📖 Novel of the Week: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

I saw the trailer of the movie based on this book over a month ago and immediately searched for the book, to see if it was half as crazy as it looked like...After reading it, I don't belive it's possible to make the exact transportation, but even if they've cut out half of the madness it will be an humorous one!
You need to read Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan before it heads to the movies.
Rachel Chu and her boyfriend Nicholas Young have been together for two years now and he's insisting they both take advantage of the summer holidays to pay a visit to his family in Singapore and to attend to his best friend Colin's wedding. Nick has always been evasive about them and so Rachel doesn't know what to expect from this trip and feels a bit worried about meeting the possible in-laws.
If been immediately upgraded to 1st class as soon as they step on the plane was any hint, Rachel finds herself not only on the other side of the world, but in a WHOLE DIFFERENT one: Nick happens to be the heir of one of Singapore's richest families and consequently the most most coveted bachelor! A minimun detail he forgot to mention....

That's the beginning of an unbelievable week for Rachel: not even 24 hours after her arrival, she's catapulted on a private jet set to land on a private island for Colin's fiancée Araminta Lee's bachelorette party, where she becomes the aim to some sick pranks played on her with the purpouse to scare her and make her leave. 
Thankfully she has Peik Lin, a closest friend from university days, by her side to guide her trhough all the craziness (and bi****ness) that Singapore's elite society is about to throw at her...
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan15834846
👍👎My Thoughts
The first impression I got from this book was that I was reading the Asian version "The Devil Wears Prada" on steroids, but then the lead couple arrives in Singapore and it suddenly becomes a snobbish/racist version of "Mean Girls"! Everything is exaggerated beyond any comprehension level: the amount of money these people are willing to spend (or already spending) on dresses, houses and cars is absurd and the talks behind each other's backs is even more insane!
This book teaches you a lot of things: were you aware of the existence of the "Weimaraner" shade of gray", because I surely wasn't! Not to mention the tons of fashion designers' names I've never heard of! 

The villains here are not a washed version of Cinderella's step-mom and sisters, but ruthless and cruel beyond expectations (to not spoil the plot, I'll just say one word: fish. Read it and you'll understand what I mean!). 
Nick is the good and naive guy who lives abroad and (chose?) to forget how difficul and competitive his family's social world is...good thing is that they're devoted Christians!
I just wish Rachel's character was a bit more strong, willing to step up for herself, not always compliant and ready to look the other way when some random girls are so evidently trying to make her leave both Singapore and Nick.

To me, this was one of those book that you have to force yourself to put down and I was so glad it has 2 sequels, because the finale was dreadfully trivial, I'd have been really pissed off otherwise!


My vote: 8/10


Related book and movies are:   
 (my review HERE)             
- Wild Child by Nick Moore. With Emma Roberts, Alex Pettyfer, Kimberley Nixon and Natasha Richardson. 
          

Ph: goodreads.com

No comments

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Search