A sharp cocktail of danger, power and excitement, JCID is a compulsive journey into the dizzying, addictive allure of fame, power and status.

Before she “dies” Julie Chan is stressed out. Sick of working in a supermarket and being mistaken for her successful sister, used as content and sympathy clicks. She was flawed and disillusioned, honestly just done but I couldn’t help but like her and her no-nonsense storytelling style.

With quick chapters and a jump right into the action, the story is fast-paced and chaotic, larger than life with the absurd situation Julie/Chloe finds herself in and a deliciously uncomfortably tension building from the moment the lie is told. Spiralling deeper into the cult-like world of influences, deals and shady power plays, we get up close and personal with the almost delusional ego and fantasy that can come with fame and its horrifying in its own way, with the later pages feeling like something pulled right from an actual horror movie which I’ll admit at first felt entirely strange and stylistically mismatched …. But I ate it up.

2.5 stars. The book started strong, and felt as though there was an element of dark comedy about it, whilst also highlighting the insidious side to influencers and social media. Sadly the book seemed to swerve and become something that the first half wasn’t, and came across as absurd. The ending itself, particularly the last chapter, felt unfinished. It seemed as though the author was trying to make a suspense/cliff hanger/mystery ending to create a dramatic atmosphere, but I just didn’t feel it worked. It felt as though this book had great promise, but just lost its way part way through, and due to this reason I couldn’t recommend

I liked a lot about this book:

•The contrast between the twins, their separation and the difference in opportunities
•Julie's journey from outsider, to social media Influencer, to the realisation she was in effect selling her soul for likes and in with the wrong crowd
•The perils of social media, creating content, addiction to apps and phones
•I appreciated darker elements - Bella Marie's family's sacrifices to Eto, the mouse scene (grim but powerful), Victor treated as a commodity - I felt these made the story grittier

All in all it kept me reading and I enjoyed the social commentary, the humour and the almost-horror. Pacey and satisfying.

I think this book really hit me in two waves!
For the first maybe 60% of the book, I was really enjoying what seemed to be a fairly tame, sort of thrillery read. We see Julie assume her estranged twin Chloe's identity after her death, taking on her role as an influencer, attending parties and events, accepting PR and generally living the dream, until it all starts to take a sort of sinister turn.
For the last portion of the book, things get a bit freaky-deeky. The Belladonnas - an influencer group that Chloe had been a part of in life - go on their yearly trip to a private island, where Julie starts to see the scary side of these seemingly perfect girls. I still enjoyed the freaky-deeky section, but man was I thrown off!

I did really enjoy the read and would recommend, but the last part of the book did start to strike me as a bit odd - particular when a bunch of gorgeously perfect influencers start swallowing live mice? Super weird. It started to take a turn towards horror, which I'm honestly not opposed to, but I certainly couldn't have predicted the book taking that turn. The identity-theft to murder pipeline was wild...! I love to read about cults, and this was definitely a culty, creepy vibe.

This book offered some really interesting commentary on celebrity and influencers, as well as commenting on race and privilege, which made for an engaging and thought-provoking read, whilst also being super entertaining. It just kept getting more and more out of pocket and I was honestly vibing.

Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang is a compelling, thought-provoking debut novel that captivates with its mystery and depth—at least for the first three-quarters of the book. The initial sections of the story draw readers in with a gripping narrative, interesting characters, and an exploration of complex themes that keep you hooked. I found myself completely immersed in the early stages, offering the book four stars across the board. The writing was engaging, and the unfolding mystery around Julie Chan’s death was intricate and layered, offering a refreshing perspective on grief, identity, and the hidden intricacies of life and social media fame.

However, as the plot progresses, it takes a sharp, jarring turn that left me somewhat bewildered. By the time I reached the final quarter, the book seemed to veer into the absurd, losing the momentum and depth that initially made it so compelling. What started as a gripping exploration of mystery and personal reflection felt increasingly far-fetched and, frankly, silly. The plot twists and decisions made by the characters became harder to follow, and I found myself disconnected from the story.

Despite this shift in tone, it’s clear that Julie Chan is Dead showcases Zhang’s talent and potential as a writer. For a debut novel, it’s impressive how Zhang managed to craft such a captivating opening and set a strong foundation. Though the latter part of the book may not have resonated with me, it doesn't take away from the fact that Zhang is a skilled writer with a lot of promise.

Ultimately, I would say that Julie Chan is Dead is a book of two halves: a brilliant beginning that draws you in and a conclusion that might leave you scratching your head. I think this book is worth reading, especially for those who enjoy mysteries that don't always follow the expected paths. I look forward to seeing what Zhang writes next, as there's certainly a lot of potential in her voice.

Julie Chan is dead is a novel all about the seductions of social media, and how far some people go to achieve that fame and influencer status!
When Julie goes to visit her estranged twin sister Chloe, a social media influencer with millions of followers, she finds her dead. In the rush of the moment, Julie decides to pass as Chloe, and everything that follows after is outlined in this story

This book was highly entertaining, a perfect summer read for by the pool!

3.5 A propulsive read and promising (CanCon!!) satirical debut that goes a bit off the rails in the last 30%.

What worked for me:
☠️ The premise was unlike anything I’d encountered before - it felt fresh and inventive!
☠️ I loved the commentary on vacuous internet culture, on capitalism, on race, on family. While I wish some of these themes had gone a bit deeper, I particularly loved Iz’s speech to the other girls about privilege.
☠️ The exploration of the twins’ relationship and their deep-seated jealousy of each other was well done. It was interesting how that ‘grass is greener’ mindset went in both directions.
☠️ Much like MLMs, I don’t understand the draw of influencer culture - it just seems like cultish marketing to me - but reading about it is fascinating, in a gross, entertaining kind of way.
☠️ While a bit rough around the edges, the writing style, pace, and story were all pretty solid for a debut.
☠️ Julie is a perfect example of how characters don’t need to be likeable to be interesting. Sure, I pretty much hated her from go but I was still keen to see what happened next and what choices she would make.

What I wasn’t so keen on:
☠️ Julie’s surly teenage dialogue at the beginning was a very odd choice.
☠️ The last 30% of the book was a total departure from the previous 70% and I’m not sure I liked it. It stepped into the horror genre in a way I wasn’t expecting. The mouse bit was particularly awful. While I appreciate authors who subvert genre and play with structure, a shift this dramatic didn’t feel like an intentional shift but more of a forced ‘gotcha’. Zhang almost pulled it off with the escalation but didn’t quite stick the landing for this reader.