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A review by sparky_young_upstart
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
4.0
I prioritized this book over others I had on my shelf because I wanted to make sure I read it before I saw the movie. I'd already heard plenty of great hype for it so I was excited to read it. I was slightly let down - but only slightly! - and I do think this is a really interesting book.
One thing you gotta know is that this novel isn't just about Rachel Chu and her romance with Nick Young- this is about the entire Young family, and their associates. There's a family tree diagram at the front of the book that helped, but I needed more because every time we met a character I wasn't sure if they were a one-shot or someone who'd be important later. Fortunately the characters are distinct from each other; even the ones that seem to be variations on a theme create interesting dynamics when they're in scenes together. My favourite character, though, was Astrid (Nick's cousin). Her story is very interesting and dynamic as we see her struggle to keep her marriage and family together despite everything seeming to fall apart form within. It leads to an interestingly grey moral where even though she becomes disillusioned with her and her family's lifestyle, she's become so accustomed to it that she can't give it up.
A lot of the prose is well done, and I appreciate the way Kwan can describe the lives of the Singapore elite in a way that makes them sound enviably glamorous and garishly excessive at the same time. We're meant to desire everything they have while at the same time see them as out-of-touch with reality. I can't give the same praise to the dialogue, however. A lot of it seems very stilted and formal, and sometimes seems like it's just dropping exposition.
All in all, though, I enjoyed it! I want to read the next book and I can't wait for the film, and if you like stories about old money and preposterous families then you'll definitely appreciate this.
One thing you gotta know is that this novel isn't just about Rachel Chu and her romance with Nick Young- this is about the entire Young family, and their associates. There's a family tree diagram at the front of the book that helped, but I needed more because every time we met a character I wasn't sure if they were a one-shot or someone who'd be important later. Fortunately the characters are distinct from each other; even the ones that seem to be variations on a theme create interesting dynamics when they're in scenes together. My favourite character, though, was Astrid (Nick's cousin). Her story is very interesting and dynamic as we see her struggle to keep her marriage and family together despite everything seeming to fall apart form within. It leads to an interestingly grey moral where even though she becomes disillusioned with her and her family's lifestyle, she's become so accustomed to it that she can't give it up.
A lot of the prose is well done, and I appreciate the way Kwan can describe the lives of the Singapore elite in a way that makes them sound enviably glamorous and garishly excessive at the same time. We're meant to desire everything they have while at the same time see them as out-of-touch with reality. I can't give the same praise to the dialogue, however. A lot of it seems very stilted and formal, and sometimes seems like it's just dropping exposition.
All in all, though, I enjoyed it! I want to read the next book and I can't wait for the film, and if you like stories about old money and preposterous families then you'll definitely appreciate this.