It’s been two years since the dramatic events of Crazy Rich Asians, but the intrigue around Rachel Chu and Nick Young isn’t over yet. The pair are set to finally get married (with or without the blessing of Nick’s family), but surprisingly this doesn’t end up being the main event of the novel - in fact it barely even features, aside from a dramatic entrance by Nick’s mother via helicopter during the rehearsal. Eleanor Young may have a penchant for blowing things out of proportion, but in this instance she is actually the bearer of good news. After a chance encounter in London, she discovered who Rachel’s birth father is, which sets off a whole new round of melodramatics! The story is even more ridiculous than last time, as Nick and Rachel are caught up with Rachel’s half brother Carlton and his socialite/fashionista girlfriend who have them running around China, Singapore, and Hong Kong, before a crescendo of luxury in Paris. Being a total outsider and having been raised without wealth, Rachel is once again wowed by the level of indulgence that these circles engage in, but she stands her moral ground and refuses to engage in their petty games and poor behaviour. Kwan’s novel definitely seems to revel in the decadence of these rarified people, dropping brand names left right and centre in a show of conspicuous consumerism, but underpinning everything is a veiled critique of the lapsed morals that an abundance of wealth can bring. It may be nice to have high tea at the Mandarin, but jealousy, ego, and greed are never in vogue. There’s one more novel to go in the trilogy, so I am curious to see if Rachel, Nick, and their many friends and family are able to work things out for a happy ending or not… ( )

I read and enjoyed the first book in the trilogy, Crazy Rich Asians, but found this one disappointing. It felt as though the author was trying to recreate the same novel, only in mainland China instead of Singapore.

Two years have passed since the last book ended, and Rachel and Nicholas are about to get married, without his family's knowledge. Eleanor, however, has unearthed secrets about Rachel's family and will stop at nothing to make sure Nick knows before he ties the knot. ( )

Over the top but charming. ( )

Great sequel.... ( )

I read Crazy Rich Asians to see what the fuss was about and was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed it. Not that I approve of conspicuous consumption and ostentation but like seeing a wreck on the highway I just couldn't pass by and not look. I see these overly rich characters as shallow and misguided and I think that is the authors intention. I hope so, thought I am afraid that some readers will admire them. I said I wasn't going to read book #2 but I did. Perhaps I will read #3 as well. So read it, enjoy it, but don't try to emulate it. Nobody needs to live in a 40,000 square foot house or have a 300 foot yacht and a jumbo jet to travel in alone, Kwan shows us that these his overly rich characters are not better for their wealth but instead are quite shallow and obsessed with their status and rank. ( )