REVIEW: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan
When New Yorker Rachel Chu agrees to spend the summer in Singapore with her boyfriend, Nicholas Young, she envisions a humble family home and quality time with the man she hopes to marry. But Nick has failed to give his girlfriend a few key details. One, that his childhood home looks like a palace; two, that he grew up riding in more private planes than cars; and three, that he just happens to be the country’s most eligible bachelor.
On Nick’s arm, Rachel may as well have a target on her back the second she steps off the plane, and soon, her relaxed vacation turns into an obstacle course of old money, new money, nosy relatives, and scheming social climbers. (Via Goodreads)
Review
I had never heard of the book Crazy Rich Asians before the movie came out last year but after seeing it (three times in theaters!) I knew I had to give it a listen. Listen I did but for me, unfortunately, the book did not have quite the same as its film counterpart.
That's not to say there isn't plenty to enjoy about Crazy Rich Asians because their absolutely is. This just happens to be a sufferer of that rarest of all diseases: the movie being better than the book. I find most book-to-film adaptations deplorable for their lack of faith in the original text, but in this case, all the many deviations were a clear improvement.
The biggest issue with the book is the lack of likable characters, there wasn't one of them that I didn't find completely unlikable. It is clear that Mr. Kwan spent a great deal of effort making his characters into believable people but ultimately this realism was a detriment to the overall book. The film did not ignore the characters' flaws, it just smoothed them out into more understandable and ultimately likable figures.
Other than the characters, the problem I found most grating was the lack of story focus. Had I not seen the movie before I don’t think I would have realized the extent of the issue. There are so many storylines, plot points, and deviations throughout the book that either does not add to the overall message or are so briefly touched. Coming from the more focused perspective of the movie these detours are glaringly obvious and feel more like padding than plot.
If you are interested in the idea of this book it wouldn't be a waste of your time to give it a listen. However, if you have seen the movie and are looking to experience the original you might be walking away disappointed.
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ReplyDeleteAn extremely engaging book to read the when you are about to travel in Singapore, which I quickly did as of late. The title summarizes it truly well, the characters are Asian, ridiculously wealthy and some of them so fixated on appearances and cash that demonstration in a truly insane manner.
ReplyDeleteWhat I preferred most about Crazy Rich Asians were the parts where they depicted the energizing city of Singapore.