From the bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians (the basis for the acclaimed major motion picture) comes a deliciously fun story of family, fortune, and fame in Mainland China. Book Two of the Crazy Rich Asians TrilogyIt’s the eve of Rachel Chu’s wedding, and she should be over the moon. She has a flawless Asscher-cut diamond, a wedding dress she loves, and a fiancé willing to thwart his … and a fiancé willing to thwart his meddling relatives and give up one of the biggest fortunes in Asia in order to marry her. Still, Rachel mourns the fact that her birthfather, a man she never knew, won’t be there to walk her down the aisle.
Then a chance accident reveals his identity. Suddenly, Rachel is drawn into a dizzying world of Shanghai splendor, a world where people attend church in a penthouse, where exotic cars race down the boulevard, and where people aren’t just crazy rich … they’re China rich.
Look for Kevin Kwan’s latest novel, Sex & Vanity!
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I flew through China Rich Girlfriend and I’d say it was even more fun to read than that first! Again, a great beach read and a feel-good novel for anyone looking for a quick hit. The continued character development is totally fun, and the story moves along nicely. The main characters are the same from the first book but the supporting cast is totally different, so it was nice to get to know new people. Would recommend!
I’ve been reading several reviews, and it seems many people had a problem with this book versus Crazy Rich Asians. I feel the opposite. This one is such a faster read than the first! Now that we have all the families and characters and cousins, we can enjoy the antics they find themselves in.
“China Rich Girlfriend” begins 2 years after the end of “Crazy Rich Asians” and takes us further into the lives of Rachel and Nick (MCs), while also bringing to the forefront some of the other characters from the first book: Kitty Pong, Astrid Leong Teo and Michael, and others. We’re also introduced to some new billionaire families from…you guessed it, China! It’s clear from the jewels and the shopping sprees that being “China rich” is different than being Singapore rich.
What I liked here more than the 1st book is the drama of the various stories. Now, we’re getting into the plots of these characters’ lives; this is why I kept reading. If you’re a little confused by the many families, and weary of all the designer name-dropping, you get a little relief from that here.
One drawback for me that may not matter to others is the immediacy of the writing. To explain, it’s very immediate: instead of hearing the author narrate, in some places we’re getting blog posts, articles, text message threads and email conversations–we’re getting it straight from the horse’s mouth, as they say. Some readers may love this. I don’t really care for it. I like prose laid out in traditional story. If it has enough drama and is written well, it doesn’t need to be immediate. I will feel the urgency in the language.
Overall, this is a great book, and I’m looking forward to the next one!
Some fun light reading in this series
After reading Crazy Rich Asians, I expected to love China Rich Girlfriend and I was not disappointed. The second in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, China Rich Girlfriend picks up the thread from the first book continuing the stories of several ultra rich Chinese families.
One of my favorite things about these books is Kevin Kwan’s abililty to handle a large cast of characters without confusing the reader as well as his gift for making the reader care about characters that in the hands of a less skilled writer might be unlikable. While the story is thoroughly amusing there is still depth to the characters. Even the ones that seem shallow, self-centered, and clueless have a sincere humanity that shines through. While showing the amazing grandeur that makes up the lives of these characters we also get a glimpse into the intense pressure they are all under to live up to nearly inhuman standards, making the lives of these multi-billionaires often more curse than blessing. Nonetheless, the mostly light-hearted story is an amusing and delightful distraction.
Highly recommended but probably best to read Crazy Rich Asians first.
Perfect entertainment. It’s second in the series that began with Crazy Rich Asians, following many of the same characters (including my personal favorite, Astrid) and going even farther over the top with secrets and lies, glitz and glamour, wit and charm. Devoured it in a day.
This book is a delightful sequel to Crazy Rich Asians. You feel like you have traveled on a fun extravagant ride with the characters.
I wasn’t initially planning to read China Rich Girlfriend. Late last year I read – and enjoyed – Kevin Kwan’s hit Crazy Rich Asians, but still felt like one volume was enough. I was looking for a fun, light, fairly mindless read for a recent trip, though, and my mind kept drifting back to Kwan’s characters and, as luck would have it, CRG was available at the library.
China Rich Girlfriend is a sequel to Crazy Rich Asians, but set a couple of years later, with virtually none of the action in Singapore. These facts work to its advantage, as does the fact that Kwan does not devote precious pages to retelling the previous story (one of my chief complaints with Once a Midwife, for example.) He rightly puts the responsibility on the reader to know the backstory. If anything, Kwan rounds out his characters more in this second book, particularly by focusing on storylines other than those revolving around Nick and Rachel, whose wedding opens the book. (My favorite was probably the Bernard and Kitty storyline, which is sheer madness, but amused me all the same.)
Although the premise of the book and its title is that there is Crazy Rich and then there’s China Rich, I think a more accurate delineation is not around the value of the fortune, but the ways is which money is flaunted…or how one perceives others to be flaunting it. Toward the end, Kwan even slips in a bit of sly social commentary on the state of wealth in a China where the uber-rich build “green” havens for themselves, while owning the factories that spew the pollution unto others. This would, presumably, be in contrast to Singapore, where the environment is a national priority and the safety net is very, very real.
(This review was originally published at https://www.thisyearinbooks.com/2019/02/china-rich-girlfriend.html)
Loved every page of this, and now I understand how the word “frothy” can be used to accurately describe this book, as it was formerly used by the Conde Nast Traveler. The amount of drama across all character platforms coupled with the pure decadence of wealth makes this story stand out in an epic way, one that you won’t soon forget and will have you itching for more glamour! This second installment was much more decadent and “rich” than the first installment, but it is just as good!! I can’t wait to dive into the third book!!!
Second verse, same as the first!
I thoroughly enjoyed the second in the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, and can’t wait to start book three. This is much different from the super nerdy sci-fi and dark thrillers I usually read, but I’m having a good time indulging in some seriously fluffy chick-lit.
After reading “Crazy Rich Asians” I just had to order ‘China Rich Girlfriend’ and was happy I did. I have been immobilized by a broken leg so was great for passing the time while following doctor’s orders to rest. All the characters are just t hat, crazy, filthy rich, status conscious and enjoyable.
I have to say, I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the first in the series, Crazy Rich Asians. I listened to it on audio, and the change in narrator, in my opinion, was not a positive one. It took a lot for me to get past the narration and I found the first half of the book pretty slow. It did pick up in the latter parts of the book, but I found the twist a little forced. I will be continuing to the third book in the series as I’ve been told it wraps up in a satisfying way… we’ll see…
Read the trilogy after seeing the movie. Much more detailed characters and back story on them. A little hard to remember all the names, but doable. Very informative on Asian customs. Really ties up the story and updates all characters. Hopefully, will see another book. Highly recommend all three books.
Absolutely love it! Great character development from the first book and a new and interesting plot with the same beloved characters.