Crazy Rich Asians (Book Review) • Kevin Kwan

Crazy Rich Asians (Book Review) • Kevin Kwan

• Effie Cecilia •

I present to you the first in book review on this blog! 
If there are any spoilers, I will make a note right beforehand

Admittedly I read this after having seen the film, but it was just as beautiful of an experience. 
For those who are unfamiliar with the storyline, here is the synopsis that I  got from the Good Reads website! (Just in case my explanation//description is utterly horrendous.)

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 splendour 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 Jet Set; 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.

 -Good Reads

With that read, this is an unbiased review and my thoughts and opinions are entirely based on what I thought and how I felt whilst reading the story. This post will be separated into a variety of sections to make things a bit easier on the eyes! Without anymore delay, let's jump into the review!

• Storyline! 

The storyline was so interesting for me and caught my eye even before I had seen the film. I    was always interested in traditions of many different Asian cultures and without even picking up the story yet, I was drawn in. Crazy Rich Asians is a story that gives an entirely new thought of people on the other side of the world. Everyone on this side (meaning the west) of the world is so ethnocentric and egotistical when it comes to their own culture and what they're used to. But, Crazy Rich Asians takes everything I'm used to and everything people I've known my entire life have known and completely spun it around. 

The way the story goes is not where I would expect the story to go. It begins one way and tricks the reader into believing it's an everyday romance of being accepted by the love of your life's family. In turn, it is the opposite. It is a story of love (of course) but it's so much more than that. My description is generally that while it's a tale of love it's also an adventure of self acceptance in what you can't change. 

By the end, Rachel realizes that the love of her life Nick Young wants her for her and not what kind of Chinese culture she derives from whether that be Chinese-American or otherwise. The value of self acceptance is extremely relevant and it's a heavy element of Crazy Rich Asians. 

• Characters!

This section might be on the short side but there are definitely some characters that make the stories! I have my favourites (and I'm not afraid to show it.) This part of the review is going to go character by character--at least the ones that really stood out to me. 

Rachel Chu is one of our protagonists. She, for me, is the one that so many people are able to relate to. She keeps things real with the naivety in the types of people she is involving herself with for the duration of the book. She is definitely the most relatable character from my end. From a reader view, I see myself in Rachel and there is no doubt in my mind that other people either have found themselves in her character or people will. Her character development was something that seemed to happen out of nowhere and that's my only complaint. 

****Kind of a spoiler but not really****

But, what I truly found intriguing about her was that when Rachel felt as if she had lost a great love of hers, she allowed herself to cry. It wasn't because she felt as though, in order to be seen as feminine she had to cry. It was because the pain she felt was so large that it couldn't be contained. There was no need to be strong for anyone. She allowed herself to be weak. As a whole, Rachel in my eyes represented a weakness in not feeling confident in who you are. But at the same time, she was a strength that a lot people in a similar position to her character's don't even realizes they 

have.

Astrid Leong-Teo is the princess of the entire group, in my personal opinion. She is a beauty queen and her heart is so large. She is a strong character and in reality she is my favourite. She is the version of myself that I  hope to be. She's successful and gorgeous. Her taste is described as impeccable and literally--she can wear a black garbage bag with holes cut out for her limbs and her head but still manage to look stunning. Astrid knows she has style but she also is aware that's not all that matters. She indulges when she wants to because she has the capability to. Not because she feels the desire too. In the novel, it is said that every single wedding she attends, she wears the same dress because she once out-shined the bride. She doesn't crave the attention. Astrid is a character that is very complex but on the surface is simple. She has her moments and it makes me incredibly happy that in the second and third instalments of the series, she is given more time and the love she deserves. She deserves the world. The character development through the entire thing is sometimes subtle and other times abrupt but once it reaches it's final stage in Crazy Rich Asians--you'll be cheering her on. I know I did. 

Nick Young -- the incredible Nick Young. I  love Nick's character because he also didn't need the attention or even the money. He came from a lucky family but didn't want Rachel to only see that part of him. He wanted her for her, and wanted her to want him in the same way. Nick is kind and unfortunately can be oblivious to things in the sense of the way his family treats Rachel. What I  really adore is that when Rachel goes to him with the issues she's been facing while visiting his family--he listens. He might not understand at first, but he really really listens. Nick just loves Rachel so much and would do anything for him. In a way, he's the love most people want. Even if not the love part--he's a character that I'd be more than happy to be friends with. 

Eleanor Sung-Young is just wow. Her character is such a complex character. There are so many underlying reasons as to why she treats Rachel the way she does. It's not excusable but they are things that one might say is predictable or unpredictable-- depends on your specific point of view. I don't have much to say about Eleanor Young since a lot of it will bring out spoilers. To say the least, her complexity and rough edges made me want to learn more about the underlying motives and just her way around the universe everything is being set in. She is definitely a character that while I dislike in terms of personality and treatment of others, I  enjoy the aspects of learning about her ways both from the surface and beneath it.  

These are just some of the particular characters that I  have thoughts on. There isn't one character in Crazy Rich Asians that I am bored with or I feel is unnecessary. Even the side-characters that are in it tell small stories of their own while residing in the much larger one. I could honestly go on for hours about how much each individual characters made the story but I'm not going to do that. So--here are some honourable mentions in no order:

Araminta Lee for her love of luxury but still holds the capability of giving Rachel--the outsider, as many minutes in the day she can muster. 

Peik Lin Goh for the comedic aspects she brings. She also keeps Rachel grounded even when Peik Lin isn't grounded herself. That's often. 

Kerry Chu for her honest and loving nature for her daughter. She really just wanted her daughter to be happy one way or another. 

All of the characters bring something new to the table that thoroughly enjoyed for duration of my read. 

• Some General Thoughts!

Upon beginning this book, I was beyond ready to delve into the story. In my mind, the film atmosphere was so fresh and new that I was able to go into it excited. Crazy Rich Asians quickly replaced my favourite novels and series and became something that I didn't shut up about. The representation was something that the world desperately needed. It didn't just show the typical Asian-American side of things, it gave a whole new perspective of Asian descended people that many people--at least where I  am from--had no clue existed in the first place. 

As someone who was raised in a very white community, I believe that everyone is able to find something relatable in Crazy Rich Asians. Although, the story is for those (at least from my perspective) that don't fit in necessarily to what they're meant to. Rachel Chu is an interesting character representation of someone of Chinese descent living in America. She was born in America and only knows of her personal roots and ties to the U.S.. Upon visiting her boyfriend's family in Singapore, it was very clear that the difference between being American born and Chinese born affected every party involved. 

Because of this huge aspect to the novel as a whole, it put many things into my head and allowed me to think of the ways my life would be different for me if a situation similar to Rachel's occurred. I was raised in an Italian-American household and even so, if I were to visit Italy any time soon people probably wouldn't think of me as Italian at all--or very minimally for that matter. I  would feel very much like an outsider as Rachel Chu does throughout the story. 

The story never had you know what was going to happen. It was something that kept me on the edge of my seat at an array of parts. Some things kept me going more than others did. Once the first portion of the trilogy tied in, immediately, I  went in and wanted to learn more about the characters I had become attached to. Nothing about this storyline nor my experience of reading the book had made me think, 'huh maybe I shouldn't read the next one.' 

The short version of my general opinion on the story is that Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan gives many versions of belonging feels like. People who aren't of Asian descent can still related but for me personally, those who are--might feel like they found a place to confide in. Stories and novels are a beautiful way for people to express themselves and find themselves in pieces that were already there. Crazy Rich Asians does that amazingly and it kept me hooked the entire time. 

My final rating is honestly 5/5 stars.

The characters kept me motivated, the storyline moved forward with very minimal bore time, and the writing was brilliant. Kevin Kwan incorporated phrases and words from the Chinese language that also helped understand the story better for me. 

The rating isn't just me being nice because it's my first official blogged book review. I genuinely feel that Crazy Rich Asians deserves all the stars in the universe. It was beautiful and often, I    find myself thinking about the events and always relating conversation back to it. 

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is a read I recommend to anyone for the love, for the drama, and for the overall beauty of the story.