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Julie Chan Is Dead: A Novel
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For fans of Bunny and Yellowface, this razor-sharp debut thriller blends biting satire with chilling suspense, as a young woman steps into her deceased twinâs influencer lifeâonly to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.
Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everythingâexcept a pulse.
Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier barely scraping by, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL).
When Julie discovers Chloeâs body, she doesnât call the police. Instead, she slips into her dead sisterâs meticulously curated life: luxury fashion, high-end skincare, and a devoted online following who never noticed they werenât quite the same.
At first, the transformation is seamless. Julie relishes the perks of influencer fame, but quickly learns that behind Chloeâs flawless feed lay secrets far darker than she imagined. Her sisterâs final days were shadowed by paranoia, manipulation, and something far more sinister.
Now, trapped on a private island retreat with Chloeâs inner circleâan elite clique of influencers obsessed with status and secrecyâJulie is forced to keep up the act while being haunted by her sisterâs untimely death. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sisterâs demise and realizes she might be the next target.
Darkly funny, fiercely paced, and full of sharp commentary on identity, fame, and the cost of visibility, Julie Chan Is Dead is a twisted thrill ride where fitting in could be fatalâand the people behind the posts are the real danger.
For fans of Bunny and Yellowface, this razor-sharp debut thriller blends biting satire with chilling suspense, as a young woman steps into her deceased twinâs influencer lifeâonly to discover dark secrets hidden behind her social media façade.
Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everythingâexcept a pulse.
Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier barely scraping by, finds herself thrust into the glamorous yet perilous world of her late twin sister, Chloe VanHuusen, a popular influencer. Separated at a young age, the identical twins were polar opposites and rarely spoke, except for one viral video that Chloe initiated (Finding My Long-Lost Twin And Buying Her A House #EMOTIONAL).
When Julie discovers Chloeâs body, she doesnât call the police. Instead, she slips into her dead sisterâs meticulously curated life: luxury fashion, high-end skincare, and a devoted online following who never noticed they werenât quite the same.
At first, the transformation is seamless. Julie relishes the perks of influencer fame, but quickly learns that behind Chloeâs flawless feed lay secrets far darker than she imagined. Her sisterâs final days were shadowed by paranoia, manipulation, and something far more sinister.
Now, trapped on a private island retreat with Chloeâs inner circleâan elite clique of influencers obsessed with status and secrecyâJulie is forced to keep up the act while being haunted by her sisterâs untimely death. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sisterâs demise and realizes she might be the next target.
Darkly funny, fiercely paced, and full of sharp commentary on identity, fame, and the cost of visibility, Julie Chan Is Dead is a twisted thrill ride where fitting in could be fatalâand the people behind the posts are the real danger.
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Community Reviews
What a fun read this one was!! I was immediately drawn in from the start! đ
It did take a very weird turn maybe two-thirds of the way through, but I think in the end it worked! It was a wild ride and I really enjoyed this debut! đ
Thank you to NetGalley, Atria, and Liann Zhang for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! â¤ď¸
3.5/5 âÂÂ︠(rounded up)
"Julie Chen is Dead" by Liann Zhang delivers a biting, satirical jab at influencer culture with a twist so sharp it might just leave a mark. The story kicks off with Julie, a regular grocery store clerk, discovering her ultra-famous influencer twin, Chloe, dead. In a moment of envy and impulse, Julie decides to assume ChloeâÂÂs identity, letting the world believe that *she's* the one pushing daisies.
The first half of the novel offers a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes chaos of influencer lifeâÂÂwhere tragedy and trauma are just content fodder for likes and sponsorships. Zhang masterfully peels back the glossy filter to reveal the messy reality, and itâÂÂs hard to look away. Like many readers, I was reminded of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, though this book leans even harder into the absurd.
ThenâÂÂBAMâÂÂthe plot takes a hard swerve into cult-horror territory. The sudden shift cranks up the pace, making it nearly impossible to put down, but it also feels like two wildly different books mashed into one. Both halves had the potential to shine on their own, but the drastic tonal pivot left me scratching my head and struggling to connect with Julie. As an anti-hero, sheâÂÂs less "lovably flawed" and more "what even are you doing, girl?"
The novel dabbles with racial commentary in the influencer world, which was fascinating but felt underexplored. Instead, the cult-horror plotline takes center stage, delivering jaw-dropping moments (looking at you, mouse sceneâÂÂIYKYK). While the shock factor is high, it sometimes feels like it hijacks a deeper conversation for sheer drama.
Julie Chan is Dead is a wild ride you can devour like a popcorn bucket at the movies. If you loved Yellowface, dig cult-horror, or just want something unputdownable, buckle up and dive in.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for a honest review. Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang is scheduled to be released on April 29, 2025.
"Julie Chen is Dead" by Liann Zhang delivers a biting, satirical jab at influencer culture with a twist so sharp it might just leave a mark. The story kicks off with Julie, a regular grocery store clerk, discovering her ultra-famous influencer twin, Chloe, dead. In a moment of envy and impulse, Julie decides to assume ChloeâÂÂs identity, letting the world believe that *she's* the one pushing daisies.
The first half of the novel offers a fascinating glimpse into the behind-the-scenes chaos of influencer lifeâÂÂwhere tragedy and trauma are just content fodder for likes and sponsorships. Zhang masterfully peels back the glossy filter to reveal the messy reality, and itâÂÂs hard to look away. Like many readers, I was reminded of Yellowface by R.F. Kuang, though this book leans even harder into the absurd.
ThenâÂÂBAMâÂÂthe plot takes a hard swerve into cult-horror territory. The sudden shift cranks up the pace, making it nearly impossible to put down, but it also feels like two wildly different books mashed into one. Both halves had the potential to shine on their own, but the drastic tonal pivot left me scratching my head and struggling to connect with Julie. As an anti-hero, sheâÂÂs less "lovably flawed" and more "what even are you doing, girl?"
The novel dabbles with racial commentary in the influencer world, which was fascinating but felt underexplored. Instead, the cult-horror plotline takes center stage, delivering jaw-dropping moments (looking at you, mouse sceneâÂÂIYKYK). While the shock factor is high, it sometimes feels like it hijacks a deeper conversation for sheer drama.
Julie Chan is Dead is a wild ride you can devour like a popcorn bucket at the movies. If you loved Yellowface, dig cult-horror, or just want something unputdownable, buckle up and dive in.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster for an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for a honest review. Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang is scheduled to be released on April 29, 2025.
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