’t always “I’m proud of you”, it’s your mom working double shifts, your dad silently fixing your resume at 2 AM, and the unspoken guilt of ”don’t waste our sacrifices.” Jenna’s story nails that pressure to succeed not just for yourself, but because failing would crush the people who gave up everything for you. It’s love, but wrapped in expectations, and it feels so deeply real.

If you think meritocracy is a myth, this book is your best friend. Jenna used to think hard work = automatic success. Then she lives Jessica’s life and realizes: LOL no. Privilege, money, and who you know wildly tilt the playing field. Sure, hustle matters, but some people start on third base while you’re sweating to even get to bat. It’s that raw, unfiltered truth that makes this story feel so real in a world where elite colleges and dream jobs aren’t just about talent.

In the center of this book is the real horror. Losing yourself to "perfection." Jenna thinks becoming Jessica means finally winning at life until she realizes no one even remembers her anymore. That’s the dark side of chasing society’s blueprint for success, you might wake up one day and not recognize yourself. Grades, prestige, approval? This book drags how those things can erase who you actually are if you let them.

Oh, and the double standards for girls? Exhausting. Jessica doesn’t just have to be smart, she’s expected to be flawless: pretty, polite, and perpetually put-together. Meanwhile, boys can be messy, awkward, or just average and still get applause. Sound familiar? This book shows how "having it all" often means carrying it all, and even "perfect" girls are one misstep away from crumbling.

(Ann Liang lewat I Am Not Jessica Chen mengenalkan kita pada Jenna, cewek yang selalu jadi "bayangan" sepupunya sendiri, Jessica. Jessica adalah anak yang sempurna: nilai selalu A, populer, masa depan cerah terjamin. Hidupnya tuh literally #lifegoals. Sampe suatu hari, Jenna bangun, eh tau-taunya dia sekarang ada di tubuh Jessica! Akhirnya bisa merasakan hidup sang queen, kan? Salah besar. Ternyata jadi yang "terbaik" nggak segampang yang dibayangkan, dan kesempurnaan itu membawa banyak drama.

Pelajaran utamanya? Ternyata hustle culture itu bohong. Jenna kira dengan masuk sekolah elite, punya segudang prestasi, dan jadi versi "sukses" ala masyarakat bakal bikin dia bahagia. Spoiler: Enggak! Buku ini menunjukkan mentalitas toxic yang bikin kita grind sampai mental down cuma buat validasi orang lain, terus nanya: Gimana kalau self-acceptance lebih penting daripada kesuksesan eksternal?

Masalah suka bandingin diri sendiri? IYA BANGET. Jenna mikir kalo jadi Jessica 2.0, hidupnya bakal fix semua masalah. Tapi plot twist: Orang yang kelihatannya "sempurna" pun punya masalahnya sendiri. Apalagi lihat media sosial? Cuma highlight reel doang yang bikin kita merasa gagal IRL. Buku ini ngingetin kalau sukses ≠ bahagia. Udah, stop kejar standar orang lain, cari tau apa yang beneran penting buat kita.

Buat anak-anak Asian household, buku ini bakal hit different. Tekanan kayak "Kenapa nggak bisa kayak sepupumu?" atau "Harus masuk Harvard, nggak ada alasan!"? Cerita Jenna deket banget sama itu semua. Di banyak keluarga Asia, nilai = harga diri, dan kalo kamu gagal, rasanya kayak mengkhianati seluruh keluarga. Kalau kamu pernah nangis gara-gara dapet B+, kamu bakal feels seen banget pas baca buku ini.

Soal tekanan keluarga imigran? ON POINT. Orang tua Jenna dan Jessica memaksa mereka jadi yang terbaik karena sudah berkorban banyak demi "masa depan lebih baik". Tapi kalau kesuksesan jadi satu-satunya opsi, ujung-ujungnya ya burnout (atau mental breakdown). Buku ini menggambarkan betapa guilty-nya rasanya punya mimpi sendiri tapi juga merasa berhutang sama pengorbanan orang tua. Kalo kamu pernah merasakan beban seperti ini, buku ini bakal nyentil banget. Heavy? Iya. Relatable? PASTI.

Parenting ala Asia? Buku ini paham banget. Cinta mereka nggak selalu lewat kata "Aku bangga sama kamu", tapi lewat ibu yang kerja shift dobel, bapak yang diam-diam memperbaiki CV kamu jam 2 pagi, dan rasa bersalah yang nggak diucapkan: "Jangan sia-siakan pengorbanan kami". Cerita Jenna menggambarkan tekanan buat sukses nggak cuma buat diri sendiri, tapi karena gagal = menghancurkan orang yang sudah berkorban segalanya buat kita. Ini cinta, tapi dibungkus ekspektasi, dan rasanya too real.

Kamu pikir meritokrasi itu mitos? Yap, buku ini bakal jadi your best friend. Jenna tadinya kira kerja keras = sukses otomatis. Pas dia hidup jadi Jessica, dia sadar: EH ENGGAK. Privilege, duit, dan koneksi mempengaruhi semuanya. Iya, usaha itu penting, tapi sebagian orang terlahir udah ada di third base sementara kamu harus ngos-ngosan cuma buat sampai ke home plate. Kebenaran unfiltered inilah yang bikin ceritanya terasa nyata di dunia dimana masuk kampus elite atau dapet kerja impian nggak cuma soal bakat.

Inti paling serem dari buku ini? Kehilangan jati diri demi jadi "sempurna". Jenna kira jadi Jessica = akhirnya menang di kehidupan, sampai dia sadar saat orang-orang malah lupa siapa dirinya yang asli. Ini sisi gelap dari mengejar standar sukses ala masyarakat, bisa-bisa suatu hari kita bangun dan nggak kenal diri sendiri lagi. Nilai bagus, prestise, validasi orang? Buku ini menunjukkan gimana hal-hal itu bisa menghapus who you really are kalau kita biarin.

Dan standar ganda buat cewek? CAPEK BET. Jessica nggak cuma harus pinter, tapi juga wajib flawless: cantik, sopan, dan selalu put-together. Sementara cowok boleh berantakan, kikuk, atau biasa aja tetep dapet pujian. Kedengeran familiar? Buku ini nunjukin kalau "punya segalanya" seringnya berarti kamu yang harus nanggung segalanya, dan bahkan cewek "sempurna" pun cuma butuh satu kesalahan kecil buat hancur.)

🎯 THIS BOOK IS PERFECT FOR:

✔ Anyone who’s ever cried over a 93%

✔ Gen Z stuck in the "I need to be successful" panic spiral

✔ Asian kids who’ve heard "But your cousin—" one too many times

✔ Dark academia stans who don’t actually want to spiral into existential dread (it’s light academia in a trench coat)

✔ People who love messy, complicated family dynamics (and silent Asian parent love)

THINGS I LOVE

■ Jenna’s struggle is all of us. Jenna’s battle with academic pressure, parent expectations, and self-doubt is deeply relatable. This book nails how some families treat success like life-or-death, as if one B+ could doom your entire future. But here’s the plot twist it serves: High school doesn’t define you. Why did no one tell us that before we had a breakdown over a 90%?

■ Success isn’t just hard work (sorry, hustle culture). Turns out, grinding 24/7 doesn’t automatically equals success. Shocker, right? This book doesn’t shy away from the ugly truth that privilege, wealth, and connection often matter more than effort. It also dives into classism, racism, and immigrant-kid pressures, which makes it way too real for anyone who’s been told to "just work harder" while the system stays rigged.

■ Jenna and Jessica’s rivalry isn’t what you think. Because their relationship is complicated. Messy. Human. At first, Jenna sees Jessica as the untouchable "perfect" cousin until she realizes even golden children fight silent battles. It’s a reminder that comparing our behind-the-scenes to everyone’s highlight reel is a losing game.

■ Asian household kids, this is your life on page. The academic pressure: "No excuses, just study." The comparisons: "Your cousin got into Harvard, why can’t you?" The guilt: Your success = family pride. Your "failure" feels like letting down generations. The love language: No "I’m proud of you," just silent sacrifices and side-eye if you dare pick passion over a "stable" career. If your childhood involved tiger parenting, emotional math, or the constant fear of "not enough", this book will hit like a personal call-out.

(■ Permasalahan hidup Jenna? Literally kita semua. Perjalanan Jenna menghadapi tekanan akademik, ekspektasi orang tua, dan rasa gak percaya diri terasa super relatable. Buku ini membahas gimana beberapa keluarga menganggap kesuksesan itu kayak hidup-mati, seolah-olah dapet B+ bisa menghancurkan masa depan kita. Tapi plot twistnya: Sekolah nggak menentukan hidup kita. Kenapa nggak ada yang kasih tahu kita sebelum kita breakdown gara-gara nilai 90 sih?

■ Sukses nggak cuma soal kerja keras (maaf, hustle culture). Ternyata grind 24/7 nggak otomatis bikin sukses. Kaget, kan? Buku ini berani expose fakta pahit kalau privilege, duit, dan koneksi sering lebih berpengaruh daripada usaha. Terus, buku ini juga bahas classism, rasisme, dan tekanan anak imigran, bikin siapapaun yang pernah dibilang "coba kerja keras lagi" padahal sistemnya emang rigged bakal triggered.

■ Persaingan Jenna dan Jessica nggak kayak yang kita kira. Hubungan mereka tuh rumit. Berantakan. Manusiawi banget. Awalnya Jenna menganggap Jessica si sepupu "sempurna" yang nggak bisa disentuh sampai akhirnya dia sadar bahkan anak emas pun punya pertarungannya sendiri. Life lesson: membandingkan behind-the-scenes hidup kita sama highlight reel orang lain itu losing game, sis.

■ Anak-anak Asian household, ini literally hidup kita di buku ini. Tekanan akademik: "Nggak ada alasan, belajar aja!" Dibanding-bandingin: "Sepupumu masuk Harvard, masa kamu nggak bisa?" Rasa bersalah: Sukses = kebanggaan keluarga. Gagal? Rasanya kayak mengkhianati 7 generasi. Love language: Nggak ada "Aku bangga", cuma pengorbanan diam-diam dan side-eye kalau kita milih passion ketimbang karir "stabil". Kalau kamu pernah merasakan tiger parenting, harus selalu calculate perasaan orang tua, atau takut "not enough" buku ini bakal call you out habis-habisan. Siap-siap tersindir!)

THINGS I DON'T LIKE 

■ Dark Academia Lite™. For a book labeled dark academia, it's more like mildly shady academia. We get the aesthetic like prep school vibes and academic pressure, but none of that deliciously twisted psychological depth. Jenna literally steals her cousin's life, but instead of spiraling into moral decay, it's all weirdly wholesome? Where's the gothic tension? The intellectual obsession? This is dark academia with the lights on.

■ Plot is more like a treadmill. The body-swap hook slaps at first, but then the story just.. jogs in place. Jenna aces tests, gets the admiration, rinse and repeat. Zero stakes, zero consequences, it's like watching someone play Plant vs Zombies with cheat codes. By the middle, you're just waiting for something to actually go wrong. (Spoiler: not much does.)

■ Jessica deserved better. We get it, Jessica's life isn't perfect. But this book treats her like a plot device instead of a person. A few vague "she's struggling too" hints don’t cut it, where’s her breakdown scene? Her messy, raw POV? Jenna gets all the depth while Jessica stays a cardboard-cutout "perfect girl." Wasted potential.

■ Wait, that makes NO sense. How does NOBODY notice Jenna straight-up vanished for weeks? Her parents wake up only start panicking that morning? Did her empty bedroom stay empty, or did it magically refill itself? And why did her classmates barely react? The ending felt rushed and almost too convenient.

■ This book touches on heavy themes like perfectionism, privilege, and identity, but doesn't carry as much weight as I expected. Compared to the author’s other works (which wrecked me emotionally), this one lands like a soft tap on the shoulder. Even the romance is just fine. (Aaron’s a sweetheart, but we needed more than just a green flag to carry this.) Maybe I’m aging out, but this didn’t hit like her usual gut-punches.

(■ Dark academia? More like diet dark academia. Dibilang dark academia, tapi lebih kayak academia agak gelap dikit. Dapet sih vibes sekolah elite + tekanan akademiknya, tapi twisted psychological aspects yang bikin merinding? Nggak ada. Jenna mencuri hidup sepupunya sendiri tapi malah kelihatan wholesome? Mana ketegangan gothic-nya? Obsesi intelektualnya? Ini kayak dark academia tapi lampunya menyala terang, bikin nggak horror-horor amat.

■ Alurnya kayak lari di treadmill. Awalnya keren sih pas body swap, tapi ujung-ujungnya muter di tempat doang. Jenna dapet nilai bagus, dipuji-puji, terus ulang lagi. Nggak ada risiko, nggak ada konsekuensi, kayak lihat orang main Plants vs Zombies pake cheat code. Pas bagian tengah, kuta cuma menunggu sesuatu yang beneran salah terjadi. (Spoiler: hampir nggak ada.)

■ Jessica layak dapet lebih. Kita ngerti lah Jessica juga punya masalah. Tapi karakter dia diperlakukan kayak plot device doang. Cuma dikasih hint "dia juga susah" tanpa adegan breakdown atau POV-nya yang bikin empati. Jenna dapet perkembangan karakter, Jessica cuma jadi "cewek sempurna" yang datar. Sayang banget potensinya!

■ Lah, kok nggak masuk akal? Gimana bisa nggak ada yang ngeh Jenna hilang berminggu-minggu? Orang tuanya baru panik pas pagi itu doang? Kamarnya kosong terus atau tiba-tiba keisi sendiri? Temen-temen sekelasnya juga pada cuek aja? Endingnya terasa buru-buru dan terlalu gampang solusinya.

■ Tema keren, tapi kurang dalam. Buku ini menyentuh isu berat kayak perfeksionisme, privilege, dan identitas, tapi rasanya kurang greget. Dibanding karya lain dari penulis (yang bisa bikin mewek saking nampolnya), yang ini cuma kayak pukpuk di pundak. Romancenya juga biasa aja. (Aaron emang sweet sih, tapi cuma jadi green flag doang nggak cukup.) Jangan-jangan aku yang udah tua jadi kurang kerass punched kayak biasanya.)

🌟 RATING

📚 Academic Aesthetic: 7/10

💔 Emotional Damage: 5/10

👯 Sibling Rivalry: 8/10

🍵 Tea Spilled: 6/10

Overall: It’s giving midterm energy. Not failing, not acing, just a solid B- with extra credit.

WHAT THEY SAID ABOUT I AM NOT JESSICA CHEN

🔺Smaug (The Hobbit): "No gold. No treasure. Just... homework? I’d rather nap on my hoard."

🔺Gollum (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings): "Jessica’s life is our precious, yes… but nasty Jenna steals it! We could’ve been top of the class, we could’ve had the shiny trophies… but she wastes it! [Hisses] Stupid, stupid Jenna!"

🔺Fang Runin (The Poppy War): "Oh, wow, you swapped lives with your perfect cousin? Try burning your entire country to the ground because the education system betrayed you. But fine, the Asian kid's guilt? Yeah, that part’s brutally accurate."

🔺Treebeard (The Lord of the Rings): "Hmm… a hasty little book about hasty little people. Jenna should’ve spent 300 pages contemplating her choices in a forest."

🔺Anthony Lockwood (Lockwood & Co.): "Ghosts are less terrifying than Asian parent expectations. But Jenna’s real problem? No team. If she’d had a Lucy and George to call out her nonsense, this whole mess could’ve been avoided. Also, Aaron’s clearly the only sane person here."

CONCLUSION 

This book does a good job of unpacking family pressure, identity, and the impossible standards young people are expected to meet. Jenna’s story shows the trap of constant comparison, the flaws in how society defines success, and the hidden struggles behind seemingly perfect lives. While it doesn’t dive as deep into the dark academia aspects as I expected, it still delivers insights on family dynamics and privilege. The pacing drags in places, and I wish Jessica’s struggles and the ending had been given more details, but this book’s relatable themes make it such an interesting read.

(Buku ini cukup bagus dalam mengupas tekanan keluarga, identitas, dan standar tinggi yang sering dibebankan pada anak muda. Cerita Jenna menunjukkan bagaimana perasaan terus-menerus dibandingkan bisa jadi jebakan, betapa sempitnya cara masyarakat mendefinisikan sukses, dan kenyataan pahit di balik hidup yang kelihatannya sempurna. Memang sih, bagian dark academia-nya nggak sedalam yang aku harapkan, tapi tetap ada banyak hal menarik soal dinamika keluarga dan privilege. Temponya agak lambat di beberapa bagian, dan aku berharap permasalahan yang dialami Jessica serta ending-nya bisa lebih digali lagi. Tapi dengan tema yang relatable banget, buku ini tetap seru buat dibaca.)