**I received an ARC from Netgalley. These are my honest opinions, and in no way was I compensated for this review.**
Book: Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
Release Date: May 23, 2017
My Rating: 4.5 stars
Summary: Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend, is back with an uproarious new novel featuring a family driven by fortune, an ex-wife driven psychotic with jealousy, a battle royal fought through couture-gown sabotage, and the heir to one of Asia’s greatest fortunes locked out of his inheritance.
When Nicholas Young hears that his grandmother, Su Yi, is on her deathbed, he rushes to be by her bedside—but he’s not alone. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe to stake claim to their matriarch’s massive fortune. With each family member vying to inherit Tyersall Park—a trophy estate on sixty-four prime acres in the heart of Singapore—Nicholas’ childhood home turns into a hotbed of backbiting and intrigue. As Su Yi’s relatives fight over heirlooms, Astrid Leong is at the center of her own storm, desperately in love with her old sweetheart Charlie Wu but tormented by her ex-husband—a man hell-bent on destroying Astrid’s reputation and relationship. Meanwhile, Kitty Pong, married to China’s second richest man, Jack Bing, still feels upstaged by her new stepdaughter, famous fashionista Colette Bing.
In this sweeping tale that takes us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, from a kidnapping at Hong Kong’s most elite private school to a surprise marriage proposal at an Indian palace that is caught on camera by the telephoto lenses of paparazzi, Kevin Kwan hilariously reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia’s most privileged families and their rich people problems.
It’s been more than 12 hours and I am still in shock over Rich People Problems. I loved the first two books, and I was wondering how this one would top them. Kevin Kwan definitely delivered with his third book (and hopefully not his last in this series). Slight spoilers ahead, but nothing major.
Rich People Problems differed from the first two in that it didn’t focus that much on all of the crazy rich Asians, their insane wealth, and how they spent it. As the summary says, Shang Su Yi is on her deathbed, and all her relatives flock to Tyersall Park for their inheritances. However, her beloved grandson, Nick, who was believed to inherit everything is banned from the house. Astrid, Su Yi’s favorite granddaughter, is facing a scandal in the media about her supposed affair with Charlie Wu and is also discouraged by the family to enter Tyersall Park. Meanwhile, Kitty Bing (nee Pong) lives in luxury but faces competition from her seemingly rebranded stepdaughter, Colette.
The only real problems I have with this book are the way the character with a mental illness is treated and the lack of Rachel, who remains in the United States for most of the book because of her job. I felt like the character with the mental illness was villified a bit too much and overall could have been handled a little better. Rachel is one of my favorite characters, so seeing so little of her upset me a lot. Also, some of the scenes she is in is mostly just to support Nick, which I understand, but some of her dialogue is so flat and doesn’t really contribute to anything, which was a bit out of character to me.
Like the first two books, this one ends pretty neatly; throughout most of the book, I was confused about how some of the plotlines were relevant to the story, but it all ties together in the end, albeit a little rushed. It does have a seemingly definite ending, but I’m still holding out for a fourth book. I’ll even settle for a novella, but please, Kevin, I’m not ready to let these characters go! But! we do have the movie coming up, which I’m so excited for!
I’m not going to spoil anything (like who gets Tyersall Park 😉 ), but I will say that I did not expect what was going to happen throughout this book. That’s what I love about this series; it’s so outrageous, you don’t know what will happen next. I loved seeing all of the characters and their antics again, and I’m definitely going to reread the whole series when Rich People Problems officially releases.
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About the Author: Kevin Kwan is the author of Crazy Rich Asians, the international bestseller now being adapted as a major motion picture. The sequel, China Rich Girlfriend, will be released on June 16, 2015. Born and raised in Singapore, Kwan has called Manhattan home for the past two decades but still craves pineapple tarts and a decent plate of Hokkien mee.
magical reads 