Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang

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⭐ Julie Chan Is Dead — 4.5/5 Stars | Dark, Hilarious, Influencer Chaos at Its Best

⚠️ Trigger Warnings

illness • death • pregnancy loss • animal cruelty • suicide • racism • substance use • sexual content • psychological abuse • cult-like behavior

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😄 My Spoiler-Filled, Chaos-Loving Review

“I even forgot the PLU code for bananas.”
THE WAY I HOWLED. If you've ever worked as a cashier, you felt this in your soul. Banana 4011 is forever burned into my brain (along with carpal-tunnel nightmares and the smell of old conveyor belts). This book gets it.

Anyway — I really loved this one. It’s sharp, funny, slightly unhinged, and a perfect takedown of influencer culture. But I do have questions:

👉 Why did the police immediately assume the body was Julie?
It’s literally found in Chloe’s home. And they know the twins are identical! Wouldn’t… you know… someone double-check? A driver’s license? A fingerprint? A pulse? ANYTHING? 😂

But aside from that logic wobble, this book is such a fun read — chaotic, satirical, and surprisingly emotional at moments. And even though the paranormal-ish twist is not usually my thing, I think it worked better than most of the “and then the ghost did it” type twists I’ve seen.

Overall? Super entertaining and so bingeable.
4.5 out of 5 stars.

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📚 Overview

Julie Chan Is Dead is the debut novel by Chinese Canadian author Liann Zhang (2025). It blends social satire, suspense, and horror, all through the glossy, filtered world of social media fame. Zhang explores:

• The dangers of unearned privilege

• The commodification of trauma

• The human need for belonging

• The loneliness beneath the influencer sparkle

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🚨 Spoiler Warning: Full Plot Summary Below

🧬 The Twins: Julie & Chloe

Julie Chan and her identical twin sister, Chloe, were separated as children after their parents died in a car accident:

• Chloe was adopted by a wealthy white family → becomes a wildly famous influencer.

• Julie was adopted by a cruel aunt → grows up in poverty.

Chloe later exploits their reunion for content (classic influencer move), gifts Julie a house on camera, then promptly ghosts her again.

📞 The Phone Call & The Body

Julie receives a disturbing call from Chloe… then nothing.
She rushes to Chloe’s apartment and discovers… Chloe’s dead body.

Chaos ensues, and first responders mistake Julie for Chloe and assume the dead woman is Julie.
Julie… does not correct them.

And just like that, she slips into Chloe’s glamorous influencer life.

But her aunt knows the truth and extorts $1 million to keep quiet.

👑 Enter the Belladonnas

To maintain the illusion, Julie joins Chloe’s influencer circle led by Bella Marie — a woman Julie has idolized since childhood.

The Belladonnas are:

• Beautiful

• Wealthy

• Terrifying

• Obsessed with spiritual “rituals”

• One bad decision away from a Dateline episode

They all worship a being called Eto, make creepy sacrifices, and treat influencer fame like a religion. Julie wants out… but she’s also desperate to belong.

🏝️ The Island Retreat of Doom

Julie attends Bella’s private-island retreat where:

• Phones are gone

• Privacy is nonexistent

• Rituals get weirder

• And Julie learns they have ALWAYS known she isn’t Chloe

Julie also discovers Isla — a newcomer being essentially held hostage for questioning the group’s privilege.

Julie decides she has to save Isla and escape before the Belladonnas “handle” her for knowing too much.

🔥 The Fire, The Axe, The Confession

Julie drugs the Belladonnas to stage an escape. Isla helps her burn the compound.

Bella Marie corners Julie and reveals the real twist:

👉 Bella murdered Chloe
to stop her from exposing the dark side of the Belladonnas.

Julie snaps. She grabs an axe and kills Bella, then sets the rest of the building on fire, killing the remaining Belladonnas.

👮 Arrest & Aftermath

Isla calls for help. Julie is arrested, charged with:

• Murdering Bella

• Murdering the Belladonnas

• Murdering Chloe

Julie swears she didn’t kill Chloe — and that Bella acted alone. Now she waits for trial, realizing the spotlight is finally on her… and she plans to take advantage of it.

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📚 If You Liked Julie Chan Is Dead, Try These:

📘 Yellowface — R.F. Kuang

Identity, ambition, satire, messy narrator energy. A perfect companion read.

📘 The Guest List — Lucy Foley

A sharp, gossipy murder mystery full of rich people behaving badly.

📘 How to Kill Your Family — Bella Mackie

A hilariously dark, morally questionable narrator you can’t help rooting for.

📘 Bad Summer People — Emma Rosenblum

Toxic friendships, island drama, petty rich-people crimes — delicious chaos.

📘 The Other Black Girl — Zakiya Dalila Harris

Social satire with sinister edges; smart, sharp, addictive.