I must warn you, tho, that this review will contain SPOILERS, because it would be impossible to make it understandable otherwise.
2 years have gone since Rachel and Nick’s disastrous trip
to Singapore and lots of things changed in the meantime:
Nick’s estranged to his whole family and still won’t return his
mother’s insisting calls, but he and Rachel managed to work things out and are
about to get married.
While in London, Eleanore Young (Nick’s mother) stumbles in Bao Shaoyen,
wife of Beijing’s uprising politician Bao Gaoliang, and made the most incredible discovery: Shaoyen
has a son (Carlton) who’s Rachel’s mirror image. It’s not rocket science difficult to understand that
Gaoliang is Rachel’s long-lost father and so Eleanore flies to California the day before Rachel and Nick’s wedding with him, hoping that will help to
reconciale with her son. Gaoliang is over the moon when he meets Rachel and
invites her and Nick to spend their honeymoon in Shanghai with him, his wife
and son.
AND THAT’S WHEN ALL THE CRAZINESS MOVES TO CHINA!
Shaoyen (who thinks Rachel will be the ruin of her husband’s
career) is everything but thrilled to meet her, so leaves for Hong Kong,
followed by Gaoliang. On the other hand, Carlton is curious about his “new”
half-sister and want to know her better. Along with his “friend” Colette
Bing, Rachel and Nick are going to experience what’s like to be young and rich
in China, parting every night in the most luxurious clubs, dining in the most
exclusive restaurants and hopping on private airplaines to go shopping in
Paris, just out of boredom…
Parallel to this story, we get to know what happened to
the other characters we met in the first book:
Nick’s closest cousin, Astrid Leong-Teo's marriage survived her husband’s insicurities…
Now that’s his company is worth billions, Michael became obsessed with luxury and is all about giving everyone the portray of the perfect happy family while, in reality, his relationship with both his son and wife is on the edge of collapsing.
Now that’s his company is worth billions, Michael became obsessed with luxury and is all about giving everyone the portray of the perfect happy family while, in reality, his relationship with both his son and wife is on the edge of collapsing.
After breaking her betrothal with Alistair Cheng, former soap opera star Kitty
Pong married Bernard Tai, but he’s nowhere to be seen while Kitty is struggling
to fit in Hong Kong’s jet set and high society…
👍👎My Thoughts
If “Crazy Rich Asians” was all about Rachel and Nick, in “China Rich Girlfriend” their story is
mixed with the ones of the secondary characters, somehow interconnecting to one another… That’s why the beginning could be a bit boring and long-winded. But wait until the lead couple lands in China!
mixed with the ones of the secondary characters, somehow interconnecting to one another… That’s why the beginning could be a bit boring and long-winded. But wait until the lead couple lands in China!
If you read the first book and thought Singapore was a luxurious messed up circle of hell, well...prepare yourself because Chinese new billionaires are no joke and poor Rachel will experience first hand how extreme they can be.
Topics and situations were a bit more serious compared to CRA: we have family members estranged to one another (Nick’s grandmother doesn’t even want to hear anyone pronounce her nephew’s name in her presence) or spoiled kids who think they deserve everything, surrounded by all the glam and luxury money can buy!
This sequel was no disappointment, it has been a fun and quick read. I still don’t understand why the author decided to give Kitty Pong’s story that much of credit, maybe I’ll get the reason reading the last book.
And, FYI, be sure to read all the foot notes…they’re hilarious!!
My vote: 8/10
Crazy Rich Asians - my review HERE
Ph: covers from amazon.co.uk & goodreads.com / illustrations by Alice Tate
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