Four Stars to Five Star Billionaire

• Book: Five Star Billionaire
• Location: Shanghai
• Author: Tash Aw

Review Author: Tanya 52booksorbust

Five Star Billionaire is a fascinating, almost sociological look at young people trying to make a real go of it in rising China. The story is set in Shanghai and focuses on five individuals: Gary, a pop star, Justin a fallen scion of the filthy rich, Walter a self help writing crook, Pheobe a small town girl and a successful business woman from a well off background. Each chapter is told from one of their points of view and before long we see that their lives are intertwined in spite of the different worlds in which they inhabit.

For me the most interesting part of the book was looking at the economic and social opportunities available to people beyond those who have often been referred to as ‘factory girls’. Five Star Billionaire is about those who make it a step beyond this wrung on the social ladder. Everything about Shanghai is fast paced. It is a world of fast deals, corruption and money changing hands. No one is what they appear, and everyone appears to be after more money.

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