• Rich People Problems

  • A Novel
  • By: Kevin Kwan
  • Narrated by: Lydia Look
  • Length: 16 hrs and 2 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (8,779 ratings)

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Rich People Problems  By  cover art

Rich People Problems

By: Kevin Kwan
Narrated by: Lydia Look
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Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Kevin Kwan, bestselling author of
Crazy Rich Asians (a major motion picture starring Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeoh and Gemma Chan) and China Rich Girlfriend, is back with an uproarious new novel of a family riven by fortune, an ex-wife driven psychotic with jealousy, a battle royal fought through couture gown sabotage, and the heir to one of Asia's greatest fortunes locked out of his inheritance.

When Nicholas Young hears that his grandmother, Su Yi, is on her deathbed, he rushes to be by her bedside—but he's not alone. The entire Shang-Young clan has convened from all corners of the globe to stake claim on their matriarch’s massive fortune. With each family member vying to inherit Tyersall Park—a trophy estate on 64 prime acres in the heart of Singapore—Nicholas’s childhood home turns into a hotbed of speculation and sabotage. As her relatives fight over heirlooms, Astrid Leong is at the center of her own storm, desperately in love with her old sweetheart Charlie Wu, but tormented by her ex-husband—a man hell bent on destroying Astrid’s reputation and relationship. Meanwhile Kitty Pong, married to China’s second richest man, billionaire Jack Bing, still feels second best next to her new step-daughter, famous fashionista Colette Bing. A sweeping novel that takes us from the elegantly appointed mansions of Manila to the secluded private islands in the Sulu Sea, from a kidnapping at Hong Kong’s most elite private school to a surprise marriage proposal at an Indian palace, caught on camera by the telephoto lenses of paparazzi, Kevin Kwan's hilarious, gloriously wicked new novel reveals the long-buried secrets of Asia's most privileged families and their rich people problems.

©2017 Kevin Kwan (P)2017 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Flashy, funny.... Delicious, the juicy stuff of classic high-society drama.... Rich People Problems is a fun tabloid romp full of over-the-top shenanigans, like a society party brawl that ruins both a Ramon Orlina glass sculpture of the hostess’s breasts and ‘a special pig that had only eaten truffles its entire life and was flown in from Spain....’ A memorable, laugh-out-loud Asian glitz fest that’s a pure pleasure to read.” —USA Today

“I gobbled all three volumes of Kevin Kwan’s gossipy, name-droppy and wickedly funny Crazy Rich Asians trilogy as if they were popcorn. (Really fresh, still-warm popcorn, with that good European butter… but I digress.) The novels, set among three intergenerational and ultrarich Chinese families and peppered with hilarious explanatory footnotes, are set mostly in Singapore but flit easily from one glamorous world city to another…. Irresistible.” —The Seattle Times

“Kevin Kwan has done it again. The mastermind behind the delicious Crazy Rich Asians series has drawn a cult-like following with his extravagant tales of Asia’s upper echelon. He’s back at with the series’s final installment, Rich People Problems (rest assured, it’s just as enthralling as the trilogy’s first two volumes).” —InStyle

Featured Article: The Best Listens by East Asian Authors


The geographical region that comprises Asia is vast and varied—and so are the stories that have emerged from it. And as the continent consists of more than 50 countries, it is nearly impossible to narrow down a list of the best Asian literature. So, for this collection, we’ve elected to highlight the wonderful works crafted by authors who are from the East Asian region or are of East Asian descent. We’ve chosen some of the greatest works by genre to get you started.

What listeners say about Rich People Problems

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    6,487
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    1,687
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Story
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • 1 Stars
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not as good as the first

Too much time on less than endearing characters. But vivid and descriptive like the first one.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • D
  • 05-30-17

Cheesy and Funny and the PERFECT Summer Book!

I've read all of Kevin Kwan's books, and this one is as equally funny and entertaining as the first two. Of course, they're all kind of silly but entertaining nonetheless. (I see many parallels between the book and my real life as an Asian American woman!) The narrator really brings the story to life.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Liked the story, but performance was irritating

I chose this because it was supposed to be one of the funniest books of 2017. Although I enjoyed the story and smiled several times, I wouldn’t say it was laugh-out-loud funny.

However I very much enjoyed learning about a culture and part of the world with which I was unfamiliar.

Although there were a lot of characters, the author did a good job of reminding us of who was who, so I could follow the plot and character development. Perhaps the ending was a bit too pat and happily ever after, but that didn’t bother me.

What did bother me was the inexplicable performance of conversations. The first time it happened, I thought it was a misread, but the problem was pervasive and hindered my appreciation of the story.

Lydia Look read conversation like I’ve never experienced. She treated the commas as periods. Instead of:
“The sky is blue,” she said with a smile.
“I love the clouds,” he agreed with a nod.

It was:
“The sky is blue.”
She said with a smile.
“I loved the clouds.”
He agreed with a nod.

We had no idea who said “I loved the clouds.” Was it a continuing comment from her or did he say it?

When long conversations took place, I actually was often bewildered by exactly who was speaking.

This was a huge negative for me and significantly marred my enjoyment of the book.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Fantastical life

Would you consider the audio edition of Rich People Problems to be better than the print version?

I always love audio versions but wished the narrator knew correct pronunciation of many foreign terms

Did the narration match the pace of the story?

Yes

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

The only extreme reaction to the whole series was sheer disbelief of that degree of wealth - that by the end billions were so meaningless, designer brands so cheapened and family dynasties more important than love or achievement. That said the whole series was so fun - to hear how the elite few live, spend their money, to dream of weeks in Paris while haute couture dresses are made and to salivate over their meals.

Any additional comments?

It really irks me when narrators mispronounce names. She should learn that the George V is not George 5 but George Cinq. And Nessun Dorma tune is not as she screamed.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Fabulous and Fun

What made the experience of listening to Rich People Problems the most enjoyable?

This does not disappoint as a follow up to Crazy: Kwan is the Dominick Dunne of Asia. Millionaires are now just incidental to be important Billions are a must!!! Looking forward to the film adaptation - so much fun!!!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Rich People Problems?

Secret Tunnels

Have you listened to any of Lydia Look’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Great

Who was the most memorable character of Rich People Problems and why?

Kitty - she is the other Mrs Grenville!

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Couldn't put it down!

I finished this book in a week! the grandmother is petty in a way that I live for! the story doesn't go where you think it will. And the narrator does a great job of distinguishing the many, many characters.

I highly recommend this book!!!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Kwan does it again!

The next installment in a great story of family, culture, and traditions often unknown to the Western world. Kevin Kwan does a great job of weaving so many individuals' stories into a great tapestry. At times it can be hard to keep up with exactly which character is being discussed but it doesn't take more than a moment or two to catch up. Lydia Look's narration does such justice to the story and her great talent for making subtle shifts in her voice helps listeners follow along on when there are often many characters in one scene. Hope this isn't the end of this family's story, looking forward to the next book from Kevin Kwan for sure!!

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Awful

One big disappointment - cheesy storyline, characters were predictable and lacked any nuance. Only listened till the end because I paid for it.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Had a hard time to finish it

struggle to finish it, it is a shallow book. dont like the narrator's tone,especially she tries to imitate Chinese or Singapore ladies

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

My least favorite of the 3

I enjoyed being able to follow the story of my favorite characters from book one and two. The details around the rich people rules got very Exhausting and not of interest to me.
This novel would have been much better without the intricate details around the rich people rules as the title states.
That does not change the fact that I love the characters and the plot of the story. I will miss the characters that I have grown to love and hate in the trilogy.

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3 people found this helpful