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anabel_unker 's review for:
Julie Chan Is Dead
by Liann Zhang
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*
Julie Chan has never reached her full potential. She tells herself this as she works another shift at her local grocery store as a cashier, she whispers it to herself as she swipes another packet of gum from work, she promises she'll do better as she goes home to a crumbling and moldy home gifted to her. And how, you may ask, does this young woman know she's destined for more? Well, you only have to look at her twin sister.
Separated after a car accident killed their parents, Julie was taken in by an abusive and manipulative family member, while Chloe was adopted into the illustrious Van Huusen family. While Julie had her money and childhood stolen, Chloe lived in the lap of luxury-- a brownstone in New York to call home, summers in the Hamptons to work on a base tan, and, not the mention, the fame of being a successful influencer.
Shoved to the side and destined to live in squalor, Julie is unable to resist the opportunity to take over her sister's life. Soon she's thrust into the bizarre and shimmering world of the elite, and her new life as Chloe Van Huusen begins.
If I tried to describe this book it would be this: the aesthetics of White Lotus, the social commentary of Knives Out, with the twists of Midsommar. The first half of this book was intriguing, a more approachable version of Yellowface interwoven with an interesting mystery to unravel with Julie/Chloe. Who was her sister? What were the secrets she was keeping? How long could Julie pretend to be Chloe, and how alone was the woman with over a million subscribers?
The second part of this book had me reeling, slightly confused, but ultimately hooked. There's a good message at its core: a criticism of influencers and the society that has allowed their formation, but oh boy did Zhang take it to a whole new, and weird, level.
I think readers will have to think about the two parts of this book separately, and there will probably be one part you like more than the other. However, as an overall experience, JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is unforgettable.
Julie Chan has never reached her full potential. She tells herself this as she works another shift at her local grocery store as a cashier, she whispers it to herself as she swipes another packet of gum from work, she promises she'll do better as she goes home to a crumbling and moldy home gifted to her. And how, you may ask, does this young woman know she's destined for more? Well, you only have to look at her twin sister.
Separated after a car accident killed their parents, Julie was taken in by an abusive and manipulative family member, while Chloe was adopted into the illustrious Van Huusen family. While Julie had her money and childhood stolen, Chloe lived in the lap of luxury-- a brownstone in New York to call home, summers in the Hamptons to work on a base tan, and, not the mention, the fame of being a successful influencer.
Shoved to the side and destined to live in squalor, Julie is unable to resist the opportunity to take over her sister's life. Soon she's thrust into the bizarre and shimmering world of the elite, and her new life as Chloe Van Huusen begins.
If I tried to describe this book it would be this: the aesthetics of White Lotus, the social commentary of Knives Out, with the twists of Midsommar. The first half of this book was intriguing, a more approachable version of Yellowface interwoven with an interesting mystery to unravel with Julie/Chloe. Who was her sister? What were the secrets she was keeping? How long could Julie pretend to be Chloe, and how alone was the woman with over a million subscribers?
The second part of this book had me reeling, slightly confused, but ultimately hooked. There's a good message at its core: a criticism of influencers and the society that has allowed their formation, but oh boy did Zhang take it to a whole new, and weird, level.
I think readers will have to think about the two parts of this book separately, and there will probably be one part you like more than the other. However, as an overall experience, JULIE CHAN IS DEAD is unforgettable.