iunes 's review for:

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

4.0

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“Remember, every treasure comes with a price.”

HUGE props to the audiobook, read by Lynn Chen, which brought so much life and gusto to the story and characters. definitely give it a try if you like audiobooks.

reading this book felt like a summer afternoon with a best friend, talking about whatever and whatsoever. it felt like gossiping - only that it was better than that, since it's about rich people that don't even exist (and thus takes the guilt and odd dismay i usually feel every time i hear my parents gossip). it was mindless, hilarious chatter that has you rolling your eyes and exclaiming "oh, rich people!".

i also loved the variety of topics within: motherly (possessive, cough) love, power of tradition and old habits, how no amount of wealth can ever satisfy all your needs... i could go on and on. i've seen many people also mentioning they felt represented since all characters and plot are set in an asian background, traditions, history and such, which has me very happy. sure, you don't need to feel represented to love a novel, but it won't hurt to see yourself in one. it creates a stronger emotional bond.

there was this splendour, prosperous lustre to everything too: all the descriptions have you floating on a sparkling rainbow, savouring the scenes with your imagination. (your mind is always the best production company out there, since there's no budget cuts to what you can dream inside your head ;)).

on the other side, once i finished the book, i had the feeling that some characters were barely developed (rachel was one example, even if she was the main character), and i fail to understand if it is because they're only secondary, used merely for plot device, or if the author just didn't work on it. then again, i got the feeling that they were not meant to be perceived as real or even compared to reality. more than characters, it's like they were exaggerated caricatures sometimes, whose lines only got thinner once their walls broke down and they became more emotional, more vulnerable.

it also got a bit too much telenovela-ish towards the end, which frustrated me.

Spoiler

it took me a GOOD while to understand that michael had an inferioty complex and was letting all that get in the way of his marriage... and to pull a prank like that?? it's just vile, not the sacrificing act he thought it was. it also can't not feel like a sick excuse.

. but then again, one has to have to live up to the crazy rich asians title, don't they? and i had SO MUCH FUN. i found myself laughing out loud at so many parts, and much like a noisy person, dreading to know more and more of the twists and turns the lives of these people were about to take.

i recommend this book if you want something to laugh and just relax. if you don't feel like reading it, i also recommend watching the 2018 adaptation, which wasn't as great, but it's good enough that has you feeling a similar, colorful array of emotions.
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this was SO GOOD.... let me just clean my face from all the tears shed after watching the adaptation and ill get back in a second to review this