Crazy Rich Asians - Kevin Kwan

A story about the rich and the famous - an entertaining read, a page turner .

Talk about rich and the famous and the Bold and the Beautiful and Beverley Hills TV series come to mind. In case of books about the uber rich, I remember reading Jackie Collins' Hollywood Wives and Barbara Taylor Bradford's characters as they dealt with tough situations, driving in their limousines and chartered flights...

Moreso, I read this book when the recent Ambani weddings were all over the paper. It seemed timely, it shows how the uber rich do it, a celebration with no limits.

The book was also made into a movie although it drew a lot of flak for various reasons. I am glad I missed it, the movie would have dented the reading experience.

Gist:

Rachel Chu decides to accompany her boyfriend Nick Young to the wedding of his best friend. An associate professor, she has no idea how rich Nick's family is, until she sees it for herself.

Will Rachel be able to put up with it or will it put her off.

What works:

• Although the book so much like an Asianised version of a Jackie Collins Novel, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The world, the beliefs the way Chinese Singaporeans look at Mainlanders is is interesting. The tendency of Singaporeans to obsess over food, the use of phrases and Malay food adds such a delicious touch to the story.

• I also enjoyed reading the footnotes and the humour with which it is explained to the foreign reader.

• My favourite was the first chapter that is slap bang and packs a mean punch. A group of drenched chinese guest walk into a hotel and claim reservation. The uptight manager refuses to admit them in. Within minutes, he is shown his place in what seems like a practical, conventional way. Hooked me right in.

• It shows up close how the rich live and their lifestyle. Very OTT but also Kwan has the skill to make it look entertaining and interesting.

What doesn't:

This is a feel good, light beach read. It is compelling and reads well. If you are looking for a literary, high brow booker prize type stuff then perhaps you should let this go.

A fun, frothy read. Read it for its novelty value - the rich Asians. 

An Unwanted Guest - Shari Lapena

Lapena's atmospheric story rises well but falls flat.

Her previous novel, The Couple Next Door was  a page turner. It had garnered a lot of praise and I was looking forward to it.
The premise and the style was amazing and I remember finishing it in a few sittings, although it became predictable after a point.
Her bios state that this Canadian writer was a lawyer and an English teacher  before turning her hand to full time writing.

Gist:

Seven guests are making their way on a windy night to an Inn in the outskirts of New York on an icy Friday evening. They all have their reasons to be there. But then weekend does not go per plan especially after a guest is found dead at the bottom of the stairs.

Since it could not have been anyone from outside - the snow had cut them off from the outside world - the needle of suspicion starts moving towards other guests. What makes it interesting is they all have a secret to hide.

Who could it be? Is the killer on a murder spree? Who will be next and why?

What works: 

• The atmosphere. Lapena creates a great setting. I could feel myself battling through the snow as  the characters drove in. I could feel the cold, the frustration at the powercuts and the edginess of the guests. 

• It reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel. Lots of people in a country house. A murder and suspects - the guests. The setting is brilliant and irresistible for any crime aficinado. Lapena puts it to good use.

• The characters. Lapena's characters are interesting and very layered, well etched, the backstory to each one is shows good planning, it adds to the story.

What does not work:

• The denouement. The way she built it was amazing, the sense of foreboding, the icehouse, is absolutely great but then it falls flat.

• The problem lies when it is time to reveal the whodunnit. The revelation is dull and from then on, gets predictable.

• Lapena has done well with this one than the other one, where there is more than one twist. However, I still felt a bit let down with the big reveal.

Once Upon A Time In The East - Xiaolu Guo

A memoir that is honest and compelling .

The author and I go back quite a way. She was one of the first writers I read after coming to the UK. Therefore a bit special. I remember the book so well - A concise English-Chinese dictionary for lovers, what a funny title but seriously the book was good. It was interesting to see how the writer created this work and I could see the connections.

So, when I was hunting for books on China, this one came up in my library. I realised it was a memoir but not that keen. I wanted fiction that would give me an insight into the chinese culture. This book gave me that and more.

Gist:

Guo was 2 when she was given away to her grandparents. She met her parents when she was 7. That in itself pushes the intrigue quotient. Further more she talks about her move from the fishing village to the compound where she lived with her parents as communists. She then traces her journey from Beijing to the cosmopolitan streets of London and her experiences as she makes the move.

What works:

• For a writer who was late to read and write, battling severe myopia that was undiagnosed for a long time. Plus to add to the mix, introduced to the English language only as an adult, it is an amazing feat indeed. Her writing style made me sit up well past my bedtime just so I could get few more pages in.

• I read this book for an insight into China and it did provide me with one. The censorship and the way of life is something that Guo is not apologetic about and is reflective of the Chinese society.

• Her perspective on life is reflective of her experiences. It is clearly and succintly conveyed in the book. 

• Guo does not seem short on courage. Her candid memoir does not try to dress up her relationships with her mother. 

• She writes with clinical detachment about some deeply personal experiences. It is amazing how she tackles tough subjects in the book, after all it is her own life. But it she makes it highly accessible to the reader.

Strangers on 16:02 - Priya Basil

A novella that offers a delicious slice, leaves one wanting for more.

I read Basil's Ishq and Mushq and loved her style. Sometime back I read Basil's personal essay in the guardian which provides the backstory for one of the characters. Linking the two made it for an enriching experience.

Basil's Ishq and Mushq was a feat - shortlisted for Commonwealth writers best first book - 2008. Commonwealth lists seem more accurate when it comes to representing some truly talented writers and I have read a few that confirms it. So this one came highly recommended on that score and for the most part I really enjoyed it.

Therefore this novella had high expectations for me and I was really looking forward to reading it.

Gist:

As the caption already mentions, a london tube journey that brings two unconnected characters together that ends on a catastrophic note.

What works:

• Her style it is amazing how she introduces the main characters and their reasons for being on the train. 

• London Tube is a great place to set a story and it was great to see a story based on it.

What doesn't:

It is a novella form after all. With its tight structure there isn't much room to play around. This could have easily been a novel.