From the first impression I was absolutely hooked on this book. The characters and the setting were so rich. You felt so deeply for Alice and her struggles. She had worked so hard for her place at her school and her ingenuity made her very easy to root for. The developing romance in this book felt realistic and was a nice backdrop for the main events of the story. The miscommunication between the two of them didn't feel forced or too dramatic. The adventures Alice went on while invisible were in equal measure thrilling and terrifying. I was never in that wealthy or competitive of an academic environment but this book felt like a window into that world. I always longed to go to boarding school and I loved the window into that world and also a different culture through this international school in China. Highly recommend for fans of teen stories with a good mix of intrigue and wealth.