Twin Shadows, Split Lives

Julie Chan and Chloe Van Huusen are identical twins separated by tragedy and adoption. After their parents die in a car accident, Chloe is adopted by a wealthy white family and becomes a glamorous internet influencer, while Julie is raised by a resentful aunt in working-class obscurity. Their lives diverge: Chloe's is curated, privileged, and public; Julie's is invisible, marked by envy and longing. Julie's existence is haunted by her sister's digital shadow, a constant reminder of what she could have been.

Viral Reunion, Emotional Fallout

Chloe orchestrates a viral reunion with Julie, buying her a house and filming the event for millions of views. The gesture, meant to be generous, is ultimately exploitative—Chloe uses Julie as content, then ghosts her. Julie is left with a crumbling house and a viral video that cements her as a footnote in Chloe's narrative. The emotional fallout is acute: Julie's hope for reconnection is dashed, and she is forced to confront her own loneliness and the performative nature of online "family."

The Call: Mistake, Mistake

Years later, Julie receives a garbled, desperate call from Chloe, who seems to be in distress, repeating "mistake, mistake." The call is cut short, and Julie's attempts to reconnect are ignored. The ambiguity gnaws at her, reigniting old wounds and suspicions. When Chloe's social media goes silent, Julie's anxiety grows, propelling her to seek answers in person.

Ghosts in the Algorithm

Julie's investigation into Chloe's disappearance is filtered through the lens of social media as stage. She unblocks Chloe and discovers her sudden absence online, fueling speculation among fans. The digital breadcrumbs—comments, DMs, analytics—reveal both the scale of Chloe's influence and the emptiness behind the persona. Julie's sense of self blurs as she obsesses over her twin's curated life, feeling both invisible and exposed.

The Gift of Absence

Driven by dread and unresolved longing, Julie travels to Chloe's New York apartment. She navigates the trappings of her sister's luxury—security, PR packages, curated spaces—feeling like an imposter in a parallel universe. The apartment is both shrine and stage, filled with evidence of Chloe's success and isolation. Julie's search is both literal and existential: she is looking for her sister, but also for a sense of belonging.

The House That Wasn't Home

Julie finds Chloe's body, dead for days, behind the kitchen island. The shock is visceral and destabilizing. In the aftermath, Julie is forced to confront the reality of her sister's death, the performative nature of their last interactions, and the emptiness left behind. The house, a symbol of Chloe's "generosity," is revealed as a hollow gesture—just as their reunion was a performance for the internet.

Chloe's World, Julie's Orbit

In the chaos following Chloe's death, Julie is mistaken for her twin by police, neighbors, and even Chloe's assistant. The temptation to step into Chloe's life—her wealth, her following, her community—is overwhelming. Julie rationalizes the theft as karmic justice, a chance to finally belong. She assumes Chloe's identity, inheriting not just her assets but her obligations, relationships, and digital persona.

The Island Invitation

Julie, now living as Chloe, is swept into the inner circle of the Belladonnas—a clique of elite influencers led by the enigmatic Bella Marie. She receives a mysterious invitation to an exclusive island retreat, a tradition among the group. The trip is shrouded in secrecy, with coded RSVPs and an emphasis on "family." Julie is both thrilled and anxious, aware that she is an imposter among women who prize authenticity.

Belladonnas and the Queen Bee

On the island, Julie is immersed in a world of curated luxury, ritualized bonding, and subtle power plays. Bella Marie, the group's charismatic leader, orchestrates every detail, from the food to the group activities. The Belladonnas are both supportive and competitive, their friendships transactional and performative. Julie is drawn in by their acceptance but unsettled by their insularity and the cult-like atmosphere.

Rituals of Belonging

The retreat escalates from wellness activities to increasingly bizarre rituals. The group's "affirmations" and bonding exercises become mechanisms of control, eroding individual boundaries. Julie is pressured to participate in a series of escalating initiations—culminating in the consumption of a live mouse as a show of devotion to the group's mysterious god, Eto. The rituals are both absurd and horrifying, blurring the line between self-help and cult indoctrination.

Mice, Sacrifice, and Secrets

As Julie is drawn deeper into the Belladonnas' world, the true nature of their "family" is revealed. Each member has made a personal sacrifice to Eto in exchange for success—fertility, family, even firstborn children. The group's power is sustained by a cycle of offerings and secrecy. Julie learns that Chloe's own sacrifice was her adoptive parents, whose mysterious accident was no coincidence. The group's rituals are both a metaphor for and a literal enactment of the costs of influence.

The Burning of Family

When Iz, the only other outsider, is imprisoned for dissent, Julie realizes the danger she is in. She orchestrates a plan to drug the Belladonnas and sets fire to the bungalow, killing the group in a desperate act of self-preservation and vengeance. The act is both a literal and symbolic burning of the toxic "family" she once craved. Julie escapes, but not unscathed—her actions haunt her, and the line between victim and perpetrator blurs.

The Aftermath: Truths Unravel

Julie is arrested and charged with multiple murders, including Chloe's. The ensuing trial becomes a media spectacle, with the internet and public opinion playing as much a role as the legal system. The truth is slippery: Julie's story is both a confession and a performance, shaped by lawyers, journalists, and the court of public opinion. The Belladonnas' crimes are exposed, but so are Julie's.

The Trial of Julie Chan

Julie's defense hinges on her status as both victim and survivor—of family trauma, cult manipulation, and the toxic world of influence. Testimonies from other victims, including Viktor and Iz, corroborate her account of the Belladonnas' cult-like practices. The trial is as much about who controls the narrative as it is about facts. Julie's identity—Chloe, Julie, victim, killer—is contested and reframed.

The Internet's Judgment

As the trial unfolds, Julie becomes a cause célèbre online. The internet, hungry for spectacle and redemption, rallies around her. Documentaries, podcasts, and social media campaigns recast her as a liberator, a survivor, even a hero. The same platforms that once haunted her now offer validation and power. Julie's story is commodified, her trauma turned into content.

The Price of Influence

Julie is offered book deals, movie rights, and a new kind of influence. The world that once excluded her now clamors for her story. Yet the cost is steep: she is forever marked by violence, loss, and the knowledge that power is always transactional. The cycle of exploitation continues, even as she profits from it.

The Power of Us

Julie reflects on the nature of family, community, and influence. The Belladonnas' mantra—"We are family"—is revealed as both a promise and a threat. The desire to belong can be weaponized, and the line between support and control is razor-thin. Julie's journey is a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking validation in systems designed to consume and discard.

I Did Not Kill My Twin

In the end, Julie addresses her audience directly: "One thing needs to be made clear: I did not kill my twin sister." The statement is both a denial and an assertion of agency. The truth is ambiguous—Julie is both victim and perpetrator, shaped by forces beyond her control and by her own choices. The story ends with Julie reclaiming her narrative, but the cost of survival remains unresolved.

Characters

Julie Chan

Julie is the narrator and emotional core of the novel—a woman defined by absence, envy, and longing. Raised in poverty and neglect, she is haunted by her twin's success and the sense that she is a failed version of Chloe. Julie's psychology is marked by self-loathing, hunger for validation, and a deep need for family. Her journey from victim to imposter to survivor is fraught with moral ambiguity: she both envies and resents Chloe, ultimately stepping into her life out of desperation. Julie's development is a study in the corrosive effects of comparison, the dangers of seeking belonging at any cost, and the blurry line between self-preservation and complicity.

Chloe Van Huusen

Chloe is Julie's identical twin and foil—a woman who has mastered the art of self-presentation, turning her trauma into content and her life into a brand. Adopted by a wealthy family, Chloe's existence is both enviable and hollow. She is skilled at performance, using generosity as a tool for influence, but is ultimately isolated and consumed by the demands of her audience and the Belladonnas. Chloe's psychology is complex: she is both victim and perpetrator, shaped by loss, privilege, and the need to be seen. Her death is the catalyst for Julie's transformation and the unraveling of the Belladonnas' world.

Bella Marie

Bella Marie is the enigmatic head of the Belladonnas, a woman whose beauty, wealth, and charm mask a ruthless need for control. She orchestrates the group's rituals, enforces loyalty, and manipulates vulnerability for her own ends. Bella Marie is both cult leader and influencer, using affirmation and love-bombing as tools of domination. Her psychology is marked by narcissism, a hunger for power, and a belief in her own myth. She is both mother and monster, offering belonging at the price of autonomy.

The Belladonnas (Kelly, Ana, Maya, Sophia, Lily, Emmeline, Angelique, Iz)

The Belladonnas are a rotating cast of elite influencers, each with their own niche (beauty, fitness, motherhood, etc.), but united by their dependence on Bella Marie and the group's rituals. They are both victims and enforcers, complicit in the group's abuses and eager for the rewards of belonging. Their relationships are transactional, marked by competition, jealousy, and performative support. Each woman's psychology is shaped by trauma, ambition, and the need to be seen—making them both sympathetic and culpable.

Iz (Isla Harris)

Iz is the only other woman on the island who resists the Belladonnas' control. A single mother and influencer of color, she is both drawn to and repelled by the group's power. Iz's skepticism and refusal to conform make her a target, but also a catalyst for Julie's awakening. She represents the possibility of resistance, but also the cost of dissent in systems built on complicity.

Viktor

Viktor is the island's caretaker and the Belladonnas' sexual plaything—a man raised in isolation, indoctrinated to serve. His psychology is marked by confusion, dependency, and a desperate need for validation. Viktor's loyalty is easily manipulated, making him both a victim and a tool in Julie's escape. His fate is a commentary on the collateral damage of systems built on exploitation.

Julie's Aunt

Julie's aunt is a minor but pivotal character—a woman whose resentment and cruelty shape Julie's sense of self. She is both a product and perpetuator of trauma, using Julie as a scapegoat for her own disappointments. Her later blackmail of Julie is both a literal and symbolic extension of the novel's themes: family as both refuge and prison.

Fiona

Fiona is Chloe's (and later Julie's) assistant—a woman who navigates the influencer world with pragmatism and self-interest. She is both supportive and transactional, helping Julie maintain the illusion of Chloe's life while also protecting her own interests. Fiona's role highlights the machinery behind the influencer persona and the ways in which support staff are both enablers and survivors.

Jessica Peters

Jessica is the only outsider who comes close to exposing the Belladonnas' secrets. As a journalist, she represents the possibility of accountability, but is ultimately thwarted by the group's power. Her presence is a reminder of the limits of truth in a world built on performance and secrecy.

The Van Huusens

Chloe's adoptive parents are both symbols and victims—representing the privileges and costs of assimilation, and ultimately sacrificed in the group's rituals. Their fate is a commentary on the expendability of family in systems built on transactional relationships.

Plot Devices

Duality and Mirroring

The novel's central device is the twin relationship—Julie and Chloe as mirrors, doubles, and opposites. Their lives are shaped by the same trauma but diverge through circumstance, privilege, and choice. The mirroring extends to the influencer world, where identity is both curated and unstable, and to the Belladonnas, whose rituals are both bonding and erasing. The device is used to explore questions of authenticity, envy, and the hunger for belonging.

Social Media as Stage

The narrative is filtered through the lens of social media—comments, DMs, analytics, and viral moments. The internet is both a source of validation and a tool of control, shaping identity and amplifying trauma. The performative nature of online life is mirrored in the Belladonnas' rituals, where affirmation and love-bombing are used to enforce conformity. The device is used to critique the commodification of self and the dangers of seeking community in systems built on spectacle.

Cult Dynamics and Ritual

The Belladonnas' world is structured around rituals of belonging—affirmations, sacrifices, and escalating initiations. The group's power is sustained by cycles of offering and secrecy, with Eto as both metaphor and literal god. The cult dynamics are used to explore the psychology of groupthink, the costs of acceptance, and the ways in which vulnerability can be weaponized.

Unreliable Narration and Ambiguity

Julie's narration is both confessional and performative—she is both seeking truth and shaping her own story. The novel plays with ambiguity: Did Julie kill Chloe? Is Eto real? Are the Belladonnas victims or villains? The unreliable narration is used to explore the slipperiness of truth in a world built on performance, and the ways in which survival often requires complicity and self-deception.

Metafiction and Media

The novel is self-aware about its own status as content—Julie's story is turned into documentaries, podcasts, and movies. The commodification of trauma is both a plot device and a theme, raising questions about who gets to tell the story, who profits, and what is lost in the process.

Analysis

Julie Chan Is Dead is a razor-sharp, darkly comic exploration of identity, belonging, and the toxic allure of internet fame. Through the lens of estranged twins, influencer culture, and cult dynamics, Liann Zhang dissects the hunger for validation in a world where selfhood is both a commodity and a performance. The novel is both a satire and a psychological thriller, exposing the ways in which trauma, envy, and the desire for family can be weaponized by systems built on spectacle and control. At its core, the book is a meditation on the costs of survival: the sacrifices we make to belong, the violence required to escape, and the impossibility of returning to innocence. In a world where the line between victim and perpetrator is blurred, and where the internet's judgment is both fickle and absolute, Julie's story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of seeking meaning in systems designed to consume and discard. The final, ambiguous confession—"I did not kill my twin sister"—is both a denial and an assertion of agency, leaving readers to grapple with the uncomfortable truth that sometimes, the only way to survive is to become the very thing you once feared.

Last updated: May 14, 2025