Shanghailanders is a story about family, told in the reverse, from 2040 to 2014. We are introduced to ultra-rich Leo and Eko, and their daughters, and as the story reverses, large moments in their family life.

The backwards story telling with potential for a “rich people behaving badly trope” was what drew me to this book. It wasn’t the trope I expected, though there is still some bad behavior, but mostly the interesting ways that a seemingly “normal” family grows and changes. Every time the time jumped backwards, I felt like I had just hit a groove with what I was reading, and it left me wanting a little more information. But, I also kind of liked that I was left with some question marks about how the gaps in the Yang’s story filled in. The perspectives from a couple people outside of the immediate family were interesting as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Shanghailanders tells the story of a family throughout different points of their lives, both separately and together. The characters were intriguing and the writing was promising, but I found it difficult to connect with the book because of the jumping around between characters and time periods.

A story of a family told in reverse. The book starts in 2040 in Shanghai. A rich family now has adult children. As the book progresses we learn about the ups and downs of the family through the years. I wanted to read this book because of the Shanghai setting but I don't think Min did a good job with giving readers a sense of place. The relationships were interesting but the backward telling made the chapters seem more like a collection of short stories rather than a novel.

An interesting debut with impressive prose and a cast of complex characters. I’m not sure that the novel’s two central gimmicks - the backwards structure and the near-future setting - fully paid off. It doesn’t indulge in the type of worldbuilding that would make the initial 2040 setting interesting (or necessary to the story), and some character depth was sacrificed to the structure. The three daughters of the unhappily married Leo and Eko are slowly abandoned over the course of the novel as they become too young to make for interesting characters to explore psychologically, and many of the questions opened up at the beginning of the novel are unable to be revisited by the end. Some of the vignettes added little to the overall exploration of this wealthy, modern, unhappy family. I liked the first half quite a bit and enjoyed reading about the blended cultures (French, Japanese, Chinese) of this family. This is a debut that certainly makes me interested in the author’s future work though it’s not a home run for me.

Thanks to my Wi-Fi this is the third attempt to write this review this book is about Leo his wife echo and daughters Caicos you me and Yoko what is 2060 have homes all around the world but their main home is in Shanghai at the moment his girls are attending school in America at Harvard and the youngest Yumi is in a boarding school. There’s lots going on in this book that goes backwards echo helps her middle daughter who she feels is closer to Leo than her all with a personal problem that brings them closer Yumi is having issues with her roommates as the book goes on we hear from others besides the family members including the Steph Leo’s business partners ex-wife ET see they were lots of funny moments in the book and it’s a book I definitely recommend very original and very well executed. Leo contemplates all they raised their children and help things could’ve been different his love for Eco who at the same time is in France contemplating for the first time in her marriage a little dalliance until Providence steps in or does it? I definitely recommend this book I couldn’t wait to read it it was not disappointed it was a great way to pass the weekend and they book that I thought had a great ending or rather a perfect one. I want to thank Spiegel and Grau for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Told in vignettes going backward from 2040 to 2014, Shanghalianders traces one family and seeks to explain how their dynamics formed.
I’m not sure the format works because I was usually more interested to learn what happened after a certain event than what came before. But, looking at it as a collection of interconnected short stories, it’s hard to deny the writing is excellent and the character studies and expertly done.

But, as a novel, it was moving in the wrong direction.

I enjoyed this very much. The story was a compelling story in itself with interesting characters and settings, but told backwards. We found out where they ended up at the beginning and then jumped backwards each chapter. This made the book far less predictable than most novels, and almost a mystery - trying to spot the clues as to the characters origins in their later lives. The backwards time travel was well done, obviously carefully thought out. This story was compelling, but the structure added another level of, for want of a better word, interestingness.

The utilization of a distinct and unconventional style is greatly appreciated. The incorporation of chronologically reversed events and flashbacks proved to be a captivating narrative technique. The gradual unveiling of information to the reader was executed with finesse. The eloquent and evocative prose effectively conveyed the essence of the tale.

"Shanghailanders" by Juli Min offers a captivating exploration of Shanghai's rich history and the intricacies of its inhabitants' lives during the 1930s. Min's unique narrative structure, which moves backwards to unveil each character's journey, provides a fresh perspective and adds layers of depth to the storytelling.

I thoroughly enjoyed delving into the lives of the diverse cast of characters, each chapter offering a glimpse into their past and the events that shaped their present. However, while the character chapters were well-executed and immersive, I found myself yearning for more follow-through in their stories.

For instance, the eldest daughter's narrative thread left me wanting to know more about her future. After being expelled from her dorm for stealing, I was left wondering if she ever sought help, what path she chose for herself, and whether she reconciled with her family. This desire for further exploration extended to other characters and plotlines as well.

Despite this longing for more depth and resolution, "Shanghailanders" remains a compelling read, rich in historical detail and emotional resonance. Min's vivid prose transports readers to a bygone era, immersing them in the bustling streets and vibrant culture of 1930s Shanghai.

While I couldn't help but wish for a continuation or expansion of certain storylines, the novel's strength lies in its ability to evoke empathy and understanding for its characters. Perhaps, as readers, we are left to ponder the unresolved aspects of their lives, reflecting the uncertainties and complexities of human existence.

In conclusion, "Shanghailanders" is a beautifully crafted novel that adeptly intertwines history, culture, and personal narrative. While I found myself yearning for more closure, Juli Min's debut leaves a lasting impression and paves the way for further exploration into the lives of its intriguing characters.

Very unique and interesting debut novel from Julia Min. The story follows a Shanghai based family from 2014 to 2040. Leo is Chinese, his wife Eko a French- Japanese. Their three daughters Yumi, Yoko & Kiko are typical teenagers at the start of the novel. This can actually be considered as a series of interconnected stories tracing the lives of these characters and how their circumstances and experiences shape them into being who they are. The writing is really nice and I was enthralled till the end although I am not a fan of short stories. I loved all the characters and a special mention to Ayi, the family's long-term nanny. The one downside was that I wanted to know what happens to the characters post-2040. Maybe there will be a sequel. Overall, a very candid portrait of a multi-ethnic family and the drama that comes with being a part of one. If you have grown up with more than one sibling this will definitely give you deja vu moments. Very heartwarming in bits.

Thank you Netgalley, Spiegel & Grau Publishing and Juli Min for the ARC.

This was a very unique style and I can always appreciate that. Moving backwards through time and including flashbacks was an interesting way to tell the story. The reader picked up a little at a time. The writing was poetic and really told the tale well.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

this was an interesting debut to say the least. we follow a wealthy family in future shanghai - eko and leo with their three daughter, yuki, yoko, and kiko, as well as the servants and staff around them.

because of the way the story was told, it honestly felt more like a collection of short stories or passages of certain life-changing events from each character's life put together, making it an incohesive body of writing. there were also times where the structure of the the story - being told backwards starting in 2040 and ending in 2014 - was unsatisfying as i found myself wanting to know more about what happened after the fact instead of what happened before.

but it definitely did its job of unraveling each character and how they individually contributed to the family dynamic. by going through every family member's history, you discover what made them who they are and how their trauma's shaped their beliefs, therefore affecting the way they communicated and handled their relationships with each other.

i did think it was a unique way of storytelling but again, i was left feeling a bit unsatisfied. that's just my personal experience with the book. i definitely still think this is worth checking out if you're interested!

I really enjoyed this book and could not put it down!! I loved how the story of the family was told backwards chronologically! Each of the family members were so dynamic and compelling! I loved how as the book progressed and you leaned more about how their past and could understand how it impacted their decisions they made in their future. Juli Min is a very talented writer and I’m excited to see what she has in store next!

Thank you so much to the publishers for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

My Goodreads review is live and linked in this review! I will come back to link my Instagram post when it is live.

This book has an unusual structure. It begins in the future of 2040 and backtracks to the 2014 past. There is no plot. It is written as a series of first-person narratives to give insight into who a family is and how their life formed them.

Set primarily in Shanghai, I’d call it the main character. The reader is immersed in the experiences and viewpoints of a wealthy family with three daughters. .The structure seemed to be a book of linked short stories but fell short of that.

For me, every member of this family was unlikable in their own way. The father, Leo, a successful engineer and real estate developer from Shanghai, is a loving father but rigid, narrow in focus, and expectation. The mother, Eko, a Japanese Parisian, has fragile sensibilities and dotes on her daughters beyond reason. The three daughters Yumi, Yoko, and Kiko are revealed through their own stories as highly damaged. The most interesting chapters for me were the people who worked for this family. Their stories revealed more about the complexity of Shanghai than all the rest.

It was structured in an interesting way. Starting in the near future, the opening had me interested. But the rest fell flat. Understanding how these people became who they were was not enough. Given there was no real story line, I needed characters I cared about.

I will give it three stars because of the interesting framework and strong writing.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Spiegel &Grau for the opportunity to read the ARC and review it honestly.

2.75/5⭐️

This debut was a hard one for me to rate.

Centering around the seemingly perfect, wealthy Shanghai Lang family of 5 (parents Leo and Eko; daughters Yumi, Yoko and Kiko) and the high and low points in their lives (both personally and as a group). The story is told in a regressive timeline (2040-2014) and includes snippets/chapters from each family member’s life. It’s a story about marriage, about parenting, about siblings and about those people who come into their orbits during certain periods of their lives.

The regressive nature of the story was a unique presentation and an angle to showcase each character’s background/motivations, but going backwards through time in 5+ persons’ lives at times was confusing/disorienting. I’ll be honest. I had a difficult time relating to any member of this family, which in turn made it a hard story to get through. The family dynamics were depressing but also difficult at times to have much sympathy for. I found them a bit arrogant, cold and mostly unfeeling as individuals and in their interpersonal relationships. And I’m not overly fond of books that end abruptly with no real tie-up/denouement.

The writing style was perfectly fine, but in the end this one just wasn’t what I had hoped for/expected.

My thanks to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for providing the free early arc of Shanghailanders for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

I loved this book. A really new concept. Thought it was well worth the read. Fell in love with some characters.

This is a searing and realistic portrait of life, expectations and experiences. The format was mildly confusing but not enough to detract from the power of the writing and the story. The anguish and uncertainty of living is evident as well as the glimmers of fulfillment and joy.

The premise is interesting and the first part of the book was intriguing, However, I found the plot slow moving, and the 'going backward' aspect didn't appeal.

Shanghailanders was a wonderful debut novel from Juli Min. I loved the futuristic backdrop spanning multiple POVs as the story progresses. A novel that weaves relationships, marriage, and time itself together.

Thank you to NetGalley and Spiegel & Grau for an ARC!

This is an ambitious piece of literary fiction. I wish I could say it worked for me, but the writing style was repetitive and, while technically very beautiful, often to a distracting level: I felt like I was watching the events of the plot through a pane of glass, and I'm not sure whether that was the intent or a flaw imposed by the author's craft. I'm also unsure what the relevance of the reverse time order was aside from a marketing gimmick. However, I did enjoy the characters. I feel this would've worked better as a series of interconnected short stories than a novel. At certain points, I was confused about the overall relevance of side characters to the plot.