Hafiz Wicaksono answers “Would this book be insulting to asians?”

Mya asked this question about Crazy Rich Asians (Crazy Rich Asians, #1):

Would this book be insulting to asians?

Hafiz Wicaksono Depends. Remember that Asia is a huge place with many different cultural and socioeconomic groups, not all of whom are crazy rich. This book is more o…moreDepends. Remember that Asia is a huge place with many different cultural and socioeconomic groups, not all of whom are crazy rich. This book is more or less as representative of Singapore as The Wolf of Wall Street is of New York, or the Kardashians are of the US West Coast. If you approach it as an Asian-American reader you might just find its unapologetic Asian-ness a plus, while minority Singaporean readers (Indian/Malay) or the less well-off might not take so kindly to the book's idea of what "Asians" are like. So depending on how you feel about the book's implicit thesis of ultra-rich Overseas Chinese families as the platonic ideal of the 21st century Asian, you could either find it refreshing and progressive or horribly exclusivist and appropriative. The author also seems to tailor his presentation of Asia to Western readers and has no problem butchering certain elements (e.g. Malay terms and phrases) as he sees fit, so take that as you will.

Disclaimer: am not a Singaporean, but have lived here for a while and known a few residents from the "crazy rich" strata, both locals and foreigners. I do not speak for any of the demographic groups depicted in the book.(less)

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Crazy Rich Asians

by Kevin Kwan (Goodreads Author)

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