johnny92m's profile picture

johnny92m 's review for:

Julie Chan Is Dead by Liann Zhang
4.25
dark tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: No
Loveable characters: No
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Every time I thought I knew what this book was, it swerved me in the wildest ways possible. 

The premise is an instant hook, and the escalations continue to ramp higher and higher throughout the novel until you reach the end. The writing is imaginative, vivid and haunting.

While I was initially put off by the ending (and by the bulk of irredeemable characters throughout the book), the more I think about it, that feels like the whole point. Julie, trading a literal cult for the cult of social media validation. It’s fascinating, as long as you unhitch your expectations and just hop into the ride.