Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Genre: Fiction

Publisher: Anchor Books

Pages: 527

Rating: ★★★


Synopsis

When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor. 
 
On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers.

My Thoughts

I do not get the love/cult following for this book and for it's sequel China Rich Girlfriend. I don't know if I am missing something here or if it's just that I wasn't really into it. It was very slow to start, the middle was good but definitely not great, and then the last 100 pages were really good and made me question my feelings toward the other 400 pages. 

The book begins with an introduction to the insane wealth of the main characters. When the Young family is mistreated at a ritzy hotel in London, they just end up buying the hotel and firing the rude manager. The title does not lie -- it really is about some crazy rich asians. 

The book then introduces us to the main characters Nick and Rachel. Kwan shifts point of view between the modest lives of Nick and Rachel in New York and Nick's mother Eleanor in her posh Singapore apartment. As I already said, this beginning was slow to start. It was all about establishing the different lifestyles between Rachel and Nick's Singaporean relatives. Eventually, Nick and Rachel finally come to Singapore where they meet all of Nick's friends and family. Rachel begins to experience the insane wealth and the shallow people that all make up Nick's past. Rachel must decide whether the life Nick has in Singapore is something she can learn to accept. 

Overall, this book was probably too long for the subject matter. I skipped through several chapters told from secondary characters point of views because I didn't care about their story lines. There was constant name dropping in an attempt to really force the topic of wealth. I wasn't very into this book and definitely won't be returning for the sequel. 

My Favorite Line

The investigator thinks that they were most likely working class. In other words, they are PEASANTS.