Crazy Rich Asians book review

Crazy Rich Asians (Crazy Rich Asians, #1) by Kevin Kwan
Published by Doubleday on June 11, 2013
Pages: 403
Goodreads

Crazy Rich Asians is the outrageously funny debut novel about three super-rich, pedigreed Chinese families and the gossip, backbiting, and scheming that occurs when the heir to one of the most massive fortunes in Asia brings home his ABC (American-born Chinese) girlfriend to the wedding of the season.

When Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home, long drives to explore the island, and quality time with the man she might one day marry. What she doesn't know is that Nick's family home happens to look like a palace, that she'll ride in more private planes than cars, and that with one of Asia's most eligible bachelors on her arm, Rachel might as well have a target on her back.

Initiated into a world of dynastic splendor beyond imagination, Rachel meets Astrid, the It Girl of Singapore society; Eddie, whose family practically lives in the pages of the Hong Kong socialite magazines; and Eleanor, Nick's formidable mother, a woman who has very strong feelings about who her son should--and should not--marry. Uproarious, addictive, and filled with jaw-dropping opulence, Crazy Rich Asians is an insider's look at the Asian JetSet; a perfect depiction of the clash between old money and new money; between Overseas Chinese and Mainland Chinese; and a fabulous novel about what it means to be young, in love, and gloriously, crazily rich.

I picked Crazy Rich Asians up purely because I had watched the film and I wanted to see what the book was like in comparison. I actually really loved the story and finding more about the culture and the different characters. One thing that I wasn’t too keen on was the fact that I was reading it on my Kindle and using the footnotes feature every couple of minutes ruined the flow of reading it for me. But then I don’t know whether if I hadn’t had the footnotes whether I would have enjoyed it quite as much as I did. Overall this was a really nice read and I think the film was actually quite a good adaptation of the book.

I think the characters of Crazy Rich Asians is what makes this book so great they are so lovely and well put together that they move the plot on in such a nice pace and keeps you guessing all the way through. I loved learning about each character’s lives and their different cultures and traditions. They became the meat of the story and I think they were the best part of the book and they were what kept me reading.

I loved the comedy moments that littered their way all the way through Crazy Rich Asians. I think I actually laughed out loud throughout all of this book, but then I also felt my heart break through the hard moments. I think that’s what this book does even better is be able to make you laugh one moment or want to cry the next. I love books where it becomes an emotional rollercoaster and you’re not sure what’s going to happen next and that unpredictability is what you end up craving.

I don’t think there are many worst bits in this book, I think the only complaint I have would be the footnotes, I wish they had just put the information into the text.

I would definitely recommend this book. It has everything that I wanted within a book, laughs, tears and great characters. There was such a nice pace with this book and I have to say this book was definitely not ruined by the fact that I watched the movie in fact if anything it enhances it. Which was not something I ever thought I would say about a film about a book.

What did you think about the film? Have you read this book? Let me know what you thought!