Crazy Rich Asians

2.5 stars. Total brain candy but not really the good kind. Yet I'm sure I'll read the other two in the series just to see how much more ridiculous it can get. ( )

I only read this because my book club picked it as this month's read. It reminded me of those old-fashioned British comedies of manners but with contemporary Asians and a heavy dollop of American rom-com. Bearable if you skimmed over the descriptions of food, furnishings and fashion, and the relentless designer name-dropping. Half the characters were appalling snobs, the others were clueless but occasionally likable. I guess it was an interesting insight into a world I will never experience (thankfully).

3.5 stars

Rachel is a Chinese-American professor in New York. She has been dating history professor, Nick, for two years. Nick grew up in Singapore and was educated at Oxford. Although he is ridiculously wealthy (or his family is), he has told Rachel nothing about this, nor about his family. Rachel is in for a shock when she travels with Nick for the summer (and for Nick’s best friend (from elementary school… also ridiculously rich)’s wedding. The wedding is front page news in Singapore.

Unfortunately for Rachel, Nick has also told her nothing about his snobby, gossipy family. The family (especially his mother) who gets in their heads before they even meet Rachel that Rachel is a gold-digger, and the family will do everything they can to make sure the two never marry.

Ok, the first few chapters left me reeling and confused. There were so many characters and I never did really figure out who was who in many cases, or how they were related. Though – for most – I did figure out who the nicer friends/family were and who the horrible snobs were. Once we were introduced to Nick and Rachel, though, it got better. And some of their nicer friends I liked. In the end, I liked it, and I will continue the trilogy. ( )

If someone would have explained the plot of this to me, I probably would have said it doesn't sound like my thing. I'm usually not into just hearing about a bunch of rich people fake nice and gossip and count money and all that, but this was so entertaining. They were pretty funny. I'll continue the series. ( )

3.7