Julie Chan Is Dead

Julie is the protagonist of the novel and narrates the story in the first-person. She is a young, Chinese American woman who has faced a difficult life. After the tragic deaths of her parents, Julie experiences a lonely and isolated childhood that is further compounded by financial hardship. By the time the plot begins, she is in her early 20s, working a dead-end job, and struggling with feelings of frustration and resentment. These are compounded by the knowledge that her sister, Chloe, leads an extremely different life as a wealthy lifestyle influencer. The novel’s central conflict is driven by Julie’s decision to impersonate her sister.

Julie is intelligent, quick-thinking, adaptable, and good at reading a room. Finding her sister dead, Julie rapidly turns the situation to her advantage and figures out how to make the most of the opportunity. Once Julie assumes Chloe’s identity, she is also able to quickly figure out how Chloe runs her business and even make it more profitable, revealing that she has keen business acumen. Julie’s instant success in Chloe’s role suggests that the difference in their fortunes was largely a matter of unequal access and opportunity. While Julie can be racked with anxiety and guilt in private, she can typically maintain a cool and calm persona in stressful situations, which also allows her to successfully navigate the fraught reality of living a lie.