Novel Review: Sex & Vanity by Kevin Kwan

 Eiyo dearies,

Welcome back to Fadima Mooneira Blogspot. Today, I would like to share with you guys a review of a novel I just finished reading last week. The novel is titled Sex & Vanity, and it is written by Kevin Kwan. So let's begin. We shall begin with the author's profile.

ABOUT KEVIN KWAN

The author- Kevin Kwan (Image: time.com)

Kevin Kwan is a Singaporean-American novelist. He is one of the most successful writers in America and also one of my favorites. He was also listed as one of the Most Influential People In The World by Time Magazine. Kwan's most famous novel is the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy (Crazy Rich Asians, China Rich Girlfriend, Rich People Problems). The Crazy Rich Asians trilogy has become an international bestseller. The trilogy novels have been translated into more than 30 different languages. The novel, Crazy Rich Asians have also been adapted into a Hollywood film. The film was a box office romantic comedy in 2018.

ABOUT SEX & VANITY

Sex & Vanity (SNV) is a glittering romantic comedy novel. It tells the story of a young Upper East Side girl named Lucie Tang Churchill. Like any Upper East Sider, Lucie was a status-conscious person. Lucie cared too much about what society thinks of her. Lucie is a Eurasian. Lucie is a half WASPy (her late father is a true blue-blooded American from the Churchill and Barclays family), and a half Asian (her mother is a Chinese-American). For those who haven't heard the term WASPy, the term stands for WHITE, ANGLO, SAXON, PROTESTANT. WASPy is a term to describe a white person of Protestant English or another Northern European ancestry, especially one belonging to the American upper class. Some of you might be familiar with WASPy if you watched the Gossip Girl series. 

Having an Asian background made Lucie struggled to fit in the WASPy society. Lucie always believed that her grandmother was racist to her, and her relatives looked down on her because of her Asian background. This made Lucie afraid to be herself.

At the beginning of the novel, Lucie traveled to Capri, Italy with her cousin, Charlotte to attend a family friend's wedding. At Capri, Lucie met a handsome Hong Konger named George Zao. Lucie and George shared a little romance when they were in Capri. But their romance did not end well. 

Five years later, Lucie got engaged to a billennial mocialite (millennial billionaires and male socialite) named Cecil Pike. Cecil was one of the hottest billennial in the Upper East Side. Their engagement became the talk of the town. After Lucie and Cecil got engaged, George Zao returned to Lucie's life. Lucie became confused. Lucie realized that she can't stop thinking about George since she left Capri five years ago. So who will Lucie choose? Is it her WASPy fiancee, Cecil Pike, or handsome-intellectual Hong Konger named George Zao?

MY REVIEW ON SEX & VANITY

Taadaa...........my illustration of George Zao and Lucie Tang Churchill (Image: My artist IG @fmooneira_art)

Like the Crazy Rich Asians trilogy, SNV is another parody about the rich and elite society. Except SNV tells us the story of the Upper East Side society, while  Crazy Rich Asians tell us the story of rich Asian society.  To me, SNV is another fun, entertaining, and enjoyable Kwan's novel to read. Reading SNV makes me happy. Plus, reading SNV makes me learned about the Upper East Sider society, socialites' lifestyle, culture, fashion, economy, and politics. Reading SNV transported me to the Upper East Side. It makes me feel like I am one of the characters/socialites in the novel. I always learned new things from Kwan's novels. That's why I always enjoyed reading Kwan's novels. I also learned new terms from reading SNV such as WASPy, billennials, and mocialite.

The title Sex & Vanity means using people or something to gain satisfaction from the society. In the novel, Lucie's fiancee, Cecil used her to get 'likes' from his Instagram followers. Cecil was always obsessed with all the 'likes' he received every time he posted his pictures with Lucie on his Instagram. That's what George told Lucie when he confessed his love for her, "He doesn't even know you! He doesn't have a clue who you really are or the fact that you'd never be caught dead driving an Aston Martin. He loves the idea of you, the image of you, he just wants to post beautiful, hot pictures of you and him and see how many likes he gets. He's in love with the social media impression of you, how you enhance his brand. It's all about sex and vanity to him, nothing else!" George is right. Lucie is a tool of sex and vanity to Cecil. Cecil doesn't see Lucie as a person. He sees her as a thing and wants her as his trophy wife which Lucie will never be (in fact, all women will never be a trophy wife - it doesn't exist).

As a reader, I also believe that George Zao and Cecil Pike's character symbolize choices for Lucie. George is an Asian, Cecil is a WASPy, and Lucie is both. Lucie was struggling to choose whether she should be an Asian or a WASPy. SNV is about Lucie making choices in life. At the end of the novel, Lucie chooses to be Asian. She dumped Cecil and decided to travel the world with George. I'm glad that Lucie chooses George over Cecil. I would do the same if I were Lucie. George is a way much better guy than Cecil. Cecil is vain and only thinks of himself. He is the type of guy I don't want to be with. Plus, being an Asian is always way much better than being a WASPy. To those who knew me, I'm sure you all know that I am always grateful for my mixed Asian heritage. Yep, I am a Malay mix with Chinese, Bugis, Minang Kabau, Thai, and Indian. 

I rated SNV 10/10. SNV is an awesome novel. Any bookworm must not miss this novel. In fact, all of Kwan's novels are a novel that any bookworm must not miss. Kwan's writing is enjoyable and makes readers happy. Plus, readers can also learn new things from reading Kwan's novels. 

Last three months (if I remember), a Hollywood media announced that Sex & Vanity will be adapted into a film just like Crazy Rich Asians. Wow!!!!!!!!! I'm excited. I wonder who would play the handsome George Zao. As a reader and fan of Kwan's novels, I do have a feeling that Kwan created George Zao's character after one of his Crazy Rich Asians actors. But not Henry Golding. Hehehe. George Zao is handsome, a smart casual, and down-to-earth guy. He is also very intelligent, intellectual, and knowledgable. Does that sound like Remy Hii (Alistair Cheng)? Hehehe........

Ok, that's all I want to share with you guys for my review of Sex & Vanity. Before I end this post, I would like to ask you guys four questions.....

1) Has anyone read Sex & Vanity?

2) If yes, what are your opinions about the novel?

3) Is anyone of you a fan of Kevin Kwan novels too?

4) If yes, what is your favorite Kevin Kwan novel?

Ok, that's all. Thank you for reading. Bye-bye ^_^

XoXo,

Fadima Mooneira ^_^

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