Entertainment

Is "Crazy Rich Asians" Based On A Book? Newcomers To The Series Might Be Curious

by Casey Suglia

Crazy Rich Asians tells a story that is quite unbelievable. The film, out in theaters today, is a modern day fairytale (complete with the evil family members) that is too good to be true. It is the kind of story that books are written about. So, it's understandable why audience members might be wondering if Crazy Rich Asians is based on a book after they see the film. Let's be real, some stories are good enough to be told both on the page and on film.

In Crazy Rich Asians, Rachel Chu, played by Constance Wu, is swept up into the opulent (and "crazy" life) of her boyfriend, Nick Young, played by newcomer Henry Golding. In the film, Rachel, an American college professor, is introduced to a world filled with couture fashion, million dollar homes, and the people who are living in them. It's an indulgent, fun, journey that happens throughout the two hour long film. Luckily, fans of the film don't have to return back to their very normal lives once the film is over.

The great news is, Crazy Rich Asians is both a film and a book written by author, Kevin Kwan, according to Entertainment Weekly — and the film is based on the book (no case of mistaken identity here). So, fans can pick up a copy of the book and continue to live in the "crazy rich" world. A paperback copy book, which came out in 2013, is currently $9.60 on Amazon, eligible for Amazon Prime shipping (so readers can get the book in no time), and is roughly the cost (if not less) of a movie ticket.

Lovers of the movie or those who are curious about the film can't go wrong with picking up a copy and checking out the book for themselves.

Although the main plot in Crazy Rich Asians is not based on a true story (meaning people can't follow the real life Rachel and Nick on Instagram), it is based on Kwan's experience growing up in Singapore, where he lived until he was 11-years-old, according to Refinery29, and some of the characters in the story are loosely based on people he knew. Kwan told the Los Angeles Times that always knew that he wanted to tell "his" story — the story that would eventually become Crazy Rich Asians:

I did many things and was in denial for about 20 years that there was a story I wanted to tell. But one day, I began writing and began telling my story, never expecting anyone would read it.

But people did read it and they loved it. Even though Kwan did not write the screenplay for the film adaptation of his debut novel, according to Vulture, he still had a lot of input into who filled the roles of his beloved characters. Although some people are fiercely protective over their favorite books being turned into movies (and are adamant that the book will always be better than the movie), Kwan was more than happy with the film adaptation of his book, according to Signature. "It didn't just meet my expectations, it exceeded my expectations," Kwan said. It certainly helps that the film's director, John M. Chu, was a fan of the book before he signed on to direct the movie, according to the Seattle Times.

The best news is, Nick and Rachel's story doesn't just end in Crazy Rich Asians. The book is a part of a trilogy, according to the Seattle Times. After reading Crazy Rich Asians, people can read China Rich Girlfriend, and the last book in the series, Rich People Problems, to find out what happens to the characters. Kwan told Signature that his other two books in the series could get a big screen adaptation if the film does well enough in the box office.

Hopefully that comes true. But in the meantime, fans can fall in love with Crazy Rich Asians all over again in the film's source material.