'Crazy Rich Asians' by Kevin Kwan review (Mild spoilers)

I must admit when I started reading 'Crazy Rich Asians' I felt alienated. Not only because I am very white but also because I am also very working class.

However I was hooked from the end of the first chapter. Buying an entire hotel to spite a racist manager is one of the sassiest actions I have ever witnessed from any character and I just had to keep reading.

While footnotes normally annoy me in novels, the footnotes in this book are very necessary to explain vocabulary and cultural differences to western audiences.

More than lively characters and an engaging story, I felt like I finished this book with a insight into a culture I previously only knew the surface of.

When I came to watch the film adaption after finishing the book, I went into it with a different attitude than I normally do. I knew that the film was going to be different to the book, this is always the case with adaptions. Instead of getting disappointed it was different I set myself up to enjoy it as its own thing.

I was not disappointed. While the film cut a scene from the book that made me cry, all is forgiven as it added a new one that also made me cry - so either way tears all round.

The scene in the book to which I am referring is when Astrid's ex, Charlie Wu, buys shares in her husband Michael's startup in an attempt to save their marriage. He does this wanting Astrid to be happy because he loves her, not for any personal gain. This essentially being his way of letting her go.

The scene in the film that made me cry was when Rachel confronts Eleanor over a game of Mahjong. Said scene ends with Rachel saying something along the lines of 'One day you will be sat playing with your grandkids and I want you to know it will be all because of me, a poor, foreign, immigrant nobody.' This scene is so powerful. Rachel has grown to realise that her worth shouldn't be based on what Nick's family thinks of her.

After reading an explanation of the scene online I am frankly blown away. If you have an understanding of the game the character's hands and actions provide so much exposition. I am in awe that an already powerful scene is made so much more powerful with context. The fact that you don't need the context to feel the power of the scene is a testament to how well written it is and the talent of the actors to execute the scene believably.

Mahjong

A Chinese cover of Coldplay's song 'Yellow' is featured during a particularly emotional scene of the film. I went to listen to it on YouTube and in the comments found a very moving letter the director, Jon Chu wrote to Coldplay:

"Dear Chris, Guy, Jonny and Will,

I know it's a bit strange, but my whole life I've had a complicated relationship with the color yellow. From being called the word in a derogatory way throughout grade school, to watching movies where they called cowardly people yellow, it's always had a negative connotation in my life. That is, until I heard your song.

For the first time in my life, it described the color in the most beautiful, magical ways I had ever heard: the color of the stars, her skin, the love. It was an incredible image of attraction and aspiration that it made me rethink my own self image.

I remember seeing the music video in college for the first time on TRL. That one shot with the sun rising was breathtaking for both my filmmaker and music-loving side. It immediately became an anthem for me and my friends and gave us a new sense of pride we never felt before...(even though it probably wasn't ever your intention). We could reclaim the color for ourselves and it has stuck with me for the majority of my life." - Jon chu

This letter really moved me and added another real life layer to the already emotional scene.

I've now seen the film twice and on the second time through, I felt even more emotional about the characters. I got goosebumps during the scene in which Eleanor tells Rachel that she 'Will never be good enough' realising that she pushes Rachel down a step to literally look down on her as she says it. It jogged more memories about the book, solidifying that I want to read the next two books in the series.

The characters in 'Crazy Rich Asians' will stay with you long after you finish reading, they are colourful and lively. Despite jumping from narrator to narrator you are immediately reminded of the character's personality and their story since they are all so memorable.

After having this book on my bookshelf for quite some time I'm so glad I have finally read it. I look forward to reading the rest of Kevin Kwan's books and am also very open to reading any other novels that provide an insight into other cultures.

Kaitlyn