This was a fantastic debut! There's plenty to admire – it’s well-written, the plot is interesting and engaging, the world-building is exceptional, and the characters are authentic and complex.

The story is mostly character-driven, with a focus on the human condition and internal journey of the characters rather than a clearly defined plot. The unique approach of backward storytelling worked well, and I enjoyed piecing together the reasons, consequences, and misunderstandings between the characters. I also loved that the story kept the sense of loneliness and isolation. It felt as if the characters were never truly understood by one another and remained somewhat distant from both their surroundings and each other. I was also quite impressed by how seamlessly the author blended different genres, which can be quite challenging.

While I was excited to explore a futuristic Shanghai, I couldn't help but feel that there was a missed opportunity to portray it in a more innovative light. Life in 2040 didn't seem much different from the present day.

Overall, this was such a unique and well-constructed novel! It was easy to read, yet it was deep and thought-provoking. I highly recommend it and look forward to reading more of Juli Min’s works in the future!

The cover design is fantastic! It represents the story perfectly. I especially like the contrast between the cool and warm tones as it makes me think of sunrise and sunset, the transitions of life's seasons, the passage of family generations, and the themes of life and death. It’s somehow nostalgic and old-fashioned, yet modern at the same time. The choice of font works great with the design too.

Thank you, Spiegel & Grau, and author Juli Min for the ARC copy! I received a free copy of this book, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Shanghailanders by Juli Min is due to be released on May 7, 2024. ( )

Every book worth reading has moments that make you wonder what is going to happen, so how should a reader deal with a book written backward — each chapter a year or so earlier than the one before? Those “what’s going to happen” moments become “oh…I guess I know what happens” moments, and that left me a bit cold. Did I know what happened? Should I go back and reread earlier chapters? Why would I want to do that — isn’t that counter to the author’s purpose? So went my reading of Shanghailanders by Juli Min, which if you haven’t guessed moves backward from 2040 to 2014 following a wealthy Shanghai family. Min’s writing deftly captures a variety of voices and moments that ring true, but the structure inevitably leads to a book with very little plot that feels a lot more like a solid collection of short stories than a novel. ( )

I found Shanghailanders by Juli Min to be a very compelling and well written novel. It is the story of a wealthy Shanghai family told by bit by bit through each characters point of view. It is also interesting that it is told in reverse chronological order from 2040 to 2014 which I found intriguing. In fact when I finished it I went back to the beginning and read the first chapter again. It was an entertaining and unique way to tell a family saga. The Yang family has been very successful, they want for nothing. Leo, a structural engineer has been very fortunate in real estate and his wife Eko also has a very successful embroidery business. They have three daughters Yumi, Yoko and Yokiko whom as the book progresses we learn more about them from their secrets from each another and their parents. This book is full of family secrets and many of them completely surprised me and some actually delighted me. I very mush enjoyed this novel. Highly recommended.
4 stars.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Spiegel & Grau Publishers for a chance to read and review an ARC copy of this fine work of Literary Fiction. ( )