I can’t deny Rachel Khong’s talent— it’s obvious within a few paragraphs of REAL AMERICANS that she can weave an expansive, flowing story, which posits itself neatly in the category of great-American-novel.

In her sophomore release, Khong plays with a quintessential Asian American— “real American” — family narrative spanning three generations and distinct perspectives: Lily, her son, Nico/Nick, and the matriarch, May. In this, Khong deftly illustrates the cyclical nature of trauma as it is passed down from parent to child, as well as the difficulties to break what is essentially like a self-fulfilling prophecy. She questions what is pre-determined versus enacted with agency through each narrator’s ability to stop and start time.

While I enjoyed many elements of this, I can’t help but also wonder on the recent reliance on the White-Man-Asian-Woman pairing that feels excessively prevalent in current Asian America media at this time. Does Khong introduce something new to the conversation? Or is this a rehash of an ongoing tension whose flames are being fanned? I’m not sure, exactly, if I see the value outside of what feels, to me, like a specific gaze which Khong is attempting to engage.

The author grabbed my attention from the first page and had me right through to the last page. Each of the main characters seemed real and their experiences drew me in completely.

You know when you start reading a book and you just know it’s going to be good? And also that it would be a great book club pick?

That’s this book! This was SO good.

This book covers three generations of a family, it jumps from Lily, to her son Nick, and then to his grandmother.

The writing was amazing, I was hooked immediately by the story and all the characters, and the way this ended 🥹.

This will most likely be in my top book list for the year, and I think it would be a great book club pick, so much to discuss!

Thank you @netgalley and @aaknopf for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Goodbye, Vitamin is a favorite book of mine so I was eager to get my hands on Rachel Khong’s newest novel. I adore multigenerational stories. I thought this one was okay. The story is split into three narratives and I wish we would have gotten to come back to some of the characters.

REAL AMERICANS was my first experience with Rachel Khong’s work and it was so good that I’m now a forever fan! (And don’t worry, GOODBYE VITAMIN is now on my list). While it’s literary fiction that’s smart and layered, it’s incredibly readable.

The novel opens with Lily in 1999 — she’s about to graduate from college and is trapped in a cycle of unpaid internships when she meets Matthew, a wealthy heir who becomes enamored by her. They ultimately fall in love and start a family together. Cut to 2021: we meet Nick. He’s 15 years old, living with his single mother Lily. He believes she’s hiding something from him, so he sets off on a quest to find his biological father. In the final chunk of the novel, a third perspective comes in to answer several of the questions that arose in the first two parts.

It’s no secret that I’m a sucker for a family saga (see my love for books like THE MOST FUN WE EVER HAD). I can confidently say that REAL AMERICANS will become one of my new go-to recs in the genre. Khong covers three different generations of one family, and every POV is deeply essential, especially as their narratives peel back each other’s layers. The first two parts of the novel feel very straight-forward, and the third section helps to fill in missing pieces and allows the different narratives to coalesce. Khong explores themes like luck, class, family, and race.

In terms of technique and craft, I’m just gonna say it: Khong is an absolute genius. Although the three-part structure initially feels straightforward, the way she connects them all is masterful. On a sentence level, the writing is mesmerizing. The three different POVs feel distinct and the voices unique, which I’ve come to learn is often hard to pull off. There’s a slight sci-fi/magical realism bent to this book, but it feels very accessible, even for rookies to the genre.

CLEARLY I adored this. 5 shining ⭐️.

"Why did he want a family? He believed it would grant us legitimacy. He believed it would knit us together, make us a real American family."⁣
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Summary⁣
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? ⁣
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Overall I really enjoyed Real Americans. I think it paled in comparison to Goodbye, Vitamin but it was a very different novel so they really shouldn't be compared. I love multigenerational sagas but this one fell short. It is broken down into three sections, one of which felt like a completely separate book even though it was probably my favorite, it just didn't feel cohesive. I still gave it a 3.5/4 because it was still really thought provoking and propulsive -- it just didn't hit that multigenerational magic that would have made it five stars.⁣
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Have you read this? What did you think of the three sections?⁣
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Thank you @netgalley for this free copy in exchange for my honest review.

I had a hard time following the story. I felt like it jumped around and it took me a bit to figure out where and who I was with. I loved the part about China during a very difficult time for the citizens there. So scary and interesting. I think that the ending did help to highlight that it was really about changing genetics to build a "super" race but more about parents trying to do everything they could to make their children and grand children's lives better.

This was such a big, beautiful story about family and how we identify as people in this world. The story is told through three generations of Chinese Americans figuring out their path in life and belonging in their community. There are many heavy topics addressed but it is handled with such care and well-developed characters that I could not put the book down. At times, the pacing was a bit difficult for me but overall I loved learning about each of the characters and the understanding of the immigrant experience that shown through. The time jumps felt especially interesting as a plot point. I really enjoyed this book and I think it will inspire a lot of conversation between readers. Thanks to Rachel Khong, Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Really enjoyed this novel that almost felt like 3 separate stories that shared the same characters each told from a different point of view (Lily, her son and her mother) set in different points of time (past, present and future). There were so many themes touched upon: the ethical considerations of genetic research; fortune and the role it may or may not ultimately play when making decisions; family dynamics and how they are affected by long-held secrets; the inevitable impact of climate change; and the passage of time and how we change with it. So much food for thought!

Where you are in life may determine which section will resonate most for you. Old souls, deep thinkers and gen-xers will likely appreciate the book a bit more than others.

Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and Knopf/Borzoi Books/Penguin Random House LLC (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

Real Americans is a compulsively readable, three-timeline, multigenerational family saga that would make an excellent book club pick (especially during AAPI Heritage Month). I flew through its 400 pages in 24 hours!

It follows three characters, in this order: Lily, a young Chinese-American woman living in NYC in the 90s and early 00s who falls into a whirlwind romance with a (actually decent) rich white guy; Nick, their son, navigating early independence as he goes off to college and sets out to meet his father; and Mei/May, Lily’s mother, who came to the US after being displaced by the Cultural Revolution.

I really enjoyed this book, but admittedly, it has all the right things going for it when it comes to my taste. Family saga? Flawed characters? Multiple timelines? A sprinkle of science? A touch of mythology? A couple of well-placed plot twists? Sign me up. It’s up there in page count, but it never felt too long because the characters were well written and the prose and pacing read fast.

Don’t be surprised when you see this one flying off shelves and making best-of lists for the year. It sticks the landing right between literary novel and commercial success.



CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Suicide; Rape (on page but not detailed); Animal cruelty (minor); Infertility and pregnancy

Real Americans is not the immigrant story readers might typically imagine. Khong’s tale is structured in three parts, narrated by three generations of the Chin family. We start with Lily in the early 2000’s, born in America, and working as an intern in New York City when at an office party she meets the charming but enigmatic Matthew. The next section is from Lily’s son Nick’s POV. Nick lives and grows up sheltered and smothered in the state of Washington with his single-mother Lily. College is Nick’s escape plan. Once he is away at school on the East coast, by means of DNA testing, Nick discovers who his father is. Part three takes us to the future in 2030 and then back in time to the Red Revolution, as Nick’s grandmother Mae, once a dedicated scientist, shares her story, and all the pieces fall into place.

Khong’s literary structure compels us to read, maintaining a sense of mystery, as slowly the truth of the Chin family is revealed. But the reader should not be lulled into thinking that Real American is simply a beautifully written family saga. The novel explores whether American identity is embodied by our quest for the best - competive drive, striving for fortune, fame or status, educational or scientific advancement. Or is it rooted in heritage, skin color or the shape and color of ones eyes? The author also invites the reader to consider the big questions of freedom and destiny, how far one will go for their loved ones, and whether it is possible to forgive or overcome the missteps of previous generations. And finally, is it possible for Americans to cease their striving long enough to appreciate and be content with what they have?

Many thanks to the author @RrrrrrrachelKhong, @AAKnopf and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A moving, multi-perspective intergenerational story about three generations of Chinese Americans - their lives in China under Mao, women's struggles to have careers and families, infertility struggles and a focus on gene therapy and what it could mean to be able to self-select for certain desirable traits. The book also looks at mental health, love, connection and complex mother-daughter relationships. A great book club pick that's been getting lots of buzz and was also good on audio with a cast of excellent narrators. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

4.5/5 stars

I read this book for book club and I’m so excited to discuss it!

This book was told from three different perspectives and it took me a little bit to figure out the timelines and characters and but when I did, I enjoyed and appreciated how intertwined they were. You can tell there was a lot of research and planning that went into this book and I’m left with so many questions of myself and who I am a part from my family and how I was raised.

I’m meeting the author next week and I can’t wait to hear more about this book and her inspiration for it. Real Americans was so thought provoking, entertaining and I’m eager to read whatever this author writes next.

Read this book if you like:
•many timelines and characters
•science and genetics
•a strong character driven book
•a slower paced book filled with quotes that you’ll continue to ponder

Loved this book!! I loved that we got to spend quality time with each of the three characters and see how their life unfolds. The writing is so captivating and easy to read.

Real Americans by Rachel Khong is a multi-generational novel that centers on American identity and the theme of nature vs. nurture.

The novel starts with Lily Chen and tells the meet cute story of how she meets and falls in love with Matthew. I found this part of the novel the most enjoyable.

Unfortunately, we then jump forward in time and follow Nick Chen as he struggles with feelings of not belonging. As we follow Nick, desperately seeking his place in the world, we meet May, Nick’s grandmother, and Lily’s estranged mother.

This introduces another time shift. Here, we learn how May and Charles fled from Mao’s Communist China and ended up in America.

Going back in time loses momentum in the story. Also, at this point, I don’t really care about the story or the characters. I just want it to be over.

Others may enjoy this more than I did. It’s not a bad book, but it’s not one that I loved either.

🧬 Book Review 🧬

Is this Historical Fiction? Magical Realism? Yes, and yes, and it works! The novel starts out as one thing and then sprinkled in between are little surprises that make it so unique and clever keeping you completely engaged.

I thoroughly enjoyed the way the author explored the concepts of identity, race, legacy, genetics and family. I loved every main character and identified with each in a different way. I completely get the question of are you American or are you a “real American”?

Thank you to NetGalley and AlfredAKnopf for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ⭐️

I was SO grateful to get an advanced copy of Real Americans by Rachel Khong thanks to NetGalley and Knopf!

This book had some of my favorite elements - multiple generations, an immigrant story, questions of what it means to be an American, with some ethical questions as well as a little bit of magical realism.

This book introduces us to May in the opening scene with a glimpse of a story that will leave you wanting more. It then follows the main characters, May, Lily and Nick, in separate timelines moving forward with each of their perspectives in each section.

The first part of the book was a little slow for me. The opening scene was great, but then I spent much of the first part wondering where the story was going.

When I figured it out, it started reading faster. I became invested in this family, and with the short chapters, I wanted to keep turning the pages. Mei/May's sections, her history, and her internal struggles were my favorite parts of the book. Her story was richly perceptive of every time period we saw her in, as she struggled to survive while never letting go of her ambitions and dreams.

While I love books that play with time, and how Khong tried to connect the the reference to Chinese folklore here, I don’t think the magical element worked as well in the story. I think the central story of this family was strong enough to hold up the story without that element of magic.

Through this family's stories, Khong raises strong questions about dreams, ambitions and choice. Do we choose, or are our choices made for us (by our families, society and culture norms?) What does it mean to belong? Can you belong while still maintaining your sense of self? Can belonging and connection be found in celebrating differences rather than in sameness? Can we ever truly leave behind the past, or does it follow us around? And what does it mean to be a “real American?”

Immigrant parents wonder of their first-generation American children, what will you become with this fortune you’ve been given? Children wonder, who were you before me? Would I have been happier “there?”

Overall, I think this book brings up so many important questions that as a first-generation American resonated strongly for me. Indisputably, Rachel Khong’s writing is BEAUTIFUL. Of the choices the older generation makes, based on survival, not love, Khong writes that having had no such precedent, they didn’t believe that love was a sturdy enough scaffolding to a life. My first-gen heart was devastated by this devastating and profoundly true idea. How difficult must life be for people who are willing to let go of their country, homes, families, language and culture - for just a chance at freedom and opportunity? And what trade-offs must they make along the way?

While this was different than what I expected, and the magical element didn't piece together perfectly, I am so glad I read this. Rachel Khong is an expert at writing about immigrant families’ experiences, and I will absolutely keep reading everything she writes.

Thank you to Net Galley and Knopf for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I very much enjoyed this multigenerational story from mainly a 1st person perspective. There are three parts. The story starts with Lily Chen who meets Matthew at her job in New York. They couldn't be more different and fall in love and marry. We then jump about 20 yrs in the future and meet Nick, Lily's son, who lives in Washington state with his single mother. He eventual searches for his biological father who he knows nothing about. And finally Mei, Lily's mom, tells the story of how she came to the US and her life trying to find her way in a new country. In each generation, there are many secrets that are kept from their children which affect them in the end. Using these three perspectives made the telling so much interesting - learning about immigration, belonging, racism, being bi-racial and how the world sees you, and family dynamics. It was a very satisfying read with twists and turns.

I haven't read Rachel Khong before but I will read anything she write after finishing Real Americans. I have really expanded my world view the last ten years and I very much enjoy learning about the cultures and families throughout the world and this book fit the bill.

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Real Americans by Rachel Khong. Thank you to the publisher, the author and NetGalley for this ARC. Late 1990s, New York City. Everyone is all worried about Y2K. Lily Chen is the daughter of Chinese born scientists. She’s working at a dead end job when she attends the holiday party. There she meets the rich and very white Matthew. Surprisingly, they fall in love. The novel then jumps to 2021 where we meet Nick. He lives on a small Washington island with his mother Lily. Nick wants to find out who is his biological father. Then we are brought to China in the 1960s during the time of Chairman Mao. The beginning of the novel had me hooked, but it fizzled out. Disappointing. #books #whatiread #bookstagram #reading #netgalley #rachelkhong #bookgram #bookworm #libbyapp #goodreads