One sentence summary
Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan is a romantic comedy that follows Rachel Chu as she discovers the extreme wealth her boyfriend, Nick Young, comes from and hailing from one of the wealthiest families in Singapore.
Book genre
Romantic Comedy
Main topic of the book
The main topic of Crazy Rich Asians revolves around Rachel Chu, an NYU economics professor, and Nick Young, her boyfriend from Singapore. Rachel learns that Nick comes from one of the most affluent families in Singapore and she is immediately thrust into a foreign world of wealth.
Key ideas
- Themes of Struggle – Themes of struggle between Rachel and the traditional culture of her boyfriend’s family, as well as her own identity struggles, dominate the book.
- Romance – The book mainly centers on the theme of romance between Rachel and Nick.
- Family – The notion of family, whether biological or acquired, also plays an important role in the novel.
Main Parts of the Book and a Short Summary
- Part One – This part of the book follows Rachel as she discovers the extreme wealth of her boyfriend’s family and is thrust into a foreign world of extreme wealth. Rachel struggles to fit in due to her own modest upbringing, but she gets to experience the lavish lifestyle of the super-rich. She also spends time getting to know Nick’s friends and family, and is shocked to discover the strict cultural hierarchy amongst them.
- Part Two – After spending time with Nick’s family, Rachel develops a deeper understanding of the cultural dynamics at play. She also comes to terms with her own identity as an Asian-American. This part of the book follows Rachel as she is put in uncomfortable situations and has to reconcile her new understanding.
- Part Three – In this part of the book, Rachel comes to terms with all of the challenges and discovers that Nick is still the same person. Though Rachel’s journey is one of understanding and growth, she ultimately discovers that she and Nick are perfect for each other.
Key Takeaways
- Crazy Rich Asians is a romantic comedy that emphasises themes of family, struggle, and romance.
- The story follows Rachel Chu as she discovers the extreme wealth her boyfriend, Nick Young, comes from and hailing from one of the wealthiest families in Singapore.
- The book covers Rachel’s journey of understanding the cultural dynamics at play and coming to terms with her own identity as an Asian-American while struggling to fit in.
- In the end, Rachel and Nick reconcile and come to the understanding that they are perfect for each other.
Author’s Background and Qualifications
Kevin Kwan is a Chinese-American novelist and screenwriter, hailing from Singapore. He is best known for writing the internationally bestselling Crazy Rich Asians trilogy: Crazy Rich Asians (2013), China Rich Girlfriend (2015), and Rich People Problems (2017). He is also the executive producer of the film adaptation of the franchise. In addition, Kwan has also written the upcoming HBO Max original series The Hypnotist’s Love Story.
Target Audience
The target audience for this book is primarily adults, with a focus on high-income earners and the kind of people from the upper echelons of society. However, it is a book that can be enjoyed by everyone who is looking for a humorous insight into the world of extreme wealth and luxury.
Publisher and First Publication Date
Crazy Rich Asians was first published by Doubleday in 2013.