china rich girlfriend

Man do I have mixed feelings about this series. It is a well-written, funny, fast, lighthearted read, and the protagonists are likeable, and the descriptions of various meals leave me hungry, but the insane cataloging of everything rich people do in Asian circles kind of make me want to throw up.

I feel like there's such a weird contrast with all the press Black Panther is getting for being inspirational to so many black people (and honestly, to me, too), and the upcoming press with the movie version of Crazy Rich Asians. Yes for representation, but does representation really have to take the form of overwhelming privilege? (I couldn't imagine buying out theaters for Asian/American kids to see this movie, you know?)

I mean you could argue that Rachel Chu, the protagonist, is nothing like the rest of the characters, but the actual title of the first book is Crazy Rich Asians, and the second is China Rich Girlfriend.

Nevertheless, I did find a lot to identify and crack up over, including descriptions of the politics of red envelopes, the different descriptions of how the aunties traveled to Paris and spent all their time heating up ramen in their luxury hotels because they couldn't stand all the cheese, the prejudices of Mainlanders/Singaporeans/HongKongers, etc. Those things were genuinely funny and really reflective of a lot of the dynamics in the Asian social groups I know. Also funny - when they're in Beijing and ask where the best xiu long bao is, and they're like, Din Tai Fung. :D

Side note: the Din Tai Fung in the Americana mall in Glendale is actually way better than the one in Arcadia. You still have to wait an hour if you get there after 11, though.