Crazy Rich Asians

Crazy Rich Asians, written by Singaporean-American novelist Kevin Kwan, was created with the intent of introducing a “contemporary Asia to a North American audience.” The book was published in 2013 and is told from the perspectives of its five main characters: Rachel Chu, Nicholas (Nick) Young, Eleanor Young, Astrid Leong and Edison Cheng. Rachel and Nick meet through their jobs at New York University (NYU), where Rachel is a professor of economics and Nick is a professor of history. Nick fails to mention that he’s the heir to a stupendously large family fortune, and Rachel is whisked into a world of, well, crazy rich Asians. Nick’s mother, Eleanor, is adamant that he marry someone from within their socioeconomic circle, and begins to pry him and Rachel apart. Astrid and Edison—Nick’s cousins—have their own issues throughout the novel, but it all ties back to their family’s wealth and esteemed reputation. To put it simply, mo’ money, mo’ problems. Which is better: the book or the movie?