Counterfeit - Kirstin Chen

Counterfeit

By Kirstin Chen

  • Release Date: 2022-06-07
  • Genre: Fiction & Literature
3.5 Score: 3.5 (From 635 Ratings)

Description

INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK “A con artist story, a pop-feminist caper, a fashionable romp . . . Counterfeit is an entertaining, luxurious read—but beneath its glitz and flash, it is also a shrewd deconstruction of the American dream and the myth of the model minority. . . . Chen is up to something innovative and subversive here." — Camille Perri, NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW Recommended by New York Times Book Review • Washington Post • People • Entertainment Weekly • USA Today • Time • Cosmopolitan • Today show • Harper’s Bazaar • Vogue • Good Housekeeping • Parade • New York Post • Town & Country • GMA.com • Buzzfeed • Goodreads • Oprah Daily • Popsugar • Bustle •  theSkimm • The Millions • and more! For fans of Hustlers and How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia, the story of two Asian American women who band together to grow a counterfeit handbag scheme into a global enterprise—an incisive and glittering blend of fashion, crime, and friendship from the author of Bury What We Cannot Take and Soy Sauce for Beginners. Money can’t buy happiness… but it can buy a decent fake. Ava Wong has always played it safe. As a strait-laced, rule-abiding Chinese American lawyer with a successful surgeon as a husband, a young son, and a beautiful home—she’s built the perfect life. But beneath this façade, Ava’s world is crumbling: her marriage is falling apart, her expensive law degree hasn’t been used in years, and her toddler’s tantrums are pushing her to the breaking point. Enter Winnie Fang, Ava’s enigmatic college roommate from Mainland China, who abruptly dropped out under mysterious circumstances. Now, twenty years later, Winnie is looking to reconnect with her old friend. But the shy, awkward girl Ava once knew has been replaced with a confident woman of the world, dripping in luxury goods, including a coveted Birkin in classic orange. The secret to her success? Winnie has developed an ingenious counterfeit scheme that involves importing near-exact replicas of luxury handbags and now she needs someone with a U.S. passport to help manage her business—someone who’d never be suspected of wrongdoing, someone like Ava. But when their spectacular success is threatened and Winnie vanishes once again, Ava is left to face the consequences. Swift, surprising, and sharply comic, Counterfeit is a stylish and feminist caper with a strong point of view and an axe to grind. Peering behind the curtain of the upscale designer storefronts and the Chinese factories where luxury goods are produced, Kirstin Chen interrogates the myth of the model minority through two unforgettable women determined to demand more from life. "If you appreciate a good caper, you’ll want to pick up Kirstin Chen’s novel . . . Fast-paced and fun, with smart commentary on the cultural differences between Asia and America." — TIME “Propulsive and captivating . . . A provocative story of fashion, friendship, and fakes (in more ways than one).” — VOGUE

Reviews

  • Short book,doesn’t make sense

    1
    By RO916
    For some reason the book just ended after a couple of chapters. I keep trying to go to the table of contents, but it acts I’m finished reading. I’m disappointed becise it had potential
  • Fun, easy read

    5
    By IOB22
    Sometimes you just want a light read, and this book is just that. Predictable, but still well written. I enjoyed the brisk pace and the backstory behind the world of counterfeits.
  • It was fine

    2
    By KJOHN131
    I felt like I was waiting for the good part the entire time…I also didn’t like that some chapters were over 20 pages. The eluding to the detective didn’t add much to me and the side/supporting stories weren’t completely relevant.
  • UNEXPECTED!!!!

    5
    By Otakuprincess280
    Mystery thriller is EXACTLY what this book is! You just have to read it for yourself and you’ll see why. But overall, AMAZING
  • Fun read with interesting characters

    4
    By book worm 101
    Winnie and Ava are friends in college and then find themselves in business together with a bit of manipulation. Fun read
  • Such a fun read

    5
    By KellyAnn9
    Really enjoyed this book and being immersed in the counterfeit and high-end handbag world. Perfect summer read!
  • Good but not great

    3
    By KnifeHandLover
    Not really a thrilling page turner but also an enjoyable read
  • Complete drivel

    1
    By oki$4&5
    Don’t waste your time.
  • An Entertaining Read

    4
    By akbaird
    Ava has a son who cries all the time and is not the easiest child and a husband who is a workaholic. Ava gets involved with a counterfeit designer hand bag scheme, thanks to her her long time friend Winnie. Would you engage in illegal activity if your friend asked? A quick read that is entertaining and fun! Perfect read for a vacation or sitting by the pool!

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