Kevin Kwan releases new novel, says ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ sequel ‘in the works’
By Bryan Ke
Kevin Kwan’s latest novel, “Lies and Weddings,” was released Tuesday.
Key points:
- “Lies and Weddings,” Kwan‘s second entry in the “Cities” trilogy, follows a nobleman’s son as he seeks a wealthy woman to marry to save his family from financial ruin.
- Kwan, best known for “Crazy Rich Asians,” nearly abandoned the project while struggling with writer’s block.
- He plans to set the third book in Paris.
The details:
- Kwan told Esquire that he “basically abandoned” his new book when he struggled to make it work after starting it in 2020. However, a six-week trip to Hawaii in late 2021 recaptured his imagination and helped his writing “start flowing again.”
- “Lies and Weddings” follows Rufus Leung Gresham, the son of a British earl and a Hong Kong supermodel who must find a wealthy bride after his family spent all of his inheritance. Kwan said it is inspired by English novelist Anthony Trollope’s 1858 book “Doctor Thorne.”
- The story unfolds in England, Hawaii and Morocco, while providing economic and social commentary. But unlike “Crazy Rich Asians,” it delves into mixed-race heritage and gender issues, marking a thematic shift for Kwan.
- “I’ve branched out. I’m inspired by this new generation of Asians who are so much more comfortable in their own skin,” he told the New York Times.
- Interestingly, Kwan revealed on “Today” that he never meant to publish “Lies and Weddings,” noting that he only wrote it for himself and “thought I would give three copies to my best friends and call it a day.”
What’s next:
- Kwan plans to complete the “Cities” trilogy with a third book set in Paris. “Sex and Vanity” (2020), the first entry in the trilogy, is mostly in New York, while “Lies and Weddings” focuses on London.
- Sony picked up “Sex and Vanity” in 2020. Kwan told “Good Morning America” that they hope to start filming the movie this year.
- Kwan is more tight-lipped about “Crazy Rich Asians.” He said the sequel to Jon M. Chu‘s 2018 blockbuster is “in the works,” while they plan to “look at amazing talent around the world” for its upcoming musical.
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