"Julie Sze has written a perceptive and engaging account of the hopes and dreams embodied in Dongtan and why the project was such an abysmal failure. A mix of critique and reportage, the weaving of a theoretical approach with that of a traveler whose father coincidentally grew up on Chongming, Sze masterfully unpicks the strands of what was intended as ... Read morethe world's largest new environmental city... An impressive achievement in looking through new eyes at China's efforts to deal with its environmental challenges."
Mark L. Clifford Asian Review of Books "Sze's exploration of the official self-delusion and public eco-desires that sustain fantasies such as Dongtan is compelling... What Sze's exploration of the narratives of eco-modernism shows well is how flexible the creed of environmentalism can be - and how that quality can be manipulated."
Fred Pearce New Scientist "Recommended reading for both those trying to get to grips with green purchasing in developing countries, as well as those interested in what the people on the street think of planning green and thinking huge. It is also a refreshing read compared to media coverage on the issue, which tends to label developments as 'hilarous' or 'bizarre', or just interview the big names involved, without providing much on-the-ground insight."
Michael Veale LSE Review of Books "Carbon-neutral, zero-waste and home to 500,000 people: the Chinese eco-city of Dongtan seemed a radical urban dream. But the city, to be sited near Shanghai on Chongming - the world's biggest alluvial island - remains a blueprint. As Julie Sze argues in this thoughtful ... analysis of Chinese "eco-desire", the culprit could be irreconcilable beliefs in harmony with nature, and the ability of autocratic political structures to enact radical change."
Barbara Kiser Nature "A fascinating story for readers interested in modern China, urban history, and global studies of ecology and the environment!"
Carla Nappi New Books Network/New Books in East Asian Studies "A thought-provoking new book."
Jan McGirk China Dialogue "It is easy to paint a black-and-white picture of China's environmental policies. But in Fantasy Islands, Julie Sze is able to bring a more nuanced view... In Fantasy Islands, the author raises some excellent questions about global efforts to deal with climate change through technological solutions."
Joan Mooney Urbanland "Fantasy Islands accessibly introduces paradoxes of greening China's future."
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