Reviews

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

luchacabra's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

janagaton's review against another edition

2.0

I rarely ever watch the movie before finishing the book it's based on, but this was an exception, and I'm glad I decided to do that because I actually enjoyed the movie more, and it helped me appreciate the rest of the book more than I would have. It was a slow read for me, and I know the whole point of the book is to exaggerate the superficiality of these insanely wealthy people, but it just felt like too much in writing. The movie was very well-crafted, though, and it made me cry!

rackncheese's review against another edition

emotional funny tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Was expecting to like this, but was not expecting to get so into it! The audiobook narrator is legitimately so good, and she really added to the experience for me. It was easy to read/listen to what was going on, and I was deeply invested in the lives of all the characters. This was so good!

gabumafoo_medic's review against another edition

fast-paced

4.25

lucyhansen's review against another edition

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

annaeslane's review against another edition

funny lighthearted slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This is one of the harder audiobooks I’ve ever tried to get thru. I’ve DNF this book so many times. Unfortunately, the movie is better. But the last hour of the story is dramatically different from the movie and makes me interested in what happens the second book. But it took me 6 years to get through so I doubt I’ll start the sequel. That being said I think the story was good, just not a good audiobook. 

adoereading's review against another edition

4.0

I spent 3/4 of this book listening to the audio but then it had to be returned so I checked out the eBook for the rest.

I enjoyed listening to the story of these family. The reader’s voice was able to capture each character and made the experience wonderful.

To read the last fourth of the book was delightful as I had these voices for these characters. I was deep into the story and needed to figure out how it would all play out.

I cannot wait to pick up the next book to see more of Rachel’s story, see how Nick’s family takes in that their information was wrong, and what Astrid will do.

lbarsk's review against another edition

4.0

SO MUCH FUN! I read this book because of the newsletter Two Bossy Dames, which has recommended it several times. I look forward to reading the other two books in the series when I get back to Brooklyn and can check them out of the library. :)

A particularly great beach read -- filled with #drama, clever use of footnotes (I LOVE when authors do footnotes well), and gossipy. I'm curious to see how they're going to turn this into a movie, given how the book jumps POV often and has several story threads. I particularly liked the narrator's voice (though it is unclear if that's supposed to be Kwan or just an random third party narrator), which makes readers feel as if they're being let in on one big secret.

ametakinetos's review against another edition

4.0

What an interesting, if highly dramatized and absurd, look into a totally different culture - a distinguished level of the elite that we can hardly imagine, much less encounter in real life. Kwan does a good job of explaining the ins and outs of these "crazy rich Asians" and juxtaposing the generational, geographical, and economic disparities between characters and their respective backgrounds. I especially enjoyed having the foil of Astrid and Michael to show the dangers of Rachel and Nick pressing forward without seriously thinking of the consequences.

But I must confess that in committing the bookworm sin of watching the movie first, I also drew a rare conclusion: The movie was better. Eleanor's cycles of insipidity and Nick's total cluelessness, which achieve satisfactory development and stabilization in the movie, feel unforgivable in the book. While Astrid was still my favorite and exploring her inner turmoil with the affair gave greater insight to her character, having the

Spoiler

affair all turn out to be some big ploy by Michael just did not sit well. Astrid deserves better! Her ice-cold retribution moment in the movie was so much more satisfying

.

Still would recommend the read, even with its shortcomings (and the odd painful "woman written by a man" moments) for the tidbits of Singapore culture and language. If you don't have the time, though, the 80-minute movie will do just fine. Any excuse to look at Henry Golding, right?

lorabgreen's review against another edition

adventurous funny lighthearted mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0