Book Review: Julie Chan is Dead by Liann Zhang

Rating: ★★★★☆(4/5)

---

Introduction:

I was turned on to this novel off of Good Reads debut novels list. I went into it blind though and was pleasantly surprised.

“I know that Chloe normally looks more put together, but compared to a corpse, I must look okay, right?”

Same girl. Same. This book is filled with quirky one liners that make you stop and think… WTF am I reading. It becomes more and more unhinged in the best way possible.

Quick Facts

• Release: Read: April 2025
• Reading Time: 5-6 hours
• Pages: 320
• Perfect for: People who love a good satirical story that also has social commentary.
• Spice Level: 🌶️
• Trigger Level:💀💀💀

---

Summary: A Brief Overview (Without Major Spoilers)

From Good Reads

Julie Chan has nothing. Her twin sister has everything. Except a pulse.

Julie Chan, a supermarket cashier with nothing to lose, 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 Chloe’s lifeless body under mysterious circumstances, she seizes the chance to live the life she’s always envied.

Transforming into Chloe is easier than expected. Julie effortlessly adopts Chloe’s luxurious influencer life, complete with designer clothes, a meticulous skincare routine, and millions of adoring followers. However, Julie soon realizes that Chloe’s seemingly picture-perfect life was anything but.

Haunted by Chloe’s untimely death and struggling to fit into the privileged influencer circle, Julie faces mounting challenges during a weeklong island retreat with Chloe’s exclusive group of influencer friends. As events spiral out of control, Julie uncovers the sinister forces that may have led to her sister’s demise and realizes she might be the next target.

---

What Worked for Me:

As a twin this was weird: I am a twin myself and I can’t think of what it would be like to just take over my sister’s life. What worked here was that both sisters were so utterly alone in this world, that even though one had seemingly the whole world around her, no one noticed or cared about the switch. It played into the idea that even if we trade lives with someone, we can’t escape the loneliness we create for ourselves.

The Satire: This was satirical critique at its finest. There was a section where the women were being asked to take accountability for their privilege and it reminded me of Mean Girls.

Iz: Speaking of accountability… she was the only POC who wasn’t trying to be White. Iz tried to shine a light on how vapid these women were being, and it fell on deaf ears.

---

What Didn’t Work for Me: Trigger Warnings and Criticisms

Blink Twice? I kept drawing similarities to Blink Twice, a 2024 film starring Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie. It’s not in the first section of the novel but when Bella Marie takes Julie/Chloe and all the other Bella Donnas to her private island, the similarities start to occur. Rich person takes a group to a private island, and all hell breaks loose as we examine the consequences of people who live their lives like there are no consequences.

The Bella Donnas: They are influencer culture. While it’s supposed to be satire, the characters could all be real. Women who are famous purely for their looks but who act like they work as hard as “regular people”. I am an audio video teacher. I know what it takes to shoot and edit a video. I have never been one to analyze trends in social media and I know that does take some skill and brain power. I will give influencers that. Also, I know it can take a lot to get just the right angle and lighting. However, living in a mansion making 5-6 figures a month off of brand deals, puts influencers in a category that most regular people can’t relate to. These women are so out of touch with reality but claim to “live authentically.” If you are already annoyed with influencer culture, these women will annoy you too.

The Cult: Trigger Warning: These bitches are crazy; sacrificing their first-born child for fame kind of crazy. They pray to a god for fame and fortune and are willing to sacrifice their literal children for it.

---

Final Thoughts:

This is an entertaining story. It is full of social commentary and sparks conversation about influencer culture. There are times where I rolled my eyes at the character’s behaviors but overall, I fully enjoyed the read.