Rich People Problems

Written by Kevin Kwan

Narrated by Lydia Look

Brought to you by Penguin.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

'Flashy, funny ... Delicious ... A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that's a pure pleasure to read.' USA Today

Nicholas Young's grandmother Su Yi is on her deathbed. While he rushes to be by her bedside, he's not the only one. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe to stake claim on their matriarch's massive fortune. With all parties vying to inherit a trophy estate in the heart of Singapore, Nicholas's childhood home turns into a hotbed of sabotage and scandal.

Taking us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, Kevin Kwan's final installment in this irresistible trilogy reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia's most privileged families and their rich people problems.

© Kevin Kwan 2019 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cornerstone Digital
• Release date: Jun 25, 2020
• ISBN: 9781473587632

Kevin Kwan

Kevin Kwan is a contributing to writer to SOMA magazing and the author of I Was Cuba. He is also a sought-after creative consultant to clients such as The New York Times and Rockwell group.

Reviews for Rich People Problems

[flowercreek · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Read Crazy Rich Asians because it was being made into a movie. Read China Rich Girlfriend because I had to find out what happened after Crazy Rich Asians. Read Rich People Problems because this series has become a bizarre guilty pleasure between other reads.

[lbswiener · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rich People Problems is a very long book. It is nice that the author wrote a beginning, middle and end; wherein all of the characters problems were tied up nicely. Only three and a half stars were given in this review because the story just went on and on.

[secondhandrose_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this final book in the trilogy. Some real LOL moments and great storylines.

[briars_reviews · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Rich People Problems is the finale to the best-selling Crazy Rich Asians series.

This time around, the matriarch of the family, Su Yi, is dying and the entire family flock to come see her. You might be thinking, because they desperately love her? Oh no, because they would like a piece of that cash, and property, and jewelry and whatever else rich people hold. But that's not all! Oh no! Astrid and Charlie become a scandal when his wife loses it over their affair, Rachel and Nick seem to be enjoying blissful married life, Eddie wants respect, and Kitty still seems crazy.

The first book in this series blew my socks off and the sequel felt kinda meh. The third book in this series didn't hit me well either, which left me feeling super disappointed.

The thing is, this book is SUPER well written. I absolutely love Kevin Kwan's writing! Not only does he have a unique, easy-to-read, yet super descriptive style but he also makes it super educational. I don't know a lot of the terminology and words from other languages, so I loved being able to take a peek inside of this world. This book is also packed tight full of wild drama and crazy rich people! What's not to love?

I think my biggest problem with this book is that there are so many characters to follow, and I really only wanted to follow the lives of Rachel, Astrid and Araminta. Everybody else didn't connect with me and I just felt very bored seeing into their lives. The funny thing is, their lives aren't boring! I just wanted way more of the characters I fell in love with during book one. In my mind, a lot of this book didn't need to be there to make it good. It felt like a lot of these characters were filler, but maybe that was just me.

The other little thing that irked me - the last book focused so heavily on Rachel and then she basically disappeared. It hurt a little, since she was one of my fave characters, but it's likely Kevin didn't have much else to do with her. I would have really liked to see her more... Honestly, this made me lose interest more than anything.

Despite the fact that I didn't enjoy this book, I still believe it was super charming. It's lovable, quirky and absolutely hilarious at times! It's well worth the read, in my humble opinion. I clearly had a very high standard that Kevin wasn't going to hit, especially after reading the first book (and watching the movie, because OMG. When are we getting these two books as movies?!). These wild, manipulative characters make this book full of crazy drama and gossip, so it's an absolutely, wildly fun ride!

Overall, this soap opera was a delight to read. It's a fun series for those who love gossip-y, crazy, soap opera drama!

Two out of five stars.

[bookconcierge · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Book three (and I hope the final installment) in the story of the uber wealthy Singaporean Young family. Nick hasn’t seen his grandmother in several years, since she disinherited him over his marriage to Rachel. But now Su Yi’s health crisis brings him … and his aunts and cousins … rushing back to Singapore to get one more visit with the dying matriarch.

There’s plenty of drama, what with divorces, engagements, sex video scandals, stepchildren misbehaving, mega efforts to one-up each other, extravagant parties, and even plastic surgery for a pet fish. But the prize everyone wants is the fabulous estate – Tyersall Park. WHO will get it?

I didn’t find this effort very engaging. I really wanted more of Nick and Rachel’s story, but they were side characters to all the drama. I did like the flashbacks to Su Yi’s youth and her experiences during WW2. However, on the whole Kwan writes these people so over-the-top that it’s hard to relate to any of them. I’m not even all that interested in what brand names they are touting. They are shallower that the damp spot on the sidewalk where I splashed a few drops of water.

Oh well, it’s a relatively fast read and I found all the gossiping and back-biting mildly entertaining.

[thewestwing-864351 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not as good as the other books but it did tie up all the various storylines.

[angelalam-300700 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great finale to the trilogy....

[amphipodgirl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A slightly ridiculous comedy of manners, a bit uneven but great fun. I'm looking forward to the forthcoming film based on volume 1.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan is the third book in his satiric romantic comedy series about the ultra rich and powerful Asian families from Singapore. All of these books are full of designer fashion, gourmet food, expensive art and tongue-in-cheek fun. There is also family greed, speculation and social pressure as the extremely wealthy Su Yi, mother and grandmother to many of these influential people is dying, and this brings out members from every extended branch of the family, all seeking their share of her huge estate.

Nicky Young and Astrid Leong have been her favorite grandchildren but in recent years Nicky and his grandmother fell out over his marriage, and Astrid is in trouble with her family because of her too public romance with Charlie Wu, even though they are both married to other people. Some members of the family, most notably Eddy Chang, are trying to keep the favorites away from their grandmother in the hope that he will benefit by their absence. Of course the author updates his readers on all of his characters, the many multi-billionaires of southeast Asia that have appeared in the other books.

These over-the-top books have been a fun escape from reality. The action has played out all over the globe as the ultra-rich go about their soap opera lives full of petty intrigues and lavish spending. If you are in the mood for some crazy family drama set in some of the world’s most expensive locations, these books should fill that craving nicely.

[wagner5sarah35 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Admittedly, I haven't read this series from the beginning and this was the first novel in it that I picked up. Happily, I discovered I didn't really need to have read the previous volumes to truly enjoy this one. Filled with super-rich people (who say things like "only 2 billion dollars") fighting over a Singapore estate after the death of a wealthy woman, this book is the best kind of fun. It doesn't hide from what it is: a gossipy account of rich people grappling with the kinds of problems we all wish we had. The next time I need something light and fun, I'm picking another one of this author's books.

[lightkensei · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

More book series should end with a bunch of the main characters actually getting the therapy they clearly need.

[soosthemoose · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Liked this book better than second book in series. Still amusingly shallow!

[amellia_fiske · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was a perfect ending...which is exactly why I'm giving it 3-stars. I'd like to have learned more about Su Yi's role in WWII-era Singapore. I'd like to have felt like there were deeper consequences for some of the darker things that happened in this book. Charlie and Astrid not getting married? That's it? Yeah, that's too bad but I wanted to feel repercussions for that whole situation. I wanted the Kitty/Colette drama to come to a head. Also, where did Peik Lin and Alistair come from? That's very forced, in my opinion. I mean I'm complaining because it was a happy ending, but I think there was so much potential for something deeper to happen. At least there were less chapter-long entries about clothing/shoes/jewelry!

[tshrope · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While still a fun beach read, it was too long, way too many characters to keep track., and the plot lines keep getting more and more unbelievable.

I also do not appreciate when an author inserts plugs for his other books into the narrative, it is a distraction and jolts the reader back into the reality of the bookselling business.

Again, it is a fun beach read, but I think this is the last one of this series I will read, if indeed he decides to keep this lucrative series going, which I imagine he will.

[dknight0918 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Really enjoyed this third book in the series. It is still a little hard to keep up with all of the characters but i love reading about them. Rachel is still my favorite. Looking forward to reading more of Kwan’s books.

Watched the Crazy Rich Asians movie today and I think they did a good job of staying true to the first book in this series.

[gingermama-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved all three books in this series but this one was by far my favorite. It's fabulously fun to read, and Kwan will make you laugh out loud and gasp at some of the situations his characters find themselves in. Save this one for when you need a pick-me-up.

[brilliantglow · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed the first and second books in this series. However, I got bored about half way through this one and decided not to finish it. I think I will give it another try at a later date.

[eurohackie · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was hard to rate this book, because there were parts I loved (Nick's reunion with Su Yi, the end of Astrid's storyline) and parts I didn't (85% of Astrid's storyline in this book; and I could've especially done without the extended storyline of Kitty Pong being insecure and jealous of her stepdaughter). The epilogue was completely unnecessary and brought my score down from 4 stars.

This book wasn't quite as good as Book #2, which wasn't quite as good as Book #1, but that's how series generally go, no? All of the books had their strong points, and Kwan is a fantastic writer - at turns hilarious and poignant. The books are impulsively readable - once you start, it's hard to stop.

The entire series is worth reading, and the upcoming movie version will definitely be interesting.

[auntie0nanuuq · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

They're Back: Rich Ugly, and Obnoxious As Ever...

Nick & Rachel are happily married & living in New York, far away from his mother, when they get a call (or several) telling Nick to go back to Singapore as his Ah Mah (grandmother) is dying and they need to reconcile.

Eddie (Nick's a.h. cousin) is lording over everyone as he believes that he is the heir & favorite grandson of the hour.

Charlie proposes to Astrid in a remote Scottish castle w/ the secret help of Ah Ma, all hell breaks loose as Charlie's ex-wife leaks a video of Astrid & Charlie to the Singapore news & Astrid's soon-to-be ex decides to hold the divorce proceedings for ransom.

Colette has married an English Peer, but she hasn't changed & her step-mother, Kitty Poon (former porn-star) decides to get revenge by coming to Nick's rescue in a most unusual manner, thereby evening out the field

Life as usual....

I liked this more than the previous book, but not as much as the first one... a satisfying & neat conclusion.

[bblum_10 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Kwan's Rich People Problems is as fun as the first book. I have finished the trilogy and enjoyed both the fashion description and the back biting equally in all the books, and ah, the description of the food makes me want to go to Singapore. This book reveals more about the Young and Shang families. Nick makes up with his grandmother, finally, on her death bed. Does this mean he will inherit Tyarsall Park? Eddie is convinced he will inherit Tyarsall Park, the stately old mansion in the heart of
Singapore but the reading of the will throws everything in the air. Plus the divorce of Charlie Wu and the difficulty Astrid is having divorcing her husband Michael gets ugly. Great fun read.

[sboren-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I purchased this book from Amazon to read with @k.e.radke. All opinions are my own. ?????Rich People Problems by Kevin Kwan. After spending the last few weeks getting to know Astrid, Charlie, Michael, Rachel, Alistair, and their families and friends I am happy to say I have completed the trilogy. A perfect ending to a perfect trilogy. That is all. Review also posted on Instagram @borenbooks, Library Thing, Go Read, Goodreads/StacieBoren, Twitter @jason_stacie and my blog at readsbystacie.com

[briandrewz · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the final installment in the Crazy Rich Asian series by Kevin Kwan. While not quite as good as the previous two books, this is, nonetheless, a very fun read. While the first two books focused more on Nick and Rachel, this book focuses more on the extended family of Nick, especially his grandmother, Su Yi, who has more to the story than meets the eye. Another major theme in this book is porn-star-turned-socialite Kitty Pong and her ongoing feud with her stepdaughter, Colette. The ending is immensely satisfying and a perfect way to end the series.

[1forthebooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It was good. However, I don't think it had the same flair and drama that the first 2 had.

[littlebookishinkblot · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Shang Su Yi is on her deathbed, and Tyersall Park is on lockdown.

Having read and enjoyed the first two books I could not WAIT to sink my teeth into the exploits of my favorite family. The first two books had such spot-on characters that I still remember fondly. By the third book, Nick, Rachel, Astrid, Charlie, Kitty, and Ollie had started to feel like old friends (and frenemies). By the third chapter, I am hoping for Astrid's happy ending and wondering if Nick and Rachel will ever reconcile with Nick's grandmother.

Diving into the book, you immediately get that feeling of being swept up in the story as we learn that Shang Su Yi is dying. The entire family flies in (on their private jets, of course) to say their goodbyes, make their peace and cement their claims on the family fortune. Nick, the beloved grandson who was once thought to inherit it all is banned from the house. Astrid, the favorite granddaughter who is facing the social media scandal of the century is also discouraged from visiting her grandmother. As the drama continues to unfold inside the walls of beautiful Tyersall Park, Kitty Pong (now Mrs. Jack Bing) lives in luxurious splendor but faces steep competition from her stepdaughter, Colette.

The characters continue to be just as over the top as in the previous books, with the story picking up a few years after the end of the last book, China Rich Girlfriend. In typical Kevin Kwan fashion, we are immersed in the colorful descriptions of lavish luxurious lifestyles and over the top opulence with brand names scattered all throughout the pages. There are noticeably more food references in this book as compared to the others, in fact the meals were described so deliciously it made me want to eat dinner thrice in one day! Expect a lot of great family drama, laugh out loud moments and even some eye-rolling ridiculousness - mostly centered around Eddie.

I'm not going to do anything ridiculous like mention who gets Tyersall Park in the end but I will say that this book gave me a lot to think about. My favorite parts of the book were about Su Yi's past and I was also pleasantly surprised to see glimpses of humanity in a few of the characters. The only downside is that I missed seeing Rachel in the book, she did not have as strong a presence now as she did in the past. Her character had so much to offer in the first two books and I feel that she is just Nick's main for of support in this one, which is a pity since there were some scenes with Kitty that I feel was not needed to move the story along. I am holding out for a fourth book because Rachel's character was just so -blah- that I feel she needs redemption, maybe as a young mother with overbearing in-laws? Who knows, perhaps Eleanor will visit New York and babysit! Won't that be fun?

Rich People Problems is by far one of the best reads I've had this year, it's outrageous, but also very unexpected. I am not ready to let these characters go, so I will be joining the horde of fans waiting with bated breaths for the movie, and a fourth book!

[askelmore · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best for: People who want some resolution of the dangling storylines from China Rich Girlfriend.

In a nutshell: The family matriarch is dying and is still estranged from one of her grandkids. Most potential heirs start acting even more entitled.

Worth quoting: N/A

Why I chose it: I read the first two books over the course of three days. I needed to know what happened next.

Review: (Spoilers below)
I didn’t fully enjoy how every storyline was tied up, but for the most part I found this to be and extremely satisfying end to the trilogy. The absurdity is ramped up a bit, and there’s a bit of a deus ex machina at the end, but whatever. The entire series is a messy soap opera and I loved it.

The character of Rachel continues to be a mostly non-entity, despite having been the instigator for the first book and our access point into this incomprehensible world. But that’s okay - there are other interesting women to follow, like Astrid, who has one of the more interesting arcs of the story. Some of the men are interesting and complicated as well.

There are also some REAL simple dudes. Oh Eddie. Eddie, you are the worst, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment when things didn’t go your way. I also found the evolution of Michael’s character to be intriguing - when he had (relatively) little money, he was a good father and partner who just wanted a way out of the life he knew didn’t fit him; as soon as he starts to get money he become overbearing and controlling and an ass.

My favorite part of the book came halfway through, when the matriarch’s will was read. Sometimes my eyes will dart over the full page and certain names will stand out, so I covered the pages with my hand so I couldn’t skim ahead. And it was worth it. So glorious.

I read these three books over the course of four days. I haven’t inhaled a series like this since … probably The Hunger Games. I enjoyed the frivolity and decadence, sure, but I also enjoyed the characters. I can’t wait to read what Mr. Kwan comes up with next.

[haymaai · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

After previously enjoying Kevin Kwan’s ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ I was excited to read ‘Rich People’s Problems’ when it emerged on the to-read list at our local library. Not realizing that this novel was the final story in a trilogy, I may have missed some schema when I neglected to read the second novel, ‘China Rich Girlfriend.’ For me, much of this tale seemed immersed in over-the-top branding of the most exclusive wares, from watches to exclusive designer clothing and more, and I felt that it detracted from the character development and plot. The story is basically about a the female matriarch, SuYi Young, who is on her death-bed with all the family congregating to say their goodbyes and pay their respects, with some family members hoping to become beneficiaries to SuYi’s will and to acquire the majestic family estate Tyersall Park in Singapore. The author attempts to portray a satirical picture of an ultra-wealthy Asian family and all the trappings of their lifestyle. There is Eddie Chang, who weeps profusely and protectively over SuYi, while attempting to get into her good graces hoping to inherit Tyerall Park. Meanwhile, Nick, Su-Yi’s favored grandson, tries to return to Tyersall Park for a last visit with his beloved grandmother, to make amends with her before her imminent death. Nick is blocked by the security guards from seeing her, and only through complicit plotting, is given an audience with his grandmother. SuYi’s other granddaughter, Astrid, who is in the midst of a divorce settlement, flies to India to meet with her lover, Charlie Wu. While they are having sex, Charlie’s soon-to-be ex-wife captures the couple on tape, and the video is released, going viral. The story is hilarious at times, but for me, in order to portray the extraordinary wealth of these people, the author seemed to name-drop so frequently that it detracted from the overall satire. However, being a coffee aficionado, I was pleased to read of Verve Coffee Roasters, a pricey LA coffee chain named in the book, so that I might possibly find that elusive cup of perfect coffee.

[norabelle414 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Shang Su Yi, also known as Ah Ma, the matriarch of the Young family, is on her deathbed. Out of the woodwork come all of her relatives – royal grandchildren from Thailand, British cousins from Surrey, and of course the greedy Eddie Cheng. The grand Singaporean mansion Tyersall Park is chock full of people hoping for a piece of Ah Ma’s gigantic inheritance. Even Nicholas Young, formerly Ah Ma’s golden child but currently in self-imposed exile in NYC, returns to Singapore to say his goodbyes. Eddie, determined to keep Nick out of their grandmother’s good graces, is constantly scheming. Will Ah Ma survive her illness? Who will inherit Tyersall Park (and how will they afford the upkeep)? Can Ah Ma and Nicholas make up?

Once again, we return to the epic struggle between those who have a reputation but (relatively) little money and those who have no reputation and oodles of cash. Nothing like some inheritance drama to stir the pot! I really loved all of the parts of the plot that were about the family drama and the inheritance. Although in the last book I really liked Kitty Pong, in this book she was unnecessarily cruel (though her nemesis is worse) and I didn’t like her sections much. A few flashbacks and lots of other peeks into Ah Ma’s life during World War II give extra depth to a story that might otherwise be stale. I don’t know if there are going to be more in this series, but I’m not ready for it to be over!

[mickyfine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

When Nicholas Young's grandmother, Su Yi, takes ill, the entire clan descends on Tyersall Park. However, concern for their matriarch is at the bottom of most of her relatives' priority lists. Instead all of them are fixated on getting into her good graces in the hopes of inspiring a last minute will change and inheriting the estate of Tyersall Park.

Kwan crafts yet another sprawling tale with the characters readers of this trilogy have come to know (and love or hate). While the central plot is well done and Kwan writes evocatively of the details of the lives of the insanely rich, I felt like character development was lacking a bit in this one. I also was dismayed that Rachel, who has always been the sort of sane, everyday access point to this world gets so very little page time. While she and Nick aren't the dramatic centre of these novels, they are its most sane heart (followed by Astrid). Highly enjoyable and definitely recommended for fans of the previous books but I felt it didn't quite match the standards of its predecessors.

[jovemako · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

took a while for this soap opera to come to an end. This last volume of the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy was a mix of Dynasty and listening to the celebrity gossip columns (like E!) on the surface. Kitty was nuttier than ever, Nick's mom (Elenor) while not a huge player this time around was still being, well, her. In the end it all tied up all the loose ends in a neat bow. Overall, not a bad read. Sometimes I just kind of slugged through pages because there was way too much description about the decor or shopping habits. This goes in the "poolside read" category.

[flourgirl49 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book chronicles the further fantastical adventures of the Crazy Rich Asians gang. Hugely entertaining. Loved it.