Five Star Billionaire by Tash Aw .. Book review.

Five Star Billionaire is a story of modern day Shanghai, the business capital of China, a place where people throng with dreams and with hope to see them come true.

Five Star Billionaire is the story of four Malaysians. Phoebe, a young ambitious village girl who fakes out her identity and herself in process. Gary, a pop star who falls from grace and discovers himself. Justin a lonely business man who looses all and quits a family business that goes bust to start from the scratch once again and discover his love. Yinghui, a successful business woman who lost her love and family and face and eventually money. All these characters are loosely connected by Walter in mysterious ways as the story progresses to a dramatic end.

The book is an accurate description of modern day values and self centered lives in a Capitalist style metropolis with all its tension, emotions and confusion. It definitely is a good read although at times the pace is rather slow and the plot predictable.

We give it an 8  in a scale of 10. A leisure 435 page compelling story.