Review: I Ship My Adversary x Me

Overview

Review

Strengths

• A strong and uniquely funny narrator voice.
• Super relatable to anyone who has ever shipped a pairing, especially for RPF pairings.
• The sweetest, fluffiest romance.

Flaws

This book follows the adventures of Wei Yanzi, a third-rate actor in the Chinese entertainment industry, who stumbles onto a shipping fandom for himself and another actor (Gu Yiliang) while trying to escape from the flame wars and negativity. He's so taken with this group of fans who actually see him as a good guy instead of an enemy/rival of Gu Yiliang that he falls head-first into fandom and becomes actively involved in trying to provide shipping fuel and the fans' daily dose of fluff.

It features a hilarious, self-deprecating protagonist who is not afraid to roast himself for his awful acting skills, and it has a very fun, meta view of fandom and shipping that comes from a genuine place of love. Sure, there's drama and fighting, but Wei Yanzi honestly has a lot of fun in fandom and sees it as a fantastic escape. Overall, it has a really sweet build-up for a very cute couple. Gu Yiliang is so fond of Wei Yanzi and treats him so well, while Wei Yanzi is fiercely protective of Gu Yiliang (and also fanboys like a pro on the inside while around him).

There are no words to describe just how incredibly hilarious Wei Yanzi's internal monologue is. He flails and squees like a pro and has an imagination so wild it can put the most creative shippers to shame. This book never fails to put a smile on my face.

If you want a book that will make you laugh out loud and make you feel called out for all the silly, fun things as a shipper, this is the book for you!