This review originally posted at More Than Just Magic 
 Crazy Rich Asians is like Dallas meets Downton Abbey in Asia. I can think of no better description. 
 Nick's best friend is getting married back in Singapore and he see's this as the perfect opportunity to spend a summer with his girlfriend - Rachel - in Asia. And for her to finally meet his family. What he doesn't tell her is that his friend's wedding is the social event of the year, and that family he wants her to meet? They're rich. Supremely rich. Crazy rich. It's a fantastic premise and one that lives up to all your expectations - it's hilarious, it's smart, it's well plotted and it offers some interesting insight and commentary into the lives of the super rich. 
 Crazy Rich Asians is dramatic. I compared it to Dallas and Downton Abbey above. And those comparisons are totally apt - this book is full of twists and surprises but more importantly it's filled with drama and scandal! It had me hanging onto every page waiting to see what this crazy group of people would do next. No one could be trusted and you were always waiting to see who would stab who in the back. This scandal is also what gives the book its comedic edge. Crazy Rich Asians is a satire and you can't help but giggle at some of the over the top schemes that are carried out. Especially those of Nick's mother and cousins. 
 Crazy Rich Asians is chock full of interesting characters - some loveable, some intensely despicable. Normally when a book has such a huge cast of character I have trouble keeping them straight. When I read War and Peace I had to keep a special bookmark on hand with all the characters names and who they were so I could keep them straight in my head. But this didn't seem to be a problem while reading Crazy Rich Asians. Everyone had such distinct personalities. I may not be able to recite everyone by name but I do remember who they are and how to connected to the larger plot. 
 There is so much detail throughout this story. Kevin Kwan truly did a fantastic job of bringing Singapore to life on the page. From the architecture, to the food, to the clothes. It was brilliant. This was a whole different world to me. I've never been to Asia but after reading this book I am dying to take a trip over there. Particularly for the food. They ate so much food in this book and it all sounded fantastic. I also loved the footnotes. Scattered throughout the book they were used to explain slang, or menu items or just general customs. The footnotes were my favourite part of the book. They were funny and insightful and expertly placed - I never felt like I had to pause the story just to read them. 
 Recommendation: Crazy Rich Asians is a funny and smart summer read. It's definitely one you'll want to throw in your beach bag or read out by the lake. Highly recommended.