Title: Crazy Rich AsiansAuthor: Kevin Kwan
Genre: Fiction
Synopsis: New Yorker, Rachel Chu, is invited by her boyfriend of two years, Nick Young, to be his date to his best friend's wedding in Singapore. What he doesn't tell her is how wealthy and judgy his family can be. Learning more about Nick's family causes Rachel to question if she really knows the man she has been living with at all.
My Thoughts
I decided to read this one because of its crazy popularity. I figured it was going to be a superficial Cinderella type love story, but set in Asia. I was so excited to be wrong. Not only is this novel funny, but it really dives into complex family dynamics showing that enormous wealth does not make life perfect. The author explores the mother-child relationship, relationships between in-laws, and also marriage in an extremely traditional and wealthy family. The reader gets the "money can't buy happiness" theme, but it is not at all preachy. I felt especially drawn to the storyline following the character Astrid. Everyone who knows her thinks her life is perfect; perfect clothes, son, husband, and she never has to worry about money. Instead, we find an incredibly complex woman dealing with her own issues.
While some of the storyline is predictable, there are plenty of surprises to keep the reader on their toes. I particularly enjoyed the footnotes which defined Mandarin and Cantonese colloquial phrases in literal terms, but also with added humor, related them to similar English colloquialisms. The footnotes also provided context for schools, businesses, and groups of people, again with delightfully funny asides added in. As you know by now, I love when I can enjoy a great story but also learn something about history or culture along the way.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in modern Asian culture, stories about family, or who is looking for a good laugh.
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from the author, visit the website linked above
I decided to read this one because of its crazy popularity. I figured it was going to be a superficial Cinderella type love story, but set in Asia. I was so excited to be wrong. Not only is this novel funny, but it really dives into complex family dynamics showing that enormous wealth does not make life perfect. The author explores the mother-child relationship, relationships between in-laws, and also marriage in an extremely traditional and wealthy family. The reader gets the "money can't buy happiness" theme, but it is not at all preachy. I felt especially drawn to the storyline following the character Astrid. Everyone who knows her thinks her life is perfect; perfect clothes, son, husband, and she never has to worry about money. Instead, we find an incredibly complex woman dealing with her own issues.
While some of the storyline is predictable, there are plenty of surprises to keep the reader on their toes. I particularly enjoyed the footnotes which defined Mandarin and Cantonese colloquial phrases in literal terms, but also with added humor, related them to similar English colloquialisms. The footnotes also provided context for schools, businesses, and groups of people, again with delightfully funny asides added in. As you know by now, I love when I can enjoy a great story but also learn something about history or culture along the way.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone who is interested in modern Asian culture, stories about family, or who is looking for a good laugh.
Comment below if you have read this book or have suggestions for others like it!
To buy this book from Amazon now, click on the image at the top of the post.
To see more from the author, visit the website linked above
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