One heirloom, many wolves

There are books that you read just for the sake of reading. There are books that make you skip a bundle of pages to avoid the dullness. And then there are books that don't allow you to skip even a single page. Rich People Problems is one such book.

The final book of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, Rich People Problems came out in 2017 and added to the trilogy's international fame.  It is the most popular book in the trilogy for all the right reasons.

Nicholas Young's grandmother Su Yi, the owner of Tyresall Park, is going to die soon. Despite no communication in five years, the news brings him to Singapore. The interconnected Shang-Young clan also rushes to Tyresall Park from all over the globe. Though it seems like they all are very concerned about Su Yi's health, it's just on the surface. Their main motive is to grab their own shares of the matriarch's fortune by impressing Su Yi in their own ways before she caves in to her illness. The gathering of the whole clan turns into a series of dramatic events as everyone has their eyes glued to the estate. One wants to outshine the other in impressing Su Yi and earning a bigger share in the will. All the characters from the family tree come to life in this novel, and so there are many characters with their own traits and problems to focus on than only one. For instance, Nicholas has to deal with his contempt for his crazy rich family, Astrid and Charlie have a relationship to build amidst media interference, greedy Eddie and his mother anyhow have to impress Su Yi and tarnish Nicholas' reputation. Because there are many other important characters alongside them, the storyline is alive with excitement and diversity. This book has everything in right proportions, not even a single aspect is overdone. What I loved most was how I could perceive certain things from each character's POV and all of them seemed to play important roles in their own situations. The story development was on point. It kept swinging back and forth, shedding light on past history when necessary. Drama and tension erupted just where they were needed. It wasn't monotonous at all. It was like everything placed perfectly in their right position.

In case you didn't know, Arowanas are given face jobs if they're in a rich household's luxurious aquarium. Yes, you heard it right, and like this particular example, author Kevin Kwan portrays how extravagant the elite classes are and shows the readers a lifestyle that is only desirable (like, who wouldn't want to turn an aeroplane mid-flight because of an emergency?). Though the story is mainly based in Singapore, it takes place in many other parts of the world for a decent period of time. Also, from Shah Rukh Khan serenading a couple to Ed Sheeran singing at a wedding, the pages boast a cluster of star studded mentions. Plus, Kwan describing the minute details of everything starting from French couture to architectural establishments to mouth watering cuisines is something you can't miss.

If you are up for an exciting read, then Rich People Problems is for you. It will take you to the megacities, hidden islands, private villas, and give you a first person view of some deep-rooted family drama and the ever growing conflicts that stem from it.

Shah Tazrian Ashrafi wants his life to be like stormtroopers: always missing easy kill shots.

Send him prayers at tazrian1234@gmail.com