11 crazy addicting books to read if you loved Crazy Rich Asians
Crazy Rich Asians is one of our favorite movies of the summer. Of the whole year, even. If you haven’t seen it yet, Crazy Rich Asians tells the story of Rachel, an American-born Chinese woman who agrees to spend the summer with her boyfriend Nick in Singapore. She’s ready to meet his family and is expecting a quiet, relaxing visit. But when Rachel arrives, she’s not prepared for what she finds: Nick’s family is rich. Like, crazy rich.
The movie, starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Gemma Chan, Lisa Lu, Awkwafina, Ken Jeong, and Michelle Yeoh, is a big win for Asian representation in Hollywood. And if you didn’t know, Crazy Rich Asians is based on Kevin Kwan’s novel of the same name. While there are some differences between the book and the movie adaptation, both are extremely fun and satisfying—and will leave you wanting more.
After seeing the film, if you’re hungry for even more stories about family heritage, cultural expectations, and social climbing, dig into these 11 crazy good books like Crazy Rich Asians.
1What We Were Promised by Lucy Tan
Lucy Tan’s novel tells the story of the Zhen family who returns home to Shanghai after living the American dream in the states. Once they’re back, they’re welcomed into an elite community of people who’ve done the same. It’s a thought-provoking novel about meaning and belonging.
2The Windfall by Diksha Basu
If you’re on the hunt for books like Crazy Rich Asians, you can’t miss The Windfall, a humorous, heartfelt novel about a modest family in India that suddenly comes into a large sum of money.
3The Darlings by Cristina Alger
It’s Crazy Rich Asians with a side of scandal. And you’ll love every minute of it.
4Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw
Phoebe, Gary, Justin, Yinghui, and Walter are five people trying to make it in Shanghai. Through alternating narrators, Five Star Billionaire shows how their hopes, dreams, and stories are connected.
5Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng
Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You is a darker novel about a Chinese American family in Ohio in the 1970s. After Marilyn and James’ daughter Lydia commits suicide, they struggle to understand what could have caused her to make such a permanent choice.
6The Wangs vs. The World by Jade Chang
This isn’t a story of rags to riches, but of riches to rags. When a wealthy immigrant family loses it all, they embark on a road trip across the U.S. And as you can probably imagine, hilarity ensues.
7The Knockoff by Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
Because sometimes, you just need to read another lighthearted book about the lives of crazy rich people.
8Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li
Number One Chinese Restaurant, a novel about the employees at the Beijing Duck House, is a delicious family drama that will leave you wanting seconds.
9Everything Was Goodbye by Gurjinder Basran
Meena feels torn between the old-world customs of her traditional Indian family and the enticing freedom of life in North America. When she falls in love with Liam, he asks her to run away with him, forcing her to make a very difficult choice.
10China Rich Girlfriend by Kevin Kwan
If you’re dying to know what happens to Rachel and Nick next, you don’t have to wait for a potential Crazy Rich Asians movie sequel. You can just pick up the next book in the series. Though I will say, you might want to read the original book first, because the movie has a slightly different ending.
11Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan
Oh, did I mention that Crazy Rich Asians is a trilogy? Because Crazy Rich Asians is a trilogy. And obviously, you need to pick up the third installment, too.
Happy reading!