Crazy Rich Asians

1st Chapter, can't stand narration AND I'm asian!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This would have been a great a book to listen but I am now just going to read this book.

What didn’t you like about Lynn Chen’s performance?

exaggerated

89 of 100 people found this review helpful

You're better off reading this light-hearted romp

What disappointed you about Crazy Rich Asians?

The narrator may be Chinese, but she fails to imitate the Singaporean accent, nor does she pronounce the various Cantonese, Hokkien, or Singaporean words correctly.

I obtained a physical copy of the book, and there are many useful, entertaining footnotes that have been omitted in the audiobook.

174 of 199 people found this review helpful

Entertaining, Fun Listen

If you could sum up Crazy Rich Asians in three words, what would they be?

Worth the Credit!

What other book might you compare Crazy Rich Asians to and why?

This book is totally entertaining, and it is all about money, eye candy, jet setting and living LARGE! It's not deep but that's ok - it's entertaining, and the family dynamics among the crazy rich are interesting. I also liked the love story story between Rachel and Nick. I liked both characters and was rooting for them throughout the book. This book is a little like Devil Wears Prada in tone and absorption. Again, not deep but very very entertaining.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Rachel Chu deals with the fish incident. She takes the high road and I admired her for dealing with the non stop backstabbing and gossip. She was the recipient of some serious mean girl action.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I really enjoyed this book - it's the perfect beach read type book.

Any additional comments?

I hope to see more Kevin Kwan audio books in the future!

37 of 42 people found this review helpful

Narration is horrible

What disappointed you about Crazy Rich Asians?

I had a lot of difficulty getting through the narration of this book. I speak Chinese and know how the asian dialects sound; the narrator obviously does not know either. It was painfully annoying listening to her attempts to mimic the accents and the language -- it was downright insulting at times. Her British accent was fine but anytime she tried to speak with an accent or use the Chinese words, I cringed and unfortunately, it ruined the book for me. I think I would have enjoyed the book much more if I had read it rather than listening to the narrator.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The general story is interesting.

How could the performance have been better?

A narrator who actually spoke Chinese and could mimic the accents, without being insulting

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The story kept me going or else I would have given up on it after the first few chapters.

195 of 226 people found this review helpful

Worst Narration Ever

The attempts at accents are so bad that in addition to being annoyingly distracting the delivery rarely matches the context of the dialog. Add to that vocal fry and.. cringing experience.

58 of 67 people found this review helpful

Terribly performed accents/pronunciations

The narrator’s accent is terrible and distracts from the enjoyment of the book. It would have been more believable if the narrator could more accurately (or at least more closely) say the Chinese words and better execute the accents. As it is, it is annoying and distracting.

10 of 11 people found this review helpful

Just Okay

I purchased this book because it had a pretty good rating, although I must say I was disappointed. The writing itself was great as it really painted a picture of the characters and places. But the story was lackluster, and the characters rather boring. It was honestly a little hard to get through. The only time my interest was peaked was in the final few chapters. The performance was great, but overall the book was just okay. Not something I would recommend. It is also supposed to be made into a movie, which hopefully will be better.

Thanks,
Just Being Honest

37 of 43 people found this review helpful

Annoying Narration

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Narrate the book without the exagerrated accents so we can hear the words clearly. The constant shifting back and forth of accents and voices made it difficult to follow the dialogue.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Lynn Chen?

Anyone incapapble of doing "chinese" accents. The accents in a different light could be thought of as offensive stereotypes.

You didn’t love this book... but did it have any redeeming qualities?

no

36 of 43 people found this review helpful

Terrible narration

What would have made Crazy Rich Asians better?

The narration was stilted and did not match the time if the book.

Would you be willing to try another one of Lynn Chen’s performances?

Not with the same narrator

30 of 36 people found this review helpful

A Completely Captivating Gossipy Novel

I was completely captivated by this gossipy novel about Singapore’s most rich and famous. Rachel and Nick, both young academics in New York, take a romantic trip to Singapore where Nick will be the best man in his friend’s wedding. Oh, and P.S.: Nick will also introduce Rachel to his family, no pressure. What’s more, Rachel has no idea that her humble, mild-mannered boyfriend is actually from one of Singapore’s richest families and is the most eligible bachelor in the country. Surprise! Shenanigans, schemes, and gossip ensue.

I don't know why I didn’t read this book instantly. Maybe I was worried that it would be formulaic with half-hearted chuckles? Think again, self: it's more like Edith Wharton meets Gossip Girl set in Singapore with a dash of Emily Gilmore. It’s completely funny and original, and it has what I’ve come to think of as a strong narrative voice — a quality that I love about audiobooks like Where'd You Go, Bernadette, City of Thieves, and anything by Nora Ephron. It’s almost like these stories were meant to be read out loud.

As narrator, Lynn Chen hits it out of the park with breezy humor, backstabbing relatives, and effortless accents from New York, Singapore, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Australia, England, and more. I loved everything about this audiobook and am psyched that the saga continues with two more books.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful