Read through page 53.

I'm probably too snooty a reader for this book, and just having enjoyed some escapism through the works of Jane Austen is perhaps a better indication that I shouldn't move on to actually trashy stuff than that I should. I was ready for silly fun! The prologue was totally fun! But after that.... meh.

First of all, I feel that an important element of a good trashy, plot-driven read is that you at least like and root for the protagonists, even if they aren't particularly deep, complex or interesting. I didn't see any reason to care about anybody here. Nick is fabulously wealthy, but seems intent on hiding this fact from his girlfriend of two years even though he's about to take her to meet his family, at which point she's clearly going to find out in the most awkward and cringeworthy possible ways. Rachel is primarily seen gazing into teacups thinking about her relationship, and having conversations with her mother in which they tell each other how close they are despite the fact that this is unusual for Chinese-American mothers and daughters, and also speculate about how possibly Nick hasn't told her anything about his family because they're poor. At which point it becomes clear that Nick has told Rachel virtually nothing about his life, and that Rachel is the most incurious person alive. And also, that the author's exposition is really clumsy.

Most of the rest of the book so far is about making the fact over and over again that these people are RICH, largely through dropping brand names right and left. And then pointing out that they're also sometimes STINGY. But nevertheless RICH.

Meh. Moving on.

I really appreciated each installment of Kevin Kwan's trilogy. I think they build on each other in a really fun way as you see characters develop. 

I just think his satirical hand mixes deftly with dynamic characterization and funny dialogue. 

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this, even more so than the first book, to be honest. Kwan's satirical style is as fun and funny as ever in poking fun of the mega rich - in this case, China rich! - but there's also a fleshing out of relationships and the introduction of new characters that is thoughtfully explored and I'm very excited to read the next book! 

Crazy Rich Asians is part parody, part sentiment, part family dramatization, part Mean Girls, and 100% engaging. All things considered, the exercise learned is that each parent needs their kid to be set up for achievement in the most ideal manner, despite the fact that the strategy may appear to be goading. It is the primary portion in an arrangement by a similar name and I am eager to proceed. Look at it!!

I listened to all three of these books in audio form, but I also had the Kindle version of the box set.  I went back and forth between the two.

The three books are not a traditional trilogy, as the focal characters shift somewhat from book to book.  The first book focuses mainly on Rachel meeting Nick's crazy-rich family when they traveled to Singapore from NYC, for the wedding of Colin Khoo and Araminta Lee.  The second focuses Rachel getting to know family members she did not know she had (I am trying to avoid spoilers!), and the third is mainly focused on Nick's ailing grandmother, and the family descending upon her estate in anticipation of her demise.  Each book has B and C stories.

The audio versions switched to a different narrator for the second book and kept her for the third.  I've complained a bit about her here.  In addition to calling earrings "yearrings" and pronouncing French words badly, she does not do any of the accents she is supposed to do.  Nick, for example, is supposed to have a posh British accent.  Rachel is supposed to have an American accent.  Everyone has the same mildly Chinese accent.  And regarding the badly pronounced French:  authors, if you are going to write that a character speaks in perfectly accented French, please ensure that your narrator does, too.