Let’s be clear, there’s nothing quite like Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians trilogy. If you haven’t read all three of these epic, satirical romps set among the Singaporean elite, then please do so immediately, and make sure to get yourself to the big screen movie adaptation starring Constance Wu and Michelle Yeoh.
If, however, you have already read the trilogy and would like to read more in the same vein, here are our best recommendations.
If you like sprawling family dramas…
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Spanning World War I to 1989, Pachinko details the multi-generational struggles of a Korean family living in twentieth century Japan as perpetual outsiders. Lee traverses time and geography with this true family saga that begins when disgraced and pregnant Korean teen Sunja accepts an offer of marriage from a Christian pastor and travels to Japan with him. If you love immersive historical fiction or encountering multiple perspectives, you’ll be very satisfied with this thoughtful exploration of complex identities, societal and familial pressures and expectations, and cultural clashes.
Other recommendations:
- Ruins by Rajith Savanadasa
- Peruse our collection of dysfunctional literary families.
If you want to see the rich get skewered…
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
When a death occurs at the Pirriwee Public School trivia night, the police have their work cut out for them, unravelling the complicated dynamics between the parents. The novel flashes backwards to the months leading up to the trivia night, during which three women whose children have started kindergarten together develop a close friendship. Big Little Lies is a sharp social satire of the Sydney upper-class, and a story about love, betrayal, class warfare, secrets and abuse.
Other recommendations:
If you’d prefer to be in Singapore right now…
Ponti by Sharlene Teo
Ponti weaves together the storylines of three women across three time periods, linking them by blood, friendship and the cult horror movie trilogy, Ponti! In the earliest thread, Amisa moves from a tiny Malay kampong to the metropolis of Singapore, where she meets incompetent director Wiryanto. Later on, her teenage daughter Szu watches as Amisa’s health deteriorates, and in the near future of 2020, recently-divorced Circe is asked to publicise the Ponti! remake, and finds herself assailed with vivid memories of her former best friend Szu. There’s a vivid sense of place in this debut novel, and it’s impossible not to feel that you’re in the middle of Singapore’s tropical heat, humidity, fecundity and entropy as you read it.
Other recommendations (by Singaporean authors though not necessarily set in Singapore):
- Suicide Club by Rachel Heng
- An Ocean of Minutes by Thea Lim
If you want to laugh about family foibles…
The Family Law by Benjamin Law
You really will not find a better collection of personal essays destined to make a reader laugh, squirm, cringe, wince, cry and marvel at how weird and wonderful families can be. Law covers weighty coming-of-age territory – childhood acting ambitions, mother Jenny’s lurid descriptions of childbirth, his parent’s divorce, burgeoning sexuality, Queensland in the 80s, family loss – with wit, panache and brutal candour. This is an absolutely joyous, raucous gem of a book.
Other recommendations:
- Calypso by David Sedaris
- Fresh Off the Boat by Eddie Huang
If you want to go (Western canon) classic…
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Social maneuvering, shameless gossip and rich-bachelor-chasing are the stuff of both Austen’s and Kwan’s worlds. If Rachel and Nick’s fraught love story charmed you, then you can’t go wrong with Austen’s most beloved novel, a funny and warm satire about the hapless Bennett family and their search for security in Regency England. With witty dialogue, sharp observations, and the troubled courting between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy, Pride and Prejudice has stood the test of time.
Other recommendations:
- My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell
- The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
If your favourite character is Kitty Pong…
Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw
In Five Star Billionaire, a large cast of migrants battle to find security and happiness in a New China that’s hurtling into the future. If, like me, Kitty Pong was a favourite in Crazy Rich Asians, then you’ll gravitate most towards Aw’s equally aspirational Phoebe. Phoebe moves to Shanghai from a small Malay village, and doggedly builds herself a shiny new identity that’s far from her migrant factory worker roots. While Pong is written for laughs, the results of Phoebe’s transformation are sobering and real food for thought.
Other recommendations:
- Social Creature by Tara Isabella Burton
- Queen of the Night by Alexander Chee
If you’re a YA reader, and you want in on the fun…
Laurinda by Alice Pung
Lucy Lam is a new scholarship student at Laurinda, an exclusive private school that is ruled over by three powerful girls, collectively known as The Cabinet. The daughter of Chinese-Vietnamese refugees, Lucy has her work cut out coping with Laurinda’s cut-throat social machinations and bullying. When she garners the attention and favour of The Cabinet, Lucy has to grapple with identity and her working class roots. Pung has written a satire with heart, and her observations about the rarified and privileged atmosphere of the upper classes sting and entertain in equal parts.
Other recommendations:
- Pretty Little Liars by Sara Shepard
- All of This Is True by Lygia Day Penaflor
