Love, scandal, lies, and street food… It’s an all you can eat buffet of intrigue and noodles in this private jet fuelled tale.

Centred around a wedding, Crazy Rich Asians is a fun, fashion (next season only)  filled romp through the lives of the insanely (and insane in some cases) cashed up Asian families involved in the nuptials. And when I say rich, I’m talking old money. According to the old moneyed characters? New money vs old money is the exact same difference between a carni and the Queen… Let’s not even talk about… Gasp!… No money…

As for the characters, who’s who in the zoo is convoluted to say the least. It’s not a family tree, it’s a forest. A hot humid one. Like the Amazon. And in many ways the families are similar to the tribes of the Amazon…  Venture too close to an Amazonian tribe’s ‘hood? Or to an unwed family member in this book? Same result. You become the wall mounted taxidermy. Metaphorically of course. It’s not a Stephen King slasher novel.

Never travelled to Asia? Read Crazy Rich Asians and you’re practically a native.  It’s visually rich, via great descriptive scene setting. The author, a gentlemen called Kevin Kwan, is a first time author, long time observer. He grew up in Singapore, so he has insight.

There is one thing I need to mention. The subtitles… To give the characters voices authenticity Mr Kwan employed  a wide range of Asian colloquialisms and cussing. Decoded via footnotes… Or subtitles… The upside of this? I learnt some very colourful new swear words. In another language. Especially useful in situations where my audience is knee-high to a grasshopper and an expletive shouldn’t be their first word… So far so handy. The downside? I was so busy reading the subtitles at times I missed reading the actual story.

Overall? An entertaining ride through Lifestyles of the Rich and (fictionally) Famous… Anyone else miss that show? Television gold. Or rather platinum. It’s far more expensive…