Crazy Rich Asians: A Fun, Summer Must-Read!

Crazy Rich Asians – You won’t be able to stop laughing.

Let me just start off by saying that I read this book in 4 days. Seriously it was that good. I couldn’t put it down. I probably could have read it faster, but you know: life – responsibilities – work. Now this book has been out for about five years, so why did I wait till just now to read it? Because of the movie. The movie is coming out this summer in August, and I just watched the trailer on Youtube, it looks like so much fun. So I wanted to read the book before I watched the movie. Honestly I think I’m gonna read the book a second time before I go and watch the movie.

This is my official first book review for Chic-N-Pink and I’m so excited. I’m going to try to do at least one book review a month (two at the most). This will be part of the lifestyle category for CNP. Reading is a very important part of my lifestyle, it is one of my most favorite past times (reading is very meditational & relaxing for me), and I hope to connect with other voracious readers as well.

FYI, there will not be any spoiler alerts in my book review for Crazy Rich Asians.

Crazy Rich Asians – “Opulence And Zaniness Reign.” – O, The Oprah Magazine

I was hooked as soon as I read the Prologue: The Cousins. Twelve pages in to this book I knew I was going to enjoy a wild and hilarious ride. I’m not gonna ruin it for anyone who hasn’t read it, but let me just say that Eleanor Young and family are crazy, crazy rich. Author, Kevin Kwan, nailed it in the first few pages as he successfully describes how powerful and influential these main characters are.

I guarantee if you walk into a bookstore, read the prologue, you’ll wanna buy it and take it home and devour it immediately.

The book starts off in New York, 2010. The author introduces us to the two main characters – Rachel & Nick. Nick has just invited Rachel (his girlfriend) to his best friend’s (Colin) wedding in Singapore and to meet his large family. They’re a young, successful couple that have been together for about two years, and they live a modest life in New York. Rachel is an economics professor and Nick is a history professor and they both teach at the same university. Up to this point, Rachel has no clue that Nick belongs to a rich dynasty, but Nick is going to use this trip to expose her to the way he was raised in Singapore. And that is where all the fun & trouble begins!

EXTRAVAGANCE: Let’s see, do you have thousands and thousands of dollars to fly to Singapore first class? Can you stay a whole month in a 5 star resort? Do you have an unlimited budget to buy haute couture clothing? No. Bummer, me neither. No worries my friend, pick up this book, relax, and you can live out your wildest fantasies without having to spend a dime. The author claimed in an article that he had to constrain himself when writing this book because his publisher claimed that the readers wouldn’t believe the amount of opulance described in his National BestSeller, but Kevin Kwan has personally seen and experienced this type of grandiose living in Asia.

FOOD: “Welcome to Singapore…where arguing about food is the national pastime.” Kevin Kwan describes the food in Singapore so accurate that my mouth was watering and my stomach was grumbling the entire time I was reading. Nick & Rachel eat a lot throughout their trip. In fact, all the main characters do a lot of eating. Their first Singapore dining experience was at Lay Pa Sat -“old market” an open-air pavilion that houses a bustling hive of food stalls (where the masses come to worship food). The author expertly describes as Rachel and Nick and Colin and Araminta (Colin’s fiancé) eat char kuay teow (rice noodles flash fried with seafood, egg, and bean sprouts in a dark soy sauce), or orh luak (a fried omelet with oysters), and Hikkien-style noodles in a thick garlicky gravy.

FAMILY & FRIENDS: Peik Lin – is Rachel’s best friend and she is my favorite character in the whole book. I lover her so much. She has a great heart, and she is such an amazing friend to Rachel. And yeah, she’s crazy rich too, wish she was my best friend. Astrid – is my second favorite character, she is awesome when it comes to shopping. She travels to Paris for a month at a time just so she can shop the latest and greatest couture. Astrid is a part of the elite, but she doesn’t follow the rules, she makes her own rules. She was once nicknamed “The Goddess” by her peers and all the men worship her. Edison Cheng – was my least favorite character, and I’m sure the author portrayed him as a villain on purpose. This guy is rich, super rich, but it’s never enough for him. It upsets him that his parents are frugal, and that they don’t know how to enjoy their money. Bernard Tai (hilariously inappropriate) – hosts wild parties with the best drugs, he jet-sets around the world, and is Asia’s biggest bon vivant. Only arrives to the most luxurious destinations with the hottest babes and does everything in a flamboyant style. Actually, there were so many fun and interesting characters in this book it is impossible to include them all in this book review. But let’s just say that Kevin Kwan wrote them all out so perfect, you’ll become emotionally attached to them by the end.

You’ll Enjoy Crazy Rich Asians If You Like:

• Traveling
• Fashion
• Food
• Luxury shopping
• Chic literature
• If you have a big family or a controlling mother
• The Hangover (2009 movie)

Crazy Rich Asians – “Funny, Witty, Sexy” – ChicNPink.com

This is a fun literary masterpiece that provides readers a window into a world that most will never know or ever be apart of. 95% of this book is lighthearted, but the author does a great job of reminding us that there is more to life than money, stature, luxury cars, and mansions. Because the majority of people on earth struggle to have a comfortable life with safety, food, shelter, and clean water. The way that these rich, Asians ostracize and look down at each other, their families and individuals is agonizing to read. It’s honorable that Kevin Kwan describes and brings forward the good and the bad.

You guys, read Crazy Rich Asians ASAP! The movie will be out soon, enjoy the book first and go watch the movie to see how it compares. Questions? Or have you already read the book? Let me know in the comment section below.

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