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Real Americans
Win a free print copy of this book!
1 day and 19:42:35
100 copies available
U.S. only
From the award-winning author of Goodbye, Vitamin: How far would you go to shape your own destiny? An exhilarating novel of American identity that spans three generations in one family, and asks: What makes us who we are? And how inevitable are our futures?
Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love.
In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than answers.
In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance—a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home.
Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made, and if so, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome?
Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn't be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love.
In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can't shake the sense she's hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than answers.
In immersive, moving prose, Rachel Khong weaves a profound tale of class and striving, race and visibility, and family and inheritance—a story of trust, forgiveness, and finally coming home.
Exuberant and explosive, Real Americans is a social novel par excellence that asks: Are we destined, or made, and if so, who gets to do the making? Can our genetic past be overcome?
416 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 30, 2024
About the author
Rachel Khong
10 books620 followersRachel Khong is the author of Goodbye, Vitamin, winner of the California Book Award for First Fiction and named a best book of the year by NPR; O, The Oprah Magazine; Vogue; and Esquire. Her work has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Cut, The Guardian, The Paris Review, and Tin House. In 2018, she founded the Ruby, a work and event space for women and nonbinary writers and artists in San Francisco’s Mission District. She was born in Malaysia and lives in California.
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April 5, 2024family drama family drama family drama!
March 13, 2024
A true intergenerational Chinese-American novel that spans decades and cities and POVs, sitting somewhere between reality and fantasy (my favorite kind of place). This felt like PACHINKO for a newer generation -- reminiscent of the way Sanjena Sathian's GOLD DIGGERS talked about the intertwining of family trauma, or how Gabrielle Zevin's TOMORROW AND TOMORROW AND TOMORROW took on love and technology in a coming of age tale.
(Got flagged for not saying i got a free review copy so this is my disclaimer that this is an ARC review lol)
(Got flagged for not saying i got a free review copy so this is my disclaimer that this is an ARC review lol)
April 21, 2024
4.5 stars
I just finished a major project for class, so I’m hoping to have some time for catching up on my leisure reading over the next couple weeks. I decided to pick up Rachel Khong’s Real Americans next because of an author talk I plan to attend (which I’m very much looking forward to!).
I will start off by saying that, admittedly, this was one of those books that I found a little bit hard to parse at times, mostly because of the “science” element — which, even though it remains largely in the background throughout most of the story, it does play a pretty significant role in advancing parts of the plot. That said however, I feel that the way Khong structured the story is brilliant — there are 3 parts to the story, each told from the first person perspective of 3 different characters: Lily in 1999, Nick in 2021, and Mei in 2030. All 3 voices felt distinct to me, which is an admirable feat, no doubt, given how different it is to pull off. The first part of the story, told from Lily’s perspective, reads like a romance, as it is the love story of how Lily — the daughter of Chinese immigrants who struggles to make sense of her life working a dead-end job that she’s not even getting paid for — meets Matthew, the rich heir of a pharmaceutical conglomerate -a and how they ultimately fall in love and start a family together. Part 2 fast forwards 22 years later — Lily and Matthew are separated and Lily is raising their son Nick, who is 15 years old, alone in a remote part of Washington. Told from Nick’s perspective, this part feels like a coming of age story, as Nick (who, though biracial, looks more like his father than his mother) struggles to come to terms with his own identity as well as that of his estranged father, whom his mother refuses to tell him anything about. Part 3 takes place 9 years later, in 2030, but actually provides the backstory that explains many of the things that happened in parts 1 and 2. This last section (which reads like historical fiction) is told from the perspective of Lily’s mother Mei, as she recounts what her life was like growing up in China in the 1960s, at the height of the country’s Cultural Revolution, and how she ended up fleeing to America. What I found interesting about this structure is that all 3 parts, at times, read like 3 different stories (albeit with the same characters), and interestingly enough, the 3 timelines never truly converge like most multiple timeline stories do, yet the overarching story as a whole never felt disjointed. As I was reading, I was continually engaged with the story, even though oftentimes, not a whole lot was actually happening plot-wise. All the characters in here were also well-drawn, realistic, and relatable — especially the 3 characters who narrate the story.
Another interesting thing to note with this story is that it’s not one of those stories that ties everything up neatly (and not just the ending). There are gaps in all 3 timelines that are never fully explained, yet the story still feels complete somehow (not sure how to explain this properly but I think those who’ve read this will know what I mean).
Overall, this was an engrossing read that I absolutely recommend. The story itself is definitely the slow burn type — quiet, subtle, and rarely makes any major waves — yet it also never felt boring to me (case in point, I read this in 2 days because I couldn’t bring myself to put it down). Part of this was due to Khong’s writing, which the blurb to the book already describes perfectly as “moving” and “immersive.” I haven’t yet read Khong’s debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin , but given how much I enjoyed this new one, I will definitely have to go back and read that one.
Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley.
I just finished a major project for class, so I’m hoping to have some time for catching up on my leisure reading over the next couple weeks. I decided to pick up Rachel Khong’s Real Americans next because of an author talk I plan to attend (which I’m very much looking forward to!).
I will start off by saying that, admittedly, this was one of those books that I found a little bit hard to parse at times, mostly because of the “science” element — which, even though it remains largely in the background throughout most of the story, it does play a pretty significant role in advancing parts of the plot. That said however, I feel that the way Khong structured the story is brilliant — there are 3 parts to the story, each told from the first person perspective of 3 different characters: Lily in 1999, Nick in 2021, and Mei in 2030. All 3 voices felt distinct to me, which is an admirable feat, no doubt, given how different it is to pull off. The first part of the story, told from Lily’s perspective, reads like a romance, as it is the love story of how Lily — the daughter of Chinese immigrants who struggles to make sense of her life working a dead-end job that she’s not even getting paid for — meets Matthew, the rich heir of a pharmaceutical conglomerate -a and how they ultimately fall in love and start a family together. Part 2 fast forwards 22 years later — Lily and Matthew are separated and Lily is raising their son Nick, who is 15 years old, alone in a remote part of Washington. Told from Nick’s perspective, this part feels like a coming of age story, as Nick (who, though biracial, looks more like his father than his mother) struggles to come to terms with his own identity as well as that of his estranged father, whom his mother refuses to tell him anything about. Part 3 takes place 9 years later, in 2030, but actually provides the backstory that explains many of the things that happened in parts 1 and 2. This last section (which reads like historical fiction) is told from the perspective of Lily’s mother Mei, as she recounts what her life was like growing up in China in the 1960s, at the height of the country’s Cultural Revolution, and how she ended up fleeing to America. What I found interesting about this structure is that all 3 parts, at times, read like 3 different stories (albeit with the same characters), and interestingly enough, the 3 timelines never truly converge like most multiple timeline stories do, yet the overarching story as a whole never felt disjointed. As I was reading, I was continually engaged with the story, even though oftentimes, not a whole lot was actually happening plot-wise. All the characters in here were also well-drawn, realistic, and relatable — especially the 3 characters who narrate the story.
Another interesting thing to note with this story is that it’s not one of those stories that ties everything up neatly (and not just the ending). There are gaps in all 3 timelines that are never fully explained, yet the story still feels complete somehow (not sure how to explain this properly but I think those who’ve read this will know what I mean).
Overall, this was an engrossing read that I absolutely recommend. The story itself is definitely the slow burn type — quiet, subtle, and rarely makes any major waves — yet it also never felt boring to me (case in point, I read this in 2 days because I couldn’t bring myself to put it down). Part of this was due to Khong’s writing, which the blurb to the book already describes perfectly as “moving” and “immersive.” I haven’t yet read Khong’s debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin , but given how much I enjoyed this new one, I will definitely have to go back and read that one.
Received ARC from Knopf via NetGalley.
January 25, 2024
Every once in a while a book will sneak up on you and you know it will be one that you will think about for a long time afterwards. This book is beautifully written, will have you immediately interested in the characters and where this story will take them. It is told in multiple POV's, Lily, Nick and Mei with my favorite being Lily’s though all three are wonderful in their own way. Lily was so ambitious and hardworking that I wanted to reach out and give her a hug. I felt so bad for Nick in parts and I wanted him to be able to find his own life and a way to be happy with how things were. Mei's story was sad and reflective but also filled with hope and wonder.
I will say that this book is not at all what I expected but in a good way and I ended up liking it more than I initially thought I would. I love that even though the book is told from multiple POV's and multiple timelines, they all come together in the end and you have a new perspective on each character. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Knopf and Rachel Khong for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I will say that this book is not at all what I expected but in a good way and I ended up liking it more than I initially thought I would. I love that even though the book is told from multiple POV's and multiple timelines, they all come together in the end and you have a new perspective on each character. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, Knopf and Rachel Khong for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 31, 2024
Men make their own history, but they do not make it as they please; they do not make it under self-selected circumstances, but under circumstances existing already, given and transmitted from the past. (Karl Marx)
In other words, we all make many choices in our lives, but many things are already chosen for us. This might be down to where in the world we’re born, to which family, or a whole bunch of other elements, including inherited health conditions. It's is a theme that runs throughout this excellent novel, and yet it took me me quite a while to identify this.
It’s starts with Lily meeting Matthew. The former is a Chinese-American woman of very limited means, and the latter is most definitely a born and bred American, and not short of a bob or two. He quickly whisks her off to Paris, seemingly on the spur of the moment, and soon after they’re a couple. I thought this would be the beginning of the story but I was to learn that this was actually the mid-point, we’ll learn how the story truly begins, and then how it ends, later in the book.
There are, in fact, three generations covered here. Their stories are complex and interweaving. But because of the way it’s structured, it isn't initially clear where it's all heading. The story of Mai (Lily’s mother) is the most harrowing section, documenting the chilling regime imposed by Mao Zedong and the very limited options open to all but the party leaders and their families. The final section brings everything together and finally makes sense of the piece as a whole.
There’s a good deal of philosophising here, and lots of science, too. But the central theme is how luck, or fortune, plays such a key role in determining what sort of life it is we will be allowed to lead. Unless we are able to load the odds in our favour, that is. Is it possible that modern science has a card up its sleeve that will enable us to improve our odds? There is a science fiction element to this tale, but based (I presume) on what might one day be possible. It was always there in this story, in the background, but it wasn't intrusive, and I didn't spot it for the most part. It crept up on me, and actually not in a bad way. In truth, I was always more engaged in the people: their stories, what they desired, and what was driving them.
There are small things here that I could pick at, but really it’s a tale that had me gripped pretty much from the start. It’s superbly written and imaginatively created. I loved it and was really sad to finally finish this slow-moving but hugely thought-provoking tale.
My thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone, for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In other words, we all make many choices in our lives, but many things are already chosen for us. This might be down to where in the world we’re born, to which family, or a whole bunch of other elements, including inherited health conditions. It's is a theme that runs throughout this excellent novel, and yet it took me me quite a while to identify this.
It’s starts with Lily meeting Matthew. The former is a Chinese-American woman of very limited means, and the latter is most definitely a born and bred American, and not short of a bob or two. He quickly whisks her off to Paris, seemingly on the spur of the moment, and soon after they’re a couple. I thought this would be the beginning of the story but I was to learn that this was actually the mid-point, we’ll learn how the story truly begins, and then how it ends, later in the book.
There are, in fact, three generations covered here. Their stories are complex and interweaving. But because of the way it’s structured, it isn't initially clear where it's all heading. The story of Mai (Lily’s mother) is the most harrowing section, documenting the chilling regime imposed by Mao Zedong and the very limited options open to all but the party leaders and their families. The final section brings everything together and finally makes sense of the piece as a whole.
There’s a good deal of philosophising here, and lots of science, too. But the central theme is how luck, or fortune, plays such a key role in determining what sort of life it is we will be allowed to lead. Unless we are able to load the odds in our favour, that is. Is it possible that modern science has a card up its sleeve that will enable us to improve our odds? There is a science fiction element to this tale, but based (I presume) on what might one day be possible. It was always there in this story, in the background, but it wasn't intrusive, and I didn't spot it for the most part. It crept up on me, and actually not in a bad way. In truth, I was always more engaged in the people: their stories, what they desired, and what was driving them.
There are small things here that I could pick at, but really it’s a tale that had me gripped pretty much from the start. It’s superbly written and imaginatively created. I loved it and was really sad to finally finish this slow-moving but hugely thought-provoking tale.
My thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone, for providing a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 7, 2024
Incredible.
April 19, 2024
“Hearing a story — what did it accomplish? Nothing and everything.”
So much of our lives are out of our control, from where we are born to who our parents are. We didn’t choose to take after our father's eyes or our mother’s height. We didn’t choose to be born in a country with inherent privilege, while others were born in a country of immense repression and political turmoil. Or a family where I love you is said naturally without hesitation, while for others, it can only be expressed through tough love.
All of these things make it difficult to accept how little agency we have in our lives. How much is fate, and what is within our control?
In ‘Real Americans, ’ we see what happens when one decision to claim control of your family sends a rippling wave of consequences that question what lengths are justified and what is exercising control beyond the boundaries of ethics.
The story is split into three parts, following three generations within a family: grandmother, daughter, and grandson. We are taken across 70 years—from China during Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward to New York during Y2K and 2030, a not-so-distant future. I’m intentionally keeping the plot and characters vague, as I think this story is best told by knowing as little as possible and experiencing and uncovering as you go.
This story is why I get so much fulfillment from multigenerational family sagas. In real life, we do not know all the decisions and circumstances that led to who our parents and grandparents are. We are forced to find answers to the secrets kept and the untold stories. So, it feels like a refreshing opportunity to be presented with a full lineage and see each generation blend into the next. My compassion often expands, and my criticisms are reduced. As we see with this family, we all deserve to give our loved ones more empathy because even if we disagree with their decisions, everyone is doing the best with the cards they've been dealt.
“But what if I’d been born someone else, a place where, whoever you were, you could make your own choices? That was all I wanted. Not a grand wish, just a fair one.”
So many things stood out to me—starting with the relationship with time and whether intentions can redeem the harm of one's actions. Hearing someone’s intentions makes you feel so much but changes so little. The veil and consequences of propaganda are strong in every country, whether we realize it or not.
This story has a lot of love, and all the different forms and shapes were hopeful and heartbreaking. Lastly, as the daughter of immigrant parents, the immigrant experience I always feel very emotional reading, and in this case, hearing about the Chinese diaspora was equally emotional and very layered.
“But it was a mistake, believing you could choose for someone else, no matter how well-intentioned you might be.”
I don’t think I’ve universally felt so much empathy for each main character in a story before. I have only positive things to say! I loved the ending. Every time I reflect, I pick up on something else I love. The structure, science elements, full-circle moments, and plot twists all worked for me. I cannot wait for more people to read.
Thank you so much for the ARC. Rachel, congratulations! It's cemented as one of my favorites of the year.
So much of our lives are out of our control, from where we are born to who our parents are. We didn’t choose to take after our father's eyes or our mother’s height. We didn’t choose to be born in a country with inherent privilege, while others were born in a country of immense repression and political turmoil. Or a family where I love you is said naturally without hesitation, while for others, it can only be expressed through tough love.
All of these things make it difficult to accept how little agency we have in our lives. How much is fate, and what is within our control?
In ‘Real Americans, ’ we see what happens when one decision to claim control of your family sends a rippling wave of consequences that question what lengths are justified and what is exercising control beyond the boundaries of ethics.
The story is split into three parts, following three generations within a family: grandmother, daughter, and grandson. We are taken across 70 years—from China during Mao Zedong’s Great Leap Forward to New York during Y2K and 2030, a not-so-distant future. I’m intentionally keeping the plot and characters vague, as I think this story is best told by knowing as little as possible and experiencing and uncovering as you go.
This story is why I get so much fulfillment from multigenerational family sagas. In real life, we do not know all the decisions and circumstances that led to who our parents and grandparents are. We are forced to find answers to the secrets kept and the untold stories. So, it feels like a refreshing opportunity to be presented with a full lineage and see each generation blend into the next. My compassion often expands, and my criticisms are reduced. As we see with this family, we all deserve to give our loved ones more empathy because even if we disagree with their decisions, everyone is doing the best with the cards they've been dealt.
“But what if I’d been born someone else, a place where, whoever you were, you could make your own choices? That was all I wanted. Not a grand wish, just a fair one.”
So many things stood out to me—starting with the relationship with time and whether intentions can redeem the harm of one's actions. Hearing someone’s intentions makes you feel so much but changes so little. The veil and consequences of propaganda are strong in every country, whether we realize it or not.
This story has a lot of love, and all the different forms and shapes were hopeful and heartbreaking. Lastly, as the daughter of immigrant parents, the immigrant experience I always feel very emotional reading, and in this case, hearing about the Chinese diaspora was equally emotional and very layered.
“But it was a mistake, believing you could choose for someone else, no matter how well-intentioned you might be.”
I don’t think I’ve universally felt so much empathy for each main character in a story before. I have only positive things to say! I loved the ending. Every time I reflect, I pick up on something else I love. The structure, science elements, full-circle moments, and plot twists all worked for me. I cannot wait for more people to read.
Thank you so much for the ARC. Rachel, congratulations! It's cemented as one of my favorites of the year.
Read
March 18, 2024The short version of my reaction to this book is: a three-generation saga made up of some powerful sections, observations, and especially details, mixed with science fiction, forced into a structure that works against it.
I found the most engaging section by far was the third, Mei's story of surviving being born dirt-poor in China on the eve of Mao's "improvements," her survival of the brutal years of Mao's utter failure at environmental and economic reform, followed by the mad brutality of the Red Guard era. She became a scientist in spite of these difficulties, while enduring a horrible marriage; at that point, the narrative begins to break up as the first two sections are jumbled in via some high end business dealings.
The book began with Mei's daughter Lily as an unpaid intern. There is a quick, rather synopsis of a whirlwind romance. Then the narrative cuts that off to focus on Lily's son Nick, whose section seemed the most unmoored from the rest, in spite of Nick's determination to connect with his grandmother.
Emotionally the story was all over the place; as soon as I'd be drawn into one character's story, the rug was pulled out and I was plunged into scattered anecdotes of another. Meanwhile, the story threads of the previous section are left dangling, unresolved, including an awkward inclusion of what I guess was maybe magical realism? But it served no purpose in the story: without it, the story would be exactly the same.
I did like the last line, but because the emotional threads had been so snarled, it engendered only a brief smile rather than any sense of resolution. The question "Why? What happened?" once again almost overshadowed memory of the details of Mei's life in particular, which I found the strongest part of the book.
But then I'm old, and I remember the horrifying news smuggled out of China about teenagers my own age busy brutalizing the country right back to the Stone Age. I wonder if younger readers will be more involved with the more modern times, and Lily's and Nick's part of the story.
So: a jumble of a review about a structural jumble of a book. Is it worth reading? Absolutely! Despite my impatience with what I consider a messy structure, the individual elements were absorbing and the Chinese paradigm overlying the "American" dream is very much worth pondering.
Book provided by NetGalley
I found the most engaging section by far was the third, Mei's story of surviving being born dirt-poor in China on the eve of Mao's "improvements," her survival of the brutal years of Mao's utter failure at environmental and economic reform, followed by the mad brutality of the Red Guard era. She became a scientist in spite of these difficulties, while enduring a horrible marriage; at that point, the narrative begins to break up as the first two sections are jumbled in via some high end business dealings.
The book began with Mei's daughter Lily as an unpaid intern. There is a quick, rather synopsis of a whirlwind romance. Then the narrative cuts that off to focus on Lily's son Nick, whose section seemed the most unmoored from the rest, in spite of Nick's determination to connect with his grandmother.
Emotionally the story was all over the place; as soon as I'd be drawn into one character's story, the rug was pulled out and I was plunged into scattered anecdotes of another. Meanwhile, the story threads of the previous section are left dangling, unresolved, including an awkward inclusion of what I guess was maybe magical realism? But it served no purpose in the story: without it, the story would be exactly the same.
I did like the last line, but because the emotional threads had been so snarled, it engendered only a brief smile rather than any sense of resolution. The question "Why? What happened?" once again almost overshadowed memory of the details of Mei's life in particular, which I found the strongest part of the book.
But then I'm old, and I remember the horrifying news smuggled out of China about teenagers my own age busy brutalizing the country right back to the Stone Age. I wonder if younger readers will be more involved with the more modern times, and Lily's and Nick's part of the story.
So: a jumble of a review about a structural jumble of a book. Is it worth reading? Absolutely! Despite my impatience with what I consider a messy structure, the individual elements were absorbing and the Chinese paradigm overlying the "American" dream is very much worth pondering.
Book provided by NetGalley
September 25, 2023
i enjoyed most of this novel. it is very well written, but the first section was absolutely my favorite. lily is such a compelling woman, and her struggles with motherhood after birth are so heartbreaking and brilliant. i didn't care much for nick. i cared even less for mei's story. the magic aspect of this novel just doesn't work. it's thrown in so haphazardly and takes away from the original theme of chinese folks trying to assimilate/survive/be accepted into a terribly racist america.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
March 28, 2024
[3.5/5 stars]
REAL AMERICANS follows three POVs and timelines: Lily Chen, daughter of Chinese immigrants; Lily's son, Nick and Lily's mother, Mei.
I had mixed feelings about this novel: in part one, the narrative adopts a romantic approach, centering around the relationship between Lily and Matthew (and his family). The overwritten trope between Asian woman and white guy, as well as the immigrant story in which a child needs to meet the parents' expectations feel quite conventional. Some lavish descriptions are detailed as if to impress the reader, however the intention becomes clear as one advances the story. I wasn't fully convinced by the romance, since the instant connection felt less organic.
In part two, this is more a coming-of-age story of Nick, as he navigates through identity and adulthood. Echoing themes of white supremacy and friendship, I was less invested in the teenager dialogues, punctuated by youth and recklessness.
Part three was my favorite part and the highlight of the novel - from Chinese Cultural Revolution to America, there was a more profound character development and Khong examines belonging and American identity. The backstory allows a better emotional attachment, moving forward to incorporate a scientific touch. The inclusion of biology and epigenetics gives the story a dash of originality and I was utterly engaged.
With lyrical prose and short chapters, this book reads quick. At its core, it is about race, identity and power; providing a lens into how influential people try to control fate with wealth and power. The mystery about Lotus seed from Qing dynasty, what drew my attention at first, was briefly mentioned and not further developed. The book was more telling and in an attempt to tackle on several important themes, it was ineffective at delivering more substance. Lastly, the half-baked ending left me underwhelmed.
Regardless of its flaws, what this novel does is to provide a story that would be perfect for book clubs, sparking interesting discussions. REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Khong is a fast-paced and enjoyable read with some compelling twists.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Knopf publishing . All opinions are my own ]
REAL AMERICANS follows three POVs and timelines: Lily Chen, daughter of Chinese immigrants; Lily's son, Nick and Lily's mother, Mei.
I had mixed feelings about this novel: in part one, the narrative adopts a romantic approach, centering around the relationship between Lily and Matthew (and his family). The overwritten trope between Asian woman and white guy, as well as the immigrant story in which a child needs to meet the parents' expectations feel quite conventional. Some lavish descriptions are detailed as if to impress the reader, however the intention becomes clear as one advances the story. I wasn't fully convinced by the romance, since the instant connection felt less organic.
In part two, this is more a coming-of-age story of Nick, as he navigates through identity and adulthood. Echoing themes of white supremacy and friendship, I was less invested in the teenager dialogues, punctuated by youth and recklessness.
Part three was my favorite part and the highlight of the novel - from Chinese Cultural Revolution to America, there was a more profound character development and Khong examines belonging and American identity. The backstory allows a better emotional attachment, moving forward to incorporate a scientific touch. The inclusion of biology and epigenetics gives the story a dash of originality and I was utterly engaged.
With lyrical prose and short chapters, this book reads quick. At its core, it is about race, identity and power; providing a lens into how influential people try to control fate with wealth and power. The mystery about Lotus seed from Qing dynasty, what drew my attention at first, was briefly mentioned and not further developed. The book was more telling and in an attempt to tackle on several important themes, it was ineffective at delivering more substance. Lastly, the half-baked ending left me underwhelmed.
Regardless of its flaws, what this novel does is to provide a story that would be perfect for book clubs, sparking interesting discussions. REAL AMERICANS by Rachel Khong is a fast-paced and enjoyable read with some compelling twists.
[ I received an ARC from the publisher - Knopf publishing . All opinions are my own ]
April 5, 2024
I’ve been encouraged to review every book I read, and I really don’t want to do this one, because just simply put it… dare I say it didn’t work for me? I didn’t like it. What I’m gonna do is spell out why, then I’m going to backpedal and say the things I think this book does well, too. Any 400 page book that’s been poured into from a heart for years deserves our time of day, and I anticipate too that a lot of folks are going to find a lot to love here!
Without further ado:
This book is split into three sections narrated respectively by Lily, a daughter of Chinese immigrant geneticists, Nick, Lily’s son, then Mei, Lily’s mother.
Each section is tackled a bit differently in narrative style, the first being closest to a romance, second closest to a coming of age story, and the third a blend of historical fiction with a sci-fi twist. No section succeeds on its own as a story, I worry in part, because so much excess had to be built in to connect to the other two. Moreover, the thread that connects them is based on more than a handful of clunky, intensely ironic coincidences.
The sci-fi element, despite meticulous research, still feels underbaked. I worry when fiction is going to tackle philosophical issues in molecular biology and genetics, it really needs to be able to GO THERE. This unfortunately falls flat in its exploration of the topic. Had it been more of a minor part of the novel, I would be less likely to quibble, but it’s so important to this story I have to mention it.
I did not find the writing particularly strong in case that would have won me over, but I do think it’s effective. Despite feeling frustrated at key plot points, I still found myself wanting to know more and pulled forward almost irresistibly. I felt drawn to the story, even if in the end it did not meet expectations I think it set for itself.
I do believe some readers will find a lot of solace in several themes running through this novel, though, particularly about race and belonging in a family and the US.
I hope this review is helpful, and I hope you read this! Would love to talk!
Thank you to the publisher for sending me an advance copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
My review was initially published under 2 stars and has been removed without warning twice.
March 18, 2024
Rl. I don’t want to say much else about the plot. Part of the appeal of this book is while it is literary, it also feels more widely appealing in the way Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow did. The plot AND the writing will pull you along.
I was hooked from the first line, and while I enjoyed Parts I and II the most, I overall really liked this. The questions are our fates truly inevitable, do we have the right to influence others’ fates even if capable, and what really makes us…us were all explored here. It’s important to note there are some not fully explained or fully believe scientific things central to who Khong is answering these questions. I was okay with that, despite wanting a bit more. That aside, I have a feeling these characters and this story will stay with me for awhile.
I was hooked from the first line, and while I enjoyed Parts I and II the most, I overall really liked this. The questions are our fates truly inevitable, do we have the right to influence others’ fates even if capable, and what really makes us…us were all explored here. It’s important to note there are some not fully explained or fully believe scientific things central to who Khong is answering these questions. I was okay with that, despite wanting a bit more. That aside, I have a feeling these characters and this story will stay with me for awhile.
October 20, 2023
OK, I absolutely loved this book. Multigenerational family sagas told from switching perspectives are my jam, and Real Americans 100% delivered. The narrative structure kept me turning pages (a no small feat since I was traveling the week I picked up my copy!) and the language and pointed observations about what it means to be a person, an American, and an ethical human being will stay with me for a long time. Even though Real Americans deals with complex topics such as immigrant experience and exploration of personal identity and what it’s like to inhabit a white or a non-white body as a person of color, the book is approachable for a wide variety of readers. It’s going to be a great book club pick when it comes out!
Also, one word on science: I have a biomedical sciences PhD and was not bothered by any scientific inaccuracies (a pet peeve of mine!). In fact, I am very impressed by how thoroughly and accurately the science was represented, given the sci-fi angle to the story. It would have been easy to go overboard and paint May’s work as grotesque but I actually found it pretty believable in a way that aligned well with the state of scientific progress at each given time period.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed it immensely.
Thank you to NetGalley and A. A. Knopf for the ARC!
Also, one word on science: I have a biomedical sciences PhD and was not bothered by any scientific inaccuracies (a pet peeve of mine!). In fact, I am very impressed by how thoroughly and accurately the science was represented, given the sci-fi angle to the story. It would have been easy to go overboard and paint May’s work as grotesque but I actually found it pretty believable in a way that aligned well with the state of scientific progress at each given time period.
Overall, I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed it immensely.
Thank you to NetGalley and A. A. Knopf for the ARC!
April 6, 2024
Science paired with the lure of consumer choice leads to heartbreaking consequences in Real Americans.
A female biologist believes genetic research will allow parents to suppress unwanted genes to make a perfect, healthy, baby. She escapes Communist China and the horror of the Cultural Revolution with a fellow scientist, leaving behind her true love. They resume their research in the United States.
Their daughter Lily resists her parents’ expectations to live a purposeful life in science, and while an intern in New York City meets a man from a wealthy and influential family. To Lily’s surprise, as different as they are, he falls in love with her and they marry. But soon after the birth of their child, blonde and blue eyed like his father, Lily discovers secrets that drive her into a secluded, off-the-grid life with her son.
Years later, Nick can’t wait to leave home and his mother’s nearly suffocating love. His best friend encouraged him to take a DNA test to learn more about a father his mother has never talked about. His journey brings division and finally understanding.
This big, intergenerational family saga is a real page-turner, touching on so many issues and ideas. I especially appreciated understanding the changes in China under Mao, and the experience of being an American born Chinese American. The idea of genetic modification to eliminate disease and specific traits feels all too relevant as genetic research advances. Should we have such choices? This novel explores the psychological impact of such choices.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book
A female biologist believes genetic research will allow parents to suppress unwanted genes to make a perfect, healthy, baby. She escapes Communist China and the horror of the Cultural Revolution with a fellow scientist, leaving behind her true love. They resume their research in the United States.
Their daughter Lily resists her parents’ expectations to live a purposeful life in science, and while an intern in New York City meets a man from a wealthy and influential family. To Lily’s surprise, as different as they are, he falls in love with her and they marry. But soon after the birth of their child, blonde and blue eyed like his father, Lily discovers secrets that drive her into a secluded, off-the-grid life with her son.
Years later, Nick can’t wait to leave home and his mother’s nearly suffocating love. His best friend encouraged him to take a DNA test to learn more about a father his mother has never talked about. His journey brings division and finally understanding.
This big, intergenerational family saga is a real page-turner, touching on so many issues and ideas. I especially appreciated understanding the changes in China under Mao, and the experience of being an American born Chinese American. The idea of genetic modification to eliminate disease and specific traits feels all too relevant as genetic research advances. Should we have such choices? This novel explores the psychological impact of such choices.
Thanks to the publisher for a free book
February 23, 2024
Review TK. But I loved this one! Preorder your copy now.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free advance copy of this book.
September 14, 2023
Part 1 - Lily: 2 stars
Part 2- Nick: 3 stars
Part 3; May/Mei: 4 stars
Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD
This book was very uneven for me. It feels like Khong spent so long on the third part of the novel that she didn't flesh out the beginning. I considered abandoning the story when it centered on Lily because it was so light on characterization. Lily meets and falls in love with Matthew, but he is little more than an archetype of a rich, white man who wants to distance himself from his wealthy family. His father, Otto, is similarly painted with a very light brush. They don't seem like characters but narrative necessities to get where we're going.
The plot moved briskly in the first third, likely because the other parts were far more interesting. When Lily gives birth to her son with Matthew, the child looks nothing like her. "The baby who wasn't my baby was brought to my breast, and I let him eat," Khong writes. That is the briefest description of a mother's first experience breastfeeding that I've ever read. It's like Khong knew the rest of the book was meatier and wanted to get there as soon as possible.
The book gets much richer in the second part, as we delve into Nick's life. His character is much more fully fleshed-out than his parents', though we do learn a bit more about Lily and Matthew in part two.
The final third is where the book really soars--when you learn about the hardships Mei endures to make her way from China to the United States. Yes, it gives you insight into why she did what she did and how the revelation of her sins blew up Lily and Matthew's marriage. Matthew remains little more than an absent father archetype, but at least we understand the first part a little bit more.
The "magic" part of the book never worked for me, and I don't really understand its purpose in the story. So Mei swallowed a magic lotus seed that gave her, Lily, and Nick the gift of time? A gift no amount of money can buy. This ability to stop time allows Nick, who was struggling badly to understand anything in his college classes, to suddenly become a straight-A student? It seemed out-of-place and awfully convenient.
One loose thread--how did Ping's letter to Mei come into Nick's possession, and why did we never get her modern-day reaction to seeing a picture of her long-lost love? She now knows for sure that he lived. And thrived.
Part 2- Nick: 3 stars
Part 3; May/Mei: 4 stars
Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD
This book was very uneven for me. It feels like Khong spent so long on the third part of the novel that she didn't flesh out the beginning. I considered abandoning the story when it centered on Lily because it was so light on characterization. Lily meets and falls in love with Matthew, but he is little more than an archetype of a rich, white man who wants to distance himself from his wealthy family. His father, Otto, is similarly painted with a very light brush. They don't seem like characters but narrative necessities to get where we're going.
The plot moved briskly in the first third, likely because the other parts were far more interesting. When Lily gives birth to her son with Matthew, the child looks nothing like her. "The baby who wasn't my baby was brought to my breast, and I let him eat," Khong writes. That is the briefest description of a mother's first experience breastfeeding that I've ever read. It's like Khong knew the rest of the book was meatier and wanted to get there as soon as possible.
The book gets much richer in the second part, as we delve into Nick's life. His character is much more fully fleshed-out than his parents', though we do learn a bit more about Lily and Matthew in part two.
The final third is where the book really soars--when you learn about the hardships Mei endures to make her way from China to the United States. Yes, it gives you insight into why she did what she did and how the revelation of her sins blew up Lily and Matthew's marriage. Matthew remains little more than an absent father archetype, but at least we understand the first part a little bit more.
The "magic" part of the book never worked for me, and I don't really understand its purpose in the story. So Mei swallowed a magic lotus seed that gave her, Lily, and Nick the gift of time? A gift no amount of money can buy. This ability to stop time allows Nick, who was struggling badly to understand anything in his college classes, to suddenly become a straight-A student? It seemed out-of-place and awfully convenient.
One loose thread--how did Ping's letter to Mei come into Nick's possession, and why did we never get her modern-day reaction to seeing a picture of her long-lost love? She now knows for sure that he lived. And thrived.
April 16, 2024
Real Americans presses into the crevices between generations, thickening the connective tissues with stories of befores and afters, whys and wherefores.
Over the course of the novel, spanning three generations and fifty years, Khong hands the narrative reigns over to her main characters in sections. Aside from a prologue-like beginning, we first meet Lily Chen, a 22-year-old New Yorker who is a first generation American. It’s 1999 and Lily carries us through some turn-of-the-century milestones: Y2K, 9/11, among others. When Lily meets Matthew and the two fall in love, the path ahead for them seems laid out. But, just as we’ve gotten settled into the story following the birth of Matthew and Lily’s son, Khong delivers the reader over to the future of 2021 with 15-year-old Nick Chen at the helm.
Nick lives in Washington with his mother, Lily, and has never known his father. As he goes through the pangs of late teenagedom and early adulthood, he tries to reach out to meet his dad.
Lastly, we get to hear from May / Mei, Lily’s mother — both from now and from decades before, as she relays her past in a sort of oral retelling of how and why she emigrated from China.
A really interesting aspect for me was the way Khong crafted and revealed her characters. For instance, Lily isn’t a fully-formed person, with agency and self-awareness, until she is no longer the narrator. It wasn’t until I could see her in the shadows of Nick’s story that Lily felt real and filled in with more vibrant, knowable colors. But a lot of the major plot points felt forced, and almost everyone beyond this trio of MCs remained distant and half-realized.
Khong goes after a lot in this novel, coming at it indirectly. It’s as if she just has so much to say, but not quite enough structure in which to say it. Her style was odd and a little hard to get into — with a whiff of a bullet-style delivery, pelting the reader with characterizations and scene settings, while keeping the narrator a little closed off and distant. It’s the kind where you’re either immediately going to get right into it and not notice it, or you will notice the entire time. She hints at deep understandings and ideas, but I never felt like we quite got there. The entirety of Real Americans feels like she held back; she knew the right questions, but hesitated to ask.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
Over the course of the novel, spanning three generations and fifty years, Khong hands the narrative reigns over to her main characters in sections. Aside from a prologue-like beginning, we first meet Lily Chen, a 22-year-old New Yorker who is a first generation American. It’s 1999 and Lily carries us through some turn-of-the-century milestones: Y2K, 9/11, among others. When Lily meets Matthew and the two fall in love, the path ahead for them seems laid out. But, just as we’ve gotten settled into the story following the birth of Matthew and Lily’s son, Khong delivers the reader over to the future of 2021 with 15-year-old Nick Chen at the helm.
Nick lives in Washington with his mother, Lily, and has never known his father. As he goes through the pangs of late teenagedom and early adulthood, he tries to reach out to meet his dad.
Lastly, we get to hear from May / Mei, Lily’s mother — both from now and from decades before, as she relays her past in a sort of oral retelling of how and why she emigrated from China.
A really interesting aspect for me was the way Khong crafted and revealed her characters. For instance, Lily isn’t a fully-formed person, with agency and self-awareness, until she is no longer the narrator. It wasn’t until I could see her in the shadows of Nick’s story that Lily felt real and filled in with more vibrant, knowable colors. But a lot of the major plot points felt forced, and almost everyone beyond this trio of MCs remained distant and half-realized.
Khong goes after a lot in this novel, coming at it indirectly. It’s as if she just has so much to say, but not quite enough structure in which to say it. Her style was odd and a little hard to get into — with a whiff of a bullet-style delivery, pelting the reader with characterizations and scene settings, while keeping the narrator a little closed off and distant. It’s the kind where you’re either immediately going to get right into it and not notice it, or you will notice the entire time. She hints at deep understandings and ideas, but I never felt like we quite got there. The entirety of Real Americans feels like she held back; she knew the right questions, but hesitated to ask.
I received this book for free from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This affected neither my opinion of the book nor the content of my review.
April 19, 2024
A book spanning three generations, this book asks, are we real or are we made? What makes one a real American?
Aside from some off-putting confusion in switching timelines, I found this to be an interesting family saga with some plot lines I didn’t expect. It held my interest and I feel like this is a book that would make for a thought-provoking book club discussion.
Read this if you enjoy |
•family secrets
•Chinese culture and history
•science
•character driven novels
I think this is a good book to go into blind. It did have parts that left me feeling a bit melancholy, yet not overly emotional, if that makes sense.
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher, Knopf, for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW | Contains scattered strong profanity. Mentions of sexual abuse and suicide, not explicit. Also, it contains a few brief scenes depicting intimacy, not overly descriptive.
Aside from some off-putting confusion in switching timelines, I found this to be an interesting family saga with some plot lines I didn’t expect. It held my interest and I feel like this is a book that would make for a thought-provoking book club discussion.
Read this if you enjoy |
•family secrets
•Chinese culture and history
•science
•character driven novels
I think this is a good book to go into blind. It did have parts that left me feeling a bit melancholy, yet not overly emotional, if that makes sense.
Thank you to @netgalley and the publisher, Knopf, for the advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
CW | Contains scattered strong profanity. Mentions of sexual abuse and suicide, not explicit. Also, it contains a few brief scenes depicting intimacy, not overly descriptive.
January 8, 2024
𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘴 initially starts out as a romance between two seemingly mismatched people and then evolves into a multigenerational story that explores the shapeability of good fortune, the privilege of choice, the value of time, and the benefits and dangers of scientific innovation. It is part family saga, part historical fiction, with a light sprinkling of magical realism.
In late 1999, college senior and art history major Lily is struggling to make ends meet and find purpose and meaning in Manhattan. Then she is introduced to quiet, kind Matthew at a holiday party and something between them blossoms, despite the differences between them in wealth, class, and cultural background.
In 2021, Nick is a high schooler in the Pacific Northwest, waiting. Waiting to test for his driver’s license, waiting to apply to colleges, waiting to get away from his loving but restrictive, overprotective single mother and start his own life. A way out presents itself in the form of his estranged father.
In 2030, elderly Mei recounts growing up in rural China during the rise of the Communist party, going to the city to study science, escaping during the Cultural Revolution, and emigrating to the United States. She ruminates on a life of opportunities, losses, and regrets.
Split into three different sections with Lily, Matthew, and Mei each serving as narrators, 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘴 is a nicely crafted study of identity, inheritance, ambition, and human connection. I found some storylines and characterizations stronger than others, but everything came together to form a beautifully written and engrossing tale. I can already tell this book will be one of my favorite reads of 2024.
Thank you to Knopf for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
In late 1999, college senior and art history major Lily is struggling to make ends meet and find purpose and meaning in Manhattan. Then she is introduced to quiet, kind Matthew at a holiday party and something between them blossoms, despite the differences between them in wealth, class, and cultural background.
In 2021, Nick is a high schooler in the Pacific Northwest, waiting. Waiting to test for his driver’s license, waiting to apply to colleges, waiting to get away from his loving but restrictive, overprotective single mother and start his own life. A way out presents itself in the form of his estranged father.
In 2030, elderly Mei recounts growing up in rural China during the rise of the Communist party, going to the city to study science, escaping during the Cultural Revolution, and emigrating to the United States. She ruminates on a life of opportunities, losses, and regrets.
Split into three different sections with Lily, Matthew, and Mei each serving as narrators, 𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘴 is a nicely crafted study of identity, inheritance, ambition, and human connection. I found some storylines and characterizations stronger than others, but everything came together to form a beautifully written and engrossing tale. I can already tell this book will be one of my favorite reads of 2024.
Thank you to Knopf for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 12, 2023
“‘Who are you? Who do you plan on becoming?’ And the truth, which I couldn’t admit outright, was that I didn’t have any idea, not yet.”
Real Americans by Rachel Khong is an absolute masterpiece. A gorgeously written story about love, circumstance, and fate. It questions destiny and examines how the choices we make, and those that our ancestors made, ripple through time.
“This was the thing he said that I craved the most. More than I love you, I wanted him to say that he knew me. Who else did?”
Told through three generations of a family, Real Americans questions intergenerational choice; how much can we really change within ourselves? Within our family? How do we pass on the things we’d most like to leave behind?
Rachel Khong’s writing is phenomenal. The characters are fleshed out and nuanced and the storyline is intriguing and complex. As a first-gen kid, these are the stories I crave: the stories of what it means to be built across borders, your history scattered among countries and places that only exist in memories. I hesitate to say too much because I think this story is best discovered by reading it yourself. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy and read this again.
Mark your calendar for 4-30-24. Preorder 2 and buddy read with a friend. Trust me… you’re going to want to talk about it.
*thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review*
Real Americans by Rachel Khong is an absolute masterpiece. A gorgeously written story about love, circumstance, and fate. It questions destiny and examines how the choices we make, and those that our ancestors made, ripple through time.
“This was the thing he said that I craved the most. More than I love you, I wanted him to say that he knew me. Who else did?”
Told through three generations of a family, Real Americans questions intergenerational choice; how much can we really change within ourselves? Within our family? How do we pass on the things we’d most like to leave behind?
Rachel Khong’s writing is phenomenal. The characters are fleshed out and nuanced and the storyline is intriguing and complex. As a first-gen kid, these are the stories I crave: the stories of what it means to be built across borders, your history scattered among countries and places that only exist in memories. I hesitate to say too much because I think this story is best discovered by reading it yourself. I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy and read this again.
Mark your calendar for 4-30-24. Preorder 2 and buddy read with a friend. Trust me… you’re going to want to talk about it.
*thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my review*
March 6, 2024
I received an ARC of Real Americans from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my review.
I picked up this one with zero expectations and was blown away. Real Americans is a family saga, told in three parts from the viewpoints of a Chinese American daughter, her son, and her mother. It's about family secrets, sacrifices, and the things parents will do to ensure their children will have a good life. The writing is absolutely beautiful and at times, I had to go back and re-read a sentence just to savor it. The main characters were all good, ethical people who had to make tough choices. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended!
I picked up this one with zero expectations and was blown away. Real Americans is a family saga, told in three parts from the viewpoints of a Chinese American daughter, her son, and her mother. It's about family secrets, sacrifices, and the things parents will do to ensure their children will have a good life. The writing is absolutely beautiful and at times, I had to go back and re-read a sentence just to savor it. The main characters were all good, ethical people who had to make tough choices. This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. Highly recommended!
April 7, 2024
This book was a lit fiction gem! I loved it! I got hooked from the very beginning! The 3 different POVs were just as good: we are starting off with Lily who tells us about her childhood growing up as a child of Chinese immigrants, her difficult relationship with her mother (Chinese people do not show or share their feelings), how she was very often treated as a foreigner due to her Asian features, even though she was a Real American, born and raised. Then comes Matthew: he is gorgeous, successful, disgustingly wealthy, and head over heels in love with Lily. They end up getting married and having a son, even though Lily often wonders how such a man can be in love with her. The second POV in Nick, Lily and Matthew's son, and the 3rd POV is May, Lily's mother and Nick's grandmother.
The story narrates the consequences of grandmother May's choices as a young Chinese person living in China in the 1960s during Mao's communisistic sequestration toward his people. I loved how I picked up on details from the get-go, such as the four-leaf clover and this constant reference to time. All characters were perfectly flawed, my favorite being Nick; I kept wanting to give a big hug, and I would not have hesitated making a move on him if I would have met him in college or later on in life;-)
I did not see that sci-fi thing coming, but I enjoyed it. It fit. It was not out there. I will definitely re-read this book, and I look forward to Rachel Khong's next book!
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this great opportunity to discover this work prior to its release. My review was true and genuine.
The story narrates the consequences of grandmother May's choices as a young Chinese person living in China in the 1960s during Mao's communisistic sequestration toward his people. I loved how I picked up on details from the get-go, such as the four-leaf clover and this constant reference to time. All characters were perfectly flawed, my favorite being Nick; I kept wanting to give a big hug, and I would not have hesitated making a move on him if I would have met him in college or later on in life;-)
I did not see that sci-fi thing coming, but I enjoyed it. It fit. It was not out there. I will definitely re-read this book, and I look forward to Rachel Khong's next book!
Thank you Net Galley and the publisher for this great opportunity to discover this work prior to its release. My review was true and genuine.
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April 10, 2024li um arc desse daqui e amei!!! tô há quase dois anos querendo poder recomendar pras pessoas!
October 31, 2023
I found Real Americans (what a title!) absorbing, evocative, and thought-provoking. I'm not always a fan of time lapses or multiple perspectives, but Khong managed them so skillfully - and while I appreciated each of the three sections individually, reflecting a week later, they feel like even more than the sum of their parts.
I think there was SO much contained within this book I'm not sure the magical realism element (staying deliberately vague) was necessary, but I admire the author for experimenting - and for beautifully weaving together so many threads. For readers drawn to immersive, sprawling-yet-precise, multi-generational stories that raise big questions about belonging, fate, and power, I recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for my advance copy.
I think there was SO much contained within this book I'm not sure the magical realism element (staying deliberately vague) was necessary, but I admire the author for experimenting - and for beautifully weaving together so many threads. For readers drawn to immersive, sprawling-yet-precise, multi-generational stories that raise big questions about belonging, fate, and power, I recommend.
Thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for my advance copy.
August 17, 2023
oh god. oh my god. i just cried my eyes out for 20 minutes… this book is an incredible exhilarating ride from start to finish. expertly paced, well-crafted, devastating and hopeful and redemptive and so beautiful. will wait to say more until after it’s out but you MUST preorder!!!!!!
tysm to Rachel and knopf for the arc - it wasn’t in exchange for a review but i loved it so much here is one anyway
tysm to Rachel and knopf for the arc - it wasn’t in exchange for a review but i loved it so much here is one anyway
November 18, 2023
Phenomenal! Just…yes. Yes yes yes.
April 26, 2024
This is such a remarkable novel and I am in awe of the story Rachel Khong has created for this book. I absolutely loved her debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, and have been looking forward to this one for some time; it did not disappoint.
Separated into three parts, each in its own time period (1999, 2021, mid-60s) and with its own narrator, the story brings together three generations of a family that has simultaneously separated and come together. There are so many interesting themes here: fortune - both wealth and luck; choices - those we make and those that are made for us; legacy - including the timely topic of genetic engineering; and the American "dream," through the lens of class, race, education, and several other factors. Khong's writing is take-your-breath-away beautiful, full of highlightable phrases and sentences that forced me to pause for further reflection.
If you enjoyed books like The Vanishing Half and/or The Dutch House, you should give this one a try!
Separated into three parts, each in its own time period (1999, 2021, mid-60s) and with its own narrator, the story brings together three generations of a family that has simultaneously separated and come together. There are so many interesting themes here: fortune - both wealth and luck; choices - those we make and those that are made for us; legacy - including the timely topic of genetic engineering; and the American "dream," through the lens of class, race, education, and several other factors. Khong's writing is take-your-breath-away beautiful, full of highlightable phrases and sentences that forced me to pause for further reflection.
If you enjoyed books like The Vanishing Half and/or The Dutch House, you should give this one a try!
April 2, 2024
Lily struggles to find her place in the workforce after graduating from college, but she’s stuck as an unpaid intern doing graphic design work. Her parents May and Charles, first generation Americans who fled China, are scientists who don’t understand a daughter who is not interested in science herself, but such is the plight of many a young person striking out on their own. At a company party, she meets Matthew, an investment banker and the nephew of her boss, and they strike up a surprising friendship that turns into something more. Lily is swept into the glittering world of the ultrarich, where she is exposed to privilege beyond anything she could imagine. Matthew’s father Otto is the scion of Maier Pharmaceuticals, a company and legacy that Matthew has separated himself from for some reason. The couple hit rocky times as a result of personal hangups and insecurities around differing racial and socio-economic backgrounds, and they split up. They meet again after a long period of time, and recognize that despite their differences, they belong together. When Lily’s parents finally meet Matthew’s father and stepmother, it’s not until the day of the wedding. It’s only when Lily gives birth to their son, Nicholas, that Lily understands her parents and Otto Maier know each other, and that there is more to this story, hidden depths that will force Lily to make a life-altering decision.
I loved the flow of this story. While my summary of Lily’s section is relatively fluid, the book’s timeline eddies and curves around hidden histories. Part one tells Lily’s story; part two is about Nicholas; and part three is about May. It is only in the closing chapters of the book that the reader has a decent map of what has happened in these lives. The themes move from racial identity and white privilege to the fallout from China’s Cultural Revolution to the ethics of genetic modification. Khong displays an incredible ability to pace the story around each of the characters so that the reader can empathize with and scrutinize their actions in light of the historical context, then reframe this emotional response to encompass the revealed landscape. Added to this mix is a beautiful seed of magic. It’s been weeks since I finished this book, and I’m still finding my way around the symbolism in the lotus seed and its gift.
Reader Advisory: If you don’t know anything about the history of China, specifically around the Cultural Revolution, do yourself a favor and study up. The book will take you there, but you will benefit from developing your cultural competency by reading more about it.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for access to the ARC. All opinions stated here are my own, and I don’t receive any remuneration for my review.
I loved the flow of this story. While my summary of Lily’s section is relatively fluid, the book’s timeline eddies and curves around hidden histories. Part one tells Lily’s story; part two is about Nicholas; and part three is about May. It is only in the closing chapters of the book that the reader has a decent map of what has happened in these lives. The themes move from racial identity and white privilege to the fallout from China’s Cultural Revolution to the ethics of genetic modification. Khong displays an incredible ability to pace the story around each of the characters so that the reader can empathize with and scrutinize their actions in light of the historical context, then reframe this emotional response to encompass the revealed landscape. Added to this mix is a beautiful seed of magic. It’s been weeks since I finished this book, and I’m still finding my way around the symbolism in the lotus seed and its gift.
Reader Advisory: If you don’t know anything about the history of China, specifically around the Cultural Revolution, do yourself a favor and study up. The book will take you there, but you will benefit from developing your cultural competency by reading more about it.
Many thanks to Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor and Netgalley for access to the ARC. All opinions stated here are my own, and I don’t receive any remuneration for my review.
March 1, 2024
4.5 star rating: In the novel, Real Americans by Rachel Khong, Lily Chen is the rational voice of conscience in a world where science concerns the natural world. I was captivated by this multigenerational family who struggles with identity and what it means to be an American. This was a more character driven story in which the development was outstanding as events unfolded. Told across a span of several decades, I really enjoyed this book and came to really connect with the characters. As far as the ending, it was good and left me feeling satisfied.
I received an advanced physical copy from @thoughtsfromapage Lit Lover Patreon Community (Traveling Galley Program). Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher Knopf books. I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.
I received an advanced physical copy from @thoughtsfromapage Lit Lover Patreon Community (Traveling Galley Program). Thank you to Cindy Burnett and publisher Knopf books. I appreciated the opportunity to preview this book.
March 24, 2024
Wow! Hard to imagine anyone topping this book in 2024, or maybe even this decade? I kinda hate the idea of the “Great American Novel” but this is the closest I’ve seen anything recent come to it.
Can’t recall ever crying so hard at the last line of a book; what an electric finish. Khong is a master at establishing a mystery and keeping you guessing until the very end. The story becomes a page-turner early on, despite its unconventional structure – Part 2 starting twenty years after Part 1, and Part 3 fifty years before that.
So many powerful parallels that reward rereading – it’s Mei’s secrets that lead Lily to sever ties, and Lily’s secrets that leave her estranged from Nick. Likewise, Matthew judges Sam for not being the son he wanted, just as Mei does to Lily. The Cultural Revolution stems from intolerance for dissent; Mei and Lily constantly face discrimination as Asian-Americans (Nick suffers a great deal less, and is able to make the most of their genetic ability to slow time).
Every conflict in this book springs from people who are unwilling to accept humans unlike themselves, whether in their offspring or in society. More than anything, it’s a call for radical acceptance of our common humanity, and for radical honesty to strengthen our bonds.
Can’t recall ever crying so hard at the last line of a book; what an electric finish. Khong is a master at establishing a mystery and keeping you guessing until the very end. The story becomes a page-turner early on, despite its unconventional structure – Part 2 starting twenty years after Part 1, and Part 3 fifty years before that.
So many powerful parallels that reward rereading – it’s Mei’s secrets that lead Lily to sever ties, and Lily’s secrets that leave her estranged from Nick. Likewise, Matthew judges Sam for not being the son he wanted, just as Mei does to Lily. The Cultural Revolution stems from intolerance for dissent; Mei and Lily constantly face discrimination as Asian-Americans (Nick suffers a great deal less, and is able to make the most of their genetic ability to slow time).
Every conflict in this book springs from people who are unwilling to accept humans unlike themselves, whether in their offspring or in society. More than anything, it’s a call for radical acceptance of our common humanity, and for radical honesty to strengthen our bonds.
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