Juli Min's novel in stories "Shanghailanders" was compulsively readable for me. I LOVED it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

1.5 "well meaning but in the end both dull and banal" stars !!

Thank you to Netalley, the author and Spiegel & Grau for an ecopy. This was released May 2024. I am providing an honest review.

This is a challenging review to write as I feel both bored and exasperated.

Initially I thought this was going to be decent to good read (2.5 stars to 3 stars) and would end up being soapy good fun or a family drama. In the end it was neither. The author writes of a privledged Chinese-Japanese family settled in Shanghai but telling the tale backwards through a series of vignettes from 2040 to 2014. This was an interesting and clever device.

All was ok until there was a chapter at the 48 percent mark that was so outlandishly amateurish and histrionic that I could just not return to this being an ok average book and completely kiboshed any hopes that as a reader I could recover. From there my eyes glazed, I lost belief in the character sketches and the plotlines became increasingly uninteresting. I skimmed while rolling my eyes and needed to finish this quickly or throw it against the wall (there was no way I was going to break my kindle). The prose is at times lovely but is more often grating and hyperfeminine.

I do feel the author is both well meaning and has some talent but I do not think I would ever read another one of her novels.

After finishing the book that unfolds episodically, in reverse, like the Christopher Nolan movie 'Memento,' from the present, which is 2040 in the plot, to a distant past of 2014, the first thing I felt was to imagine the future of the characters. According to the clues that are already strewn in the plot, like the several cyclic repetitions of past events, one could easily imagine what could happen next. Or could one? A crucial aspect that sets the present apart is the upward mobility that the family whose story is depicted has achieved and the immense wealth and social standing that it enjoys. Is it enough to stop the further devolution of the straining strings that hold them together?

The effect of the different settings for the members of this family who finally settle in Shanghai for the longest of their time together felt very international and sophisticated to me, and adding new (to me) modes of travel (maglev), and flying forward into the future to begin the tale - all promised readerly satisfaction ahead. Oddly enough that isn't where I landed as I began to this read. As for the writing? It caught me by surprise - a few moments of laugh-out-loudness, and clever twists. All summed up to a decision to read on, to the very end.

Connection with the characters was difficult, starting with the 2040 beginning, and traveling back in time to their various familial landmark moments to its very origins. The inside-outness of the forensic atmosphere considering these five very separate people, who seemed to connect more with the occasional sidebar others in their milieu, kept this reader at a distance.

Reading at a remove with wariness ruling engagement kept me outside the story, observing only. Overall it puzzles me, wondering if just a slight shake of the book could make a difference - so I may yet undertake a re-read on another, less cloudy day.

*A sincere thank you to Juli Min, Spiegel & Grau, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #Shanghailanders #NetGalley

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

I really loved the concept of this book and the beginning was sort of interesting, but too slow to get into. The file was also bad which really impeded my enjoyment and frankly made the book unreadable.

2.75 stars

Shanghailanders by Juli Min presents a unique narrative structure. It utilises a reverse timeline to provide an unconventional storytelling experience. While this approach can be intriguing, it may not resonate with every reader.

Upon picking up the book, I was initially intrigued by the promise of a narrative unfolding backward. However, as I delved deeper, I found it challenging to connect with the characters. The reverse timeline, while innovative, created a distance that made it difficult for me to engage fully with the story and its personalities.

The plot's progression required considerable patience, as understanding the characters' motivations and developments demanded a more attentive reading. This pacing might appeal to readers who appreciate intricate storytelling, but for others, like myself, it may present a hurdle to fully enjoying the narrative.

Thank you, NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau, for the opportunity to explore Shanghailanders. While it may not have been a perfect fit for my reading preferences, I appreciate the chance to experience something outside of my usual literary choices.

Interesting books about a disaffected and rootless wealthy Chinese family. Disappointed in the ending, which went back to the family origins, but left the other main characters hanging.

t took a little while to like the characters but about midway through I was really engaged and looked forward to my next chance to read this book. The characters were really interesting and I especially liked the last two chapters and the one about the nanny. I liked it so much that I am now looking for similar books which take place in China.

A story of the Yang family told in reverse starting in 2040 and working backwards through the past into the 2010's. Telling the story backward gave the reader a unique perspective on the events and relationships between wealthy Chinese real estate developer Leo, Eko his Japanese-French wife and their three daughters. I enjoyed the near future that the author created and the international flavor of the characters allowed a mixed perspective on many different cultures and the development of the Yang's as well as the supporting characters particularly their nanny. I received a free kindle edition of this novel from the publisher.

Thanks, Spiegel & Grau, for the advanced review copy via NetGalley. Unfortunately, the story wasn't a good fit for me as a reader, though I've heard other reviewers rave about it.

"Shanghailanders" is a captivating and insightful exploration of the Chinese community in Shanghai during the 20th century. The author weaves together rich historical detail with personal stories, creating a vivid portrait of the city's complex cultural landscape. The characters are multifaceted and their experiences deeply resonate, offering a unique perspective on identity, survival, and resilience. The pacing is generally strong, though some sections could benefit from a tighter focus. Despite a few predictable moments, the storytelling is immersive, and the blend of history with personal narratives makes it a thought-provoking and rewarding read for fans of historical fiction.

Successful as individual parts, but not as a whole.

The story progresses in reverse chronological order starting around ~2040 and ending ~2010's. The chapters read like interconnected short stories. Each vignette centers an event, large or small, in the life of one family. The father is Chinese, the mother is Japanese but was raised in Paris. They have three daughters. Wealthy.

If I had to pick themes, I'd say: identity and struggle for connection. It very much portrays how one can be surrounded by family, duty, and activity, but still feel isolated and alone. For a book set primarily in the future, and that has a place in the title, I was disappointed that it wasn't more atmospheric of time and location.

When viewing this as a novel - something with a trajectory of beginning, middle, and end - it fails for me. There's no rising or falling action. There's no overarching problem in search of a resolution. There's nothing to create intrigue. I kept waiting for the element that would make it make sense, the string that tied it together, but it never emerged.

When approaching each chapter as a short story, there's a lot to like. However, as a novel, I found it to be a pretty flat experience. That said, I would read more by this author based on the strength of the writing. I think the structure of the book, and these characters, just weren't for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Shanghailanders by Juli Min!

This is a multi-generational novel that follows the story of a married couple, their three girls, and a few others in their near orbit. It traces the ups and downs of life as a well=off, multilingual--the mom is from Japan and France, and the rest of the fam is from China--family moving in reverse from present day (2040) when two of the kids are in college and high school in the US to their parents' wedding day..

I enjoyed the writing and pacing of the book. The characters all had depth, and there were definitely some twists and turns. They were particularly interesting learning about them as time moved backwards in the story. It was disorienting at times--also because of the change in characters and perspective--but it was definitely compelling. At the end of it all, I found myself wondering what the point of it all was, but I suppose it's reflective of life. There's no main plot points. It's not your typical three-act structure and picks up and drops off tangential characters in short bouts. Points for creativity and exploration of national identity, but it's not my top choice of the year.

Juli Lin's ShanghaiLander is an imaginative and heartfelt story told in a unique reverse chronological order that keeps readers hooked and invested. I thoroughly enjoyed this structure, which gradually unveils the motivations and secrets that shape each person.

One of the elements I particularly loved was the "what happened to them now.”" This thoughtful addition gives readers a peek into what makes us. Lin's vivid descriptions and rich character portrayals make ShanghaiLander a genuinely engaging read. It prompts reflection on how our past choices shape our futures.

Shanghailanders subverts the well-known family saga narrative in an ingenious way to create a brilliantly executed story of a family spanning generations living in the whirlwind city of Shanghai, telling the story backwards, rewinding through time to weave the tale. First we meet Yumi, Yoko, and Kiko, in their adulthood, coping with the various hardships that adult life brings. Each section slips a few years into the past until we're reading Eko and Leo (their parents)'s story. The prose is compelling, and the story immersive; the depiction of Shanghai breathes life into the city, so much that at times I felt like I knew it. A beautiful novel, I would recommend this highly!

Goes backward in time. The side characters' narratives were surprisingly more compelling than the family, but all in all an interesting read.

Shanghailanders by Juli Min offers a unique family saga told in reverse, starting in 2040 and moving backward to 2014. The novel brings together the lives of the Yang family, exploring their secrets and struggles through different perspectives. I appreciated the beautiful writing and the intriguing format, but I found the reversed timeline made it harder to fully connect with the characters and understand the consequences of their actions. Still, a very engaging and interesting read!

I really enjoyed this book, but it is told going backward in time. I liked learning how the characters got to where they got to. The book takes place in multiple countries, which I also enjoyed. . I liked the multi culturalism of the characters and all the different languages. I don’t understand how the driver fit into the book.

Shanghailanders by Juli Min is a captivating family saga that takes readers on a journey through time, from 2040 back to 2014, following the lives of the wealthy Yang family. Leo Yang, a successful real estate investor, his elegant wife Eko, and their three daughters—Yumi, Yoko, and Kiko—each face personal challenges that unfold over the years. From Kiko’s risky pursuit of fame to Yumi’s crisis at Harvard, Min explores the complex dynamics of marriage, ambition, and family secrets. Set in a futuristic Shanghai facing environmental threats, the novel is told through multiple perspectives, including the Yangs’ loyal nanny and a daring driver. Min beautifully captures the way love, identity, and family ties persist, even as the world around them changes. Shanghailanders is a powerful and emotional look at the struggles and connections that define us.