- I hardly even know how to review REAL AMERICANS. It’s a multigenerational masterpiece that I could not put down.
- Khong guides us through three generations, back and forth in time and place as each POV character tries to sort out their place and purpose in the world.
- There are a few excellent plot twists as well as callbacks, items and motifs repeating through the generations, but never in an over the top way.
- There’s also a slight sprinkle of sci-fi/fantasy in the story, and it’s so satisfying when those threads come together.

Thank you to Knopf for the copy! Every time I come across something beautiful, albeit a movie or a flower or a book, I always wish I could go back in time and erase the memory of my first encounter with it — to understand how it feels to consume the beautiful thing all over again. Real Americans feels like all the wonderful things that I've begged to return to, all the rawness I'm running towards.

Rachel Khong threads together three generations' worth of stories: from Lily, the twenty-something daughter of Chinese immigrants whose life feels untethered at the seams, particularly in comparison with her opulent and eventual spouse, Matthew; to Nick, Lily and Matthew's teenage son who at this point has never had contact with his father due to his parents' separation; to Mei, Lily's mother, now at the tail-end of her life.

The narration alongside the differing timelines was effortlessly intertwined — every story was so tender in its own way and only made more compelling by its narrative placement. Nick's perspective specifically was so very touching. His character feels the most fleshed out (or perhaps we just see more of his development throughout high school to college), and it all feels very honest and grossly nostalgic as though I were looking through my own yearbook. Nick is terribly introverted and codependent on his best friend who's adversely a pure charmer and inevitably a social butterfly when they get to college. Through the years, Nick struggles with his placement in every corner of his life, with school and relationships and identity, blaming his mother even for his social incapacities and separation from his father. In a way, the sentiments of Nick's story reminded me of Connell from Normal People, especially with their similar arcs of reconciling with depression and scraping by to survive it. When Nick's part in the book came to an end, I felt sore with a sort of growing pain like a pulled tooth that wasn't ready yet to fall out. But to have this story of an American boy born from a highly powerful family come right before the backstory of a teenage girl in 1970s China — jarring and frankly perfect.

It would be remiss to talk at length about Nick's timeline without waxing on about Mei's. Like many immigrants, the stories of home are comprised of untenable struggles, but also of an intimacy that America could never come close to bridging. Mei's story is filled with a particular suffering that Asian daughters know closely, but her perseverance leads her to discovering her passion for science and education — which of course acts a backbone for this story's core: what makes someone a real American, a real anything?

At its heart, Real Americans illustrates the deep agony of having to endlessly prove our belonging in places that refuse us at every turn, which in itself is a sort of grief made inexorable by generational trauma.

5/5 - very beautiful

I adored Rachel Khong's 2017 debut, Goodbye, Vitamin and she's back with a sophomore novel that's more ambitious and even better than her debut (5 stars and will likely be one of my favorite books of 2024)! It's also very different than Goodbye, Vitamin. Real Americans is a sprawling, multi-generational family story which begins with Lily Chen around the time of Y2K. Lily is the daughter of Chinese immigrants who left China during the Cultural Revolution. Lily meets Matthew at a company party in New York and their relationship forms the center of this story, which also features their son and Lily's parents. Though this novel is big and covers a lot of ground, I flew through it in just a few days. In her Author's Note, Khong says this story is about fortune, but it's also about what it means to be an American, genetics, class, immigration, race, love, and family. And, this doesn't feel overwhelming because, first and foremost, Real Americans is just about Lily and Matthew and their family. The structure is really interesting and reminded me of Greenwood by Michael Christie. Each time period is covered from the perspective of a different family member and, through this, you learn the motivations for actions that have taken place earlier in the book. One caveat: there is a short Prologue (but it's not called a Prologue) titled "Beijing 1966" that feels totally different than the rest of the book. It does tie into the story thematically, but the vibe feels very different. So, keep reading even if you don't love that introductory chapter.

Wow. This book had a very slow start for me, but once I was able to connect all the characters, invest in their journeys, and emotionally tie myself to them, this book took me through an emotional roller coaster. Each character (I don’t want to use names and spoil) had their own demons that followed them until the very end, but watching Real Americans tie together made the payoff so worth it. I will highly recommend Real Americans to my friends.

Thanks NetGalley!

The first third was a 4, the middle section was a 3.25, and the last section was like, a 2.5 - it felt slow and I didn't love it. I enjoyed this overall but it started stronger than it finished, IMO. If you enjoy a multigenerational family saga, I'd still try it. 3.5ish stars

I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed this novel as multi-generational, immigrant stories are very plentiful these days. Khong sets the last section in the near future and makes it the story of the first generation character. This clever layering, really allows the reader to grasp the whole development of gene therapy and the modern day ethical questions it raises. The story has its flaws-some big plot gaps and the ending is very abrupt, but all in all, a very entertaining and thought provoking story. I wish she had shed more light on the Matthew character.

Real Americans was different than I expected, and a bit too long, but overall, I enjoyed it. The book is structured as a three-part story, telling the experiences of three generations of a family. While it sometimes felt like it was tackling too many topics at once, making it a bit overwhelming, the narratives were compelling and thought-provoking. My favorite was Mei’s story at the end—it was beautifully written. A solid read that offers a rich and insightful perspective on family and heritage.

Told through the perspectives of three generations of an immigrant family, Real Americans follows Lily, navigating post-college life and finding the love of her life; Nick, trying to find his way and himself through high school and college; and Mei, recounting her escape from (and the aftermath of) Mao's Great Leap Forward.

I had a difficult time diving into Khong's writing: at times it felt especially choppy and jarring; why were these seemingly random observations necessary? As the narration progressed (about the time I reached Nick's story), it was no longer as distracting and I was more than happy to have stuck with the book. Similarly, I found that instead of focusing very well on a few subjects, Khong tried to speak to too many: of the many themes found throughout Real Americans, the most compelling was that of a mother's love and hope for their child.

That being said, Mei's was my favorite story of the three. Her account delves beyond mere coming-of-age, offering poignant reflections on growing up amidst the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution. This period of history, often overlooked, provides a compelling backdrop that resonates deeply.

Throughout the book, there's a palpable sense of untapped potential. While Khong's story teases with moments of brilliance, it ultimately falls short of delivering the profound insights it promises. Real Americans flirts with significant themes but ultimately shies away from delving deeply into them, leaving readers longing for a more substantive exploration.

I am so torn on this book. The concept was great. The execution was… sloppy.

The multigenerational, multi-narrator structure felt backwards to me. I think the author told the most important story last as an attempt to build suspense and intrigue. If the third narrative arc had been first though, we would have gotten crucial history and details to make the whole story make sense. Instead, I felt lost (and a little bored) through scenes that should have felt more emotional.

There were some really beautiful lines throughout the book. And it shared such a unique, visceral view of growing up as an outsider in America (and then later in China). If you have the patience to navigate a meandering storyline (and the memory to retain important information over literal decades), then you should give this book a try.

Note that it’s very different from the author’s first book Goodbye, Vitamin.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy!

I liked, but didn’t love, Real Americans. I was invested in all of the major characters—Lily, Mai, Matthew and Nick—and I found the portion of the book set in Mao’s China particularly gripping. However, the story dragged at times and I found the novel’s climax less than engrossing. Finally, the scientific research at the heart of the book left me cold and the magical realism element seemed superfluous.

My favorite lines from the book come courtesy of Mai: “So much of my life I have let slip by, because I have not attended to it. All this while, instead of seeking more time, I could have been paying attention.”

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC.

Real Americans by Rachel Khong is a tough book to categorize. I went in blind, thinking it was boy meets girl, they have cultural differences, they get over them or they don't, and we travel with them over the years. Lily and Matthew meet at a party, it's Y2K days, he's rich, she's not, descended from scientist parents who fled Mao's Cultural Revolution.

The first part kind of followed my expectations and the second and third parts tossed those out and stomped on them.

The time jumps, the perspectives shift, the middle gets filled in and we have a much more complex and slightly sinister story. Part family drama, a bit of historical fiction and a sliver of sci-fi, with issues of immigration, privilege and social politics. A lot to ponder as it all comes together.

My thanks to NetGalley and Knopf for the ARC.

A multi-generational tale of love, loss, fortune, and fate.

Follow May, Lily, and Nick’s journey as they cross time and the world seeking out the place they’re meant to be.

Told from different perspectives and covering nearly 60 years, this is a can’t miss story that will tug on your heart.

It's been a couple weeks since I finished this one and I still can't put my finger on what book it's reminiscent of (Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, perhaps?). Khong's writing is fantastic, as is the story, which keeps the book moving despite its length. Part 1 was my favorite but I enjoyed the entire reading experience overall, with themes of fate, influence, and identity. One large aspect of the story is one that is a spoiler, but my personal relationship with it definitely skewed my enjoyment of the story ever so slightly. While some scientific elements weren't fully explained, it was a unique and satisfying plot.

Great generational family story. I enjoyed reading the first two parts (Lilly and Nick) more than the final part (May). The pacing in Part 3 seemed to slow down and I wanted to hear more about May’s personal perspective versus everything else happening around her. I did like how the stories came together at the end and starting in the middle with Lilly worked well. I appreciate that both male and female family members were followed (usually you see all female or all male in generational stories).

Thank you very much to NetGalley and Knopf Publishing for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really unique book that told a generational family saga through the eyes of 3 different family members.

Part one follows Lily, a poor post graduate student living in Manhattan in the late 1990s. She struggles with finding her place in life when she meets Matthew, a rich heir to a pharmaceutical magnate. As their relationship grows deeper, Lily begins to struggle with the financial and racial divide between the two of them; she lacks wealth, he's wealthy, she's the daughter of Chinese immigrants, he comes from an American white family. As she tries to navigate these divides, they manage to fall deeper in love and start a family together.

Next we jump to Nick, son of Lily and Matthew who is being raised solely by Lily in California in 2021. Nick strives to find his place in life as well, navigating the complex emotions surrounding his upbringing and his penchant for the father he never had. When he discovers who his father is, he soon connects with him in secret and his whole future is altered following their fateful meeting. He, too, soon begins to struggle with the dichotomy between how he grew up with his mother and the limitless options now available to him because he found his father.

Lastly, we jump to Mei in 2030, mother of Lily and grandmother of Nick. Mei and Lily's relationship has always been rife with tension to the point that Nick grew up never knowing his grandmother. Mei introduces us to her life story, detailing her account of growing up in 1960s China and, eventually, making it to America to find the life she's always dreamed of. She comes to this point in her life where she is desperately trying to right her wrongs and not only reconnect with her daughter but to also finally connect with her grandson.

As the family's 3 narratives converge, it is clear that, while they are experiencing their own internal struggles, the emotions and voices that tell their tales are extremely similar, uniting them in their wants and needs to get more out of their lives.

I love generational family sagas and this did not disappoint. I was heavily invested in all 3 storylines and I loved how the 3 parts were interwoven to make this feel like a complete novel rather than 3 separate stories. There was a slightly mystical element to the book that I felt was unnecessary but, overall, I thought this was a great mix of fiction with some historical fiction thrown into the mix.

Families are interesting groups. This novel follows Mei through the Cultural Revolution in China under Mao ZeDung and her resettling in America; her daughter and her grandson as well. All are exceptional scientists or married to one, all fascinated by DNA mapping and gene editing. Therein lies the theme of this story. With the leaps medical research has made in the last several decades come many ethical dilemmas. The 3 generations of this family struggle first hand with choices made for them. The characters each tell their own stories and are well developed. So many lesser themes are also present: parenthood, love, societal responsibility, racial bigotry, sexual bigotry, wealth, and our need for time—more time. Thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alfred A Knopf Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

Beautifully written story told in three parts with each part having it's own identity. Part one was a romance, part two a coming of age story and part three historical fiction. Yet each part fits seamlessly together in this tale of racial identity, history, science and fate. Lily's story begins in 1999 when she is an unpaid intern, struggling to pay her bills in New York. Lily is American but her parents were born in China and are both scientists. Lily loves her parents but didn't follow their path in science and often feels like a disappointment to her mother. Lily meets Matthew at a party; he is her opposite in every way; tall, blonde, very wealthy and highly educated. The two fall in love and while Lily often struggles fitting in to Matthew's family and not knowing what she wants to do in her life, we root for the couple to succeed.

Part two is set in 2021 and is about Nick, the son of Lily. Lily and Matthew are not together and Lily raises her boy with strict rules and little resources in the state of Washington. Nick is tall and blonde and doesn't look Chinese at all, a fact that makes him curious about the father he never knew even though he loves and is loved by his mother. Shortly before he is to leave for college, he takes a DNA test and finds out his father is very wealthy and they reconnect. Nick's part of the story is the longest part as he struggles with anxiety and being lonely and not feeling like he ever fits in. The third part of the story is set in 2030 but tells the tale of Mei who is Lily's mother. Mei was a young college student in the 1960's when the cultural revolution was taking place and people and their belongings were destroyed in favor of living a grueling life as a worker. Mei's story was fascinating and explained many of her choices in life and how there were many things in her life she could not choose. There is also a magical realism part of the story which is not really emphasized or fleshed out.

I very much enjoyed this novel and at the same time wished some things were better explained including the decisions made in the name of science. I also found it very hard to believe that Lily and Matthew would meet accidentally given the relationship between their parents. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for a review.

Author Rachel Khong's sophomore novel is a multigenerational saga wherein we meet three generations of Chens. First, there's Lily, a Y2K-era twenty-something living in NYC who meets and falls for Matthew, a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed conventionally All-American-looking guy. He seems so down to earth but happens to be the heir to a mega-influential pharmaceutical empire. Flash forward twenty years to Lily and Matthew's son Nick, who looks the spitting image of his father even as Lily has poured her all into raising him alone on an island in Puget Sound, Washington. Nick can't wait to get off the island and learn about the father Lily has insisted wants nothing to do with him. Finally, we meet May Chen, Lily's mother, who immigrated from Mao's China to work at the forefront of epigenetic research. After all she'd experienced during China's Cultural Revolution, May wanted to "change how life could be, ... to make the unjust just,  ... to right what began wrong."
In posing the question, "How far would you go to shape your own destiny?" Rachel Khong performs literary magic with the concepts of destiny, time, and fortune. All three characters have the ability to arrest time, experiencing it at a different rate than it passes. If the Chens are fortunate in one thing, it is time. And as the saga unfolds, we see that they also possess an abundance of love for one another. It's a remarkable read, one I highly recommend to those who love a richly drawn intergenerational drama.
[Thanks to Knopf and NetGalley for an opportunity to read an advanced reader copy and share my opinion of this book.]

I think I'm landing on a 3.75 rounded up — this is a good book, and I KNOW it's a good book, but jumping into this after reading several back to back lighthearted romances was tough. This took me so much longer to get through, and it's because I had to actually think while reading 💀

I liked how this story followed different generations of the same family, and how the concept of "American-ness" was explored, as well as the different ethics and science of genealogy. The characters and the story was interesting, but every time things were getting really good, it felt like the plot changed. I felt lead on a couple times, and this is another book where I turned the last page and was disappointed to see there wasn't anything left! I wanted more (a good thing), but the end did not feel like the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a DRC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Real Americans asks, if you could shape your own destiny, would you? How far would you go?

Split into three parts (and the audio with three narrators!) between Mei, a Chinese immigrant who fled Mao's Cultural Revolution in the 1960's, her daughter Lily who met and fell in love with someone despite their opposite backgrounds, and Lily's son Nick who passes as white but navigates being biracial in America, all the while questioning his own identity.

Each part was so distinct, they felt like separate books until they started to come together. I loved how each of their experiences contrasted each other's in some ways, and ran parallel in others.

It made me reflect on how much of our identity is tied to our DNA, how much to experience, and how much is left up to chance. And if you had the ability to edit your identity, where would you draw the line.

I was really intrigued by the magical realism aspect, and wished there had been more details; though I liked that it still made sense to the story without overshadowing the characters.

I have yet to read Khong's debut novel Goodbye, Vitamin, but it is now solidly on my list.