Liann Zhang’s debut novel Julie Chan Is Dead is a wickedly sharp and unhinged thriller that dives headfirst into the glittering, grotesque world of social media fame. Equal parts satire and psychological suspense, it’s a story about envy, deception, and the dangerous seduction of living someone else’s life.
Julie Chan has spent her entire life in her sister’s shadow. While Julie grew up under the cruelty of an abusive aunt, her identical twin, Chloe, was adopted by a wealthy family and transformed into an internet celebrity with millions of followers. When Chloe dies unexpectedly, Julie seizes the chance to slip into her dead sister’s identity. The glamorous influencer world welcomes her with open arms until the cracks begin to show. Behind the filters and luxury, something dark lurks beneath Chloe’s perfect façade.
From the opening pages, Zhang’s story hooks you with its twisted premise and biting commentary on influencer culture. Julie’s decision to impersonate her sister is both appalling and understandable, a desperate grasp at the life she believes she deserves. As she navigates sponsored posts, toxic friendships, and a high-profile island retreat filled with manipulative influencers, the tension tightens. Everyone seems to have something to hide and someone may have killed Chloe to keep those secrets buried.
Reviewer Yun aptly describes the novel as “one of the more unhinged books I’ve read in quite some time,” and that’s exactly what makes it so captivating. The plot is outrageous, the characters are chaotic, and the entire story feels like watching a train wreck in slow motion you want to look away, but you can’t. It’s satire turned fever dream, and Zhang leans into that madness with full confidence.
Nilufer Ozmekik calls the book “riveting” and praises Zhang’s exploration of “the addiction of voyeurism and the dark side of social media.” That theme beats at the heart of this novel. Zhang dissects how the influencer industry feeds on image and illusion, and how easily identity can be bought, performed, and weaponized. Julie’s transformation from a desperate outsider into a mirror of her dead sister is both fascinating and horrifying.
Alexia highlights another strength: the pacing. The short, sharp chapters create a breathless rhythm that keeps you flipping pages deep into the night. The second half, set on the isolated island retreat, spirals into pure chaos a thrilling, unpredictable descent into paranoia and deceit. It’s over-the-top in all the best ways, delivering both dark humor and genuine suspense.
Julie herself is far from a hero. She’s vain, jealous, manipulative, and delusional. Yet Zhang makes her compelling. Watching her unravel inside her sister’s skin becomes an addictive experience. You don’t root for her so much as you’re mesmerized by her self-destruction.
Julie Chan Is Dead is not a subtle novel it’s loud, messy, and unapologetically twisted. But beneath the glitter and absurdity lies a sharp reflection of our obsession with curated lives, online validation, and the terrifying ease with which reality can be replaced by performance.
For readers who love fast-paced, biting social thrillers like Gone Girl or The Other Black Girl, this book will hit all the right notes. It’s a modern-day morality tale about fame, envy, and the dangers of trying to live someone else’s dream.
A chaotic, clever, and compulsively readable debut, Julie Chan Is Dead proves that sometimes the deadliest lies are the ones we tell ourselves.
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