A review by lateromantic
Sex and Vanity by Kevin Kwan

adventurous funny lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

Very fun, very frothy in the best way, fabulously knowledgable about fabulous things like art and fashion and interior design. Plot was meh and very not the point of this kind of read, but I'd have liked to see it longer and have some of the plot beats be described in as much detail as the luscious moments.
I loved how it ended with one character -

Cecil, and everyone's attitudes towards him in the end - he wasn't portrayed as a villain or a buffoon, just the wrong man

Equally, I didn't love the ending for another character -

Charlotte. It seemed to come out of nowhere that she's nice now, and then to be dating the nicest character in the book? nah this bit was very pure fiction happy-ending.

I also loved how Kwan handled the theme of

racism - both internalised and from external sources. He really made it seem realistic what the character felt for herself and how she was interpreting others' actions, and he leaves it up to us to decide how far it was true or a problem that the characters can overcome. Perfect for this kind of frothy read - places you in a realistic world and gives an understanding of serious issues, somehow without detracting from the lightness of his book? Masterful.

My favourite part was the footnotes - charming and informative. I wish more chick lit told me about arty Chinese cinema and European trends in porcelain.

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Content Warnings

Minor: Infidelity, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Racism, and Sexual content

I also want to put a trigger for revenge porn? I think it's the most appropriate way to describe what happens (detail:

being filmed in a sexual act then trying to hide it

) - it's a (the?) major plot point, but it's not explicit, and

nothing bad happens as a consequence.