Daily Times

Mom it seems that everyone here is rich. I think I’m still in a bit of a culture shock, or maybe it’s cash shock. The way these people spend money – the houses and the planes and the dozens of maids – you need to see it with your own eyes. It’s as if the recession isn’t happening here. Everything is ultra-modern and sparkling clean – Rachel

I always had thought that these certain social behaviors and mindset that we witness in our society, and which we strongly detest, are the part and parcel of our very own motherland. But after reading ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ by Kewin Kwan, I got answers to many of my questions. Many of our social traits don’t exist because we are Pakistani; they exist simply because we are Asians and I guess these very traits are what make us different from the white Europeans.

Talking of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’, the novel gives a complete insight into the lives of Singaporean elite. Nick and Rachel, a couple of university professors living in New York develop a serious relationship within a span of two years; after which Nick invites Rachel to accompany him to Singapore for the wedding of his childhood best friend at which Nick is to be his best man. Nick wants to avail this chance as to finally make Rachel meet his family without being sure if she’s the one with whom he wants to tie the knot. Rachel not knowing that Nick comes from a vastly affluent family with oodles of money foresees it as a vacation from her work and an escape from the NYC’s life. Interestingly, before Rachel steps onto the airport of Singapore, the rumour of her arrival has already spread like a wildfire. Nearly every relative of Nick is talking about Rachel, even his mother (Eleanor).

‘Crazy Rich Asians’ wants to cut deeper, examining how Chinese-Americans feel a tension with friends and family back home who regard them as ‘too westernised’

To Rachel’s surprise, the moment they arrive in Singapore, she is scrutinised by Nick’s relatives and friends from different angles: curiosity, envy, gossipy camaraderie, inquisitive probing, passive aggression (from Nick’s mother, who chooses to be absent), and, just occasionally, genuine warmth. Some of Nick’s relatives have even hired private investigators to analyse her family. It’s there, at the meal arranged by Nick’s grandmother (Ah Ma) when through her friend, Rachel learns that Nick is actually the son of the wealthiest family on the island, heir to the dynasty, and the wedding they’re attending is the hottest event of the year being covered by every blogger and newspaper. The wealth of the Youngs, Peik Lin explains, is rooted in Singapore’s postcolonial history.

I have no idea who these people are but I can tell you one thing – these people are rich than God – Peik Lin

Despite the omniscient third-person narration, each chapter focuses on certain characters mentioning their location. The family tree drawn at the beginning saves the reader from the web of confusion. Even the division of chapters into three parts, each adorned with a quote, adds to its beauty.

Everyone that Rachel encounters in the novel is extraordinarily rich or beautiful — usually both. There’s Astrid (Nick’s cousin), whose grace and beauty are the envy of the whole of Singapore because of her love for haute couture collections; Araminta (the bride-to-be) whose private jet contains everything one could think of; Shang Su Yi (grandmother) who lives in a mysterious faux-European mansion on an estate in the middle of Singapore. the gossiping aunts and Nick’s power-hungry cousins.

But ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ wants to cut deeper, examining how Chinese-Americans feel a tension with friends and family back home who regard them as too westernised. Eleanor, the family matriarch, is displeased with the kindly, thoughtful Rachel entirely because she has grown up in America. Never mind that Rachel was raised in poverty by a single mother and had to work hard to achieve everything she has: in Eleanor’s eyes, she’s merely a self-centred American distracting Nick from his destiny of taking over the family empire.

Rachel finds it curious the way Singaporeans get obsess about food. The way their food is accompanied by hours of discussion regarding the venue and the menu.

The title page, of a novel, cannot be overlooked as it holds a very vital significance in catching the attention of its reader. Surprisingly, with such a vibrant cover, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ left me in awe and surprise, the moment I turned over its last page; for the golden title, by then, went near to invisible

Malays believe the food actually tastes better when you eat with your hands.

Kwan provides intrinsic details of the mega elites’ toy, such as a climate-controlled closet the size of an aircraft hangar, where the cashmere and furs are maintained at a lower temperature than the displays of shoes; and screens project images of models wearing each item together with dates and locations of where the item was previously worn, so that the owner will never “repeat an outfit”.

I read that there are now more millionairres in Asia than in all of Europe. Who would have ever imagined?

Many of the dialogues are so relatable that when you come across them you surely can connect. Dialogues like, I’m the only Chinese mother with an unmarried daughter who’s almost 30; I don’t want his parents to think that I did not raise you properly; due to all the hours he spent with their Filipino maid he was becoming fluent in Tagalog; Why do you always behave so provincial? You are filthy rich.

Most importantly, the title page, of a novel, cannot be overlooked as it holds a very vital significance in catching the attention of its reader. Surprisingly, with such a vibrant cover, ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ left me in awe and surprise, the moment I turned over its last page; for the golden title, by then, went near to invisible.

Published in Daily Times, November 13^th 2018.