There are times when you go into a book expecting it to be one thing, but then it surprises you by giving you just a little bit more beyond its plot. That’s how I felt with Kirstin Chen’s Counterfeit. This book begins with a fascinating look into the counterfeit luxury goods industry told from an outsider’s perspective. Then as the story progresses, it becomes more of a character exploration littered with underlying themes about success and status in America.
Maybe this is a bit of a spoiler, but I really liked Ava and Winnie’s friendship. It’s initially assumed to be maybe one-sided, but as more is revealed they actually confide in each other especially based on how their lives are currently going. Their relationship also gives a subtle interesting look on the differences between being Asian American and being an immigrant, and how there are struggles and commonalities from both sides.
What both women essentially want is to make it, even if it means having to break the system with a con. The idea of wealth and status is an illusion and how just even a designer bag and how you dress are enough to give an impression of having it all. It’s so easy to do and therefore makes it so enticing to take advantage of and make a profit from it, and I love how Ava and Winnie work together in doing this. It gave me such Ocean’s 8 vibes, particularly Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett’s characters.
I really enjoyed reading this one and had a great time getting to talk about it with a friend on Bookstagram who I buddy read this with. Ava and Winnie have become my favorite partners in crime - literally (see what I did there 😅).
📽 Movie Recommendations: American Hustle, Catch Me If You Can, Ocean’s 8, Hustlers
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