In her author’s note, Khong writes that this is a story about fortune. In this three part story, Lily, May and Nick each wrestle with fate as they struggle to build “American” lives. The beautiful prose hooked me immediately as I dug into this multi-generational family saga. It’s a crisp examination of class, racism, biology, and the choices made by those who came before us. Although I didn’t always understand the characters’ decisions or the motivations behind them, I was eager to keep reading. It’s an absorbing read that asks how much of our lives is actually under our control?

Lily is a post graduate intern and underemployed in New York when she meets Matthew. As they begin to date, it becomes clear to her that he is downplaying how wealthy his family is. Her Chinese immigrant parents are unsure of her future plans, but Lily continues on with Matthew and gets a glimpse into a different world that she grew up in.

Nick grows up in Seattle and longs to reconnect with his dad. He goes to college on the East coast in an attempt be near him.

Told in multiple time periods, this novel is about wealth and class, science, struggles, and ambition and follows multiple generations of two families. It is literary fiction and very dense, which makes it feel twice as long as it really is. I liked it but struggled reading it some. I think that the critics are going to love this one and if you like books like Trust by Hernan Diaz and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, then this is the book for you.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the digital ARC of Real Americans by Rachel Khong. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The book is told from three different POV in three different timelines. Y2K era Lily's story was mildly interesting, but I felt the writing was very choppy. It's sort of a closed-door romance, which is okay, but not what I was expecting. I couldn't see what she saw in Matthew and there was no chemistry between the two.

Second part of the story was Lily's son, Nick. I'm sorry, but his timeline in the modern day, was just boring. Or rather, he was boring. I really felt like I could have skipped this part and still gotten the gist of the story.

Part three is Mei, Lily's mother, set in China and the U.S. I knew in a general sense how awful Mao's China was, but the descriptions and settings really got me to open my eyes wider to that part of history. Once she got to the United States, the story kind of got boring again, but I cared enough about a resolution that I soldiered on.

There is a bit of magical realism in this story, which is probably why I requested it, but the way it was written, you'd never know it. It was part of the plot, for sure, but the whole story could have worked without it's brief mentions.

I know I'm going to be an outlier here because I've seen the great praise for this book. I'd rate it good, not great. It was worth the read, but not one I'm going to remember six months from now unless I look at this review to jog my memory.

REAL AMERICANS grabbed me right from the start. Khong raises so many interesting questions about American identity, race, choice and fate across three generations of a family. Opening for. By starting the novel with Lily, the daughter of parents who fled the cultural revolution in China, before moving forward to her son and the backward to her mother. This novel would be a fantastic choice for a book club, full of themes worth talking about with other readers. I will be thinking about these characters for some time. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for access to the eARC. A great pick for fans of multigenerational family stories!

Real Americans by Rachel Khong is an expansive, intergenerational Chinese-American story that begins with a couple from two very different backgrounds meeting, but takes you down some unexpected roads. The novel follows three threads: Lily, a young Chinese-American woman in New York around Y2K who begins seeing a man named Matthew; Nick, their son, about 20 years later; and Lily's mother Mei, going from her life in China under Mao's rule to when she tells her story to a slightly older Nick. While this is a family story, this is also a story of science, fate, privilege, and the time we're given (this latter part giving the novel its bit of magical realism).

This is a really ambitious novel with fascinating ideas, but at times I wished it had less distance to its characters and story and instead had a tighter, more personal focus. The narrative is a bit uneven, and none of the sections give you the full story, or all of the information; you're often left being given some of it after the fact, but never the full picture. Sometimes this is frustrating, but Khong brings the key threads together at the end, and the book is ultimately very thought-provoking.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for the advanced copy of Real Americans by Rachel Khong. It is told in 3 parts by three different members of the same family, but different generations. I really liked the first part (Lily's story) which was more of a romance story. But the ending was kind of abrupt and left a lot of questions. The second part was told through her son, Nicolas/Nico/Nick's POV. This was probably my least favorite part. He just wasn't an interesting character. He had a weird personality and I don't think it was really explained why, but it was hard to stay invested in the story. I kept thinking it would expose why Lily tried to drop off the map, but it really didn't do a good job. of clearing up anything.
The third part got interesting again, the mom Mei/May's POV. It explained how and why she came to America and how she got involved with Otto. But I don't think it did a good job of explaining why she was sharing a space with Betty in San Francisco. It also didn't explain well why Lily was holding such a strong grudge against her mom and Matthew. Overall it was interesting enough, but it had so many holes in it, that it was a bit frustrating.

On the verge of Y2K, Lily Chen, a struggling 22-year-old intern, meets Matthew at a holiday party. Although they seemingly come from much different backgrounds, the two begin dating and soon fall in love, much to their family and friends' surprise. In 2021, Nick Chen lives with his mother, Lily, in a small town in Washington State. He has often wondered about his biological father, who his mother never speaks of with him. When Nick's best friend convinces him to take a DNA test to try to find his father, it starts him down a path that upends his world and his future.

This was a moving and thoughtful story that explores one family's experiences across generations and across the world. Well written and with characters you will not soon forget, it examines timely themes around family, identity, inequality, and ambition.

Highly recommended.

Perfectly paced, beautiful writing, and characters I'll be thinking about for a long time. I already can't wait to read it again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free e-copy.

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.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.
So many thoughts after finishing this book. The title made me think it would be about immigration, but it turned out to be a lot more than that. It’s an inter generational story about whether we are ever truly free when we make choices, and the impacts of our decisions. Can we ever control anything? Is it worth trying to control our lifespans, our health? Those are the ideas the story touches upon.
I found each timeline (Mei, in 1960s China, her daughter Lily, in 1990s New York, and Lily’s son Nick in the present day) equally compelling, covering different themes. The idea of gene suppression was very interesting and something I had to read up about afterwards. There were some things I felt weren’t quite clear - Mei and Nick’s motivations to become scientists, and why Lily just leaves her husband. The ending seemed abrupt.
Overall though, a good read and one that leaves you with questions.

A well written multi generational novel that rotates between three main characters. Lily is first and she wrestles with her past and her present with the wealth Matthew, her boyfriend. Nick, her son, is next. He wrestles with past and present as well, unnerves by the secrets his mother has kept from him. Last is May, who gives us perspective of the past. The book I thought might not wrap to show us a full picture but I felt quite satisfied at the end. Most people have said they enjoyed the first two parts most and while i tend to agree I really enjoyed the book as a whole. Kind of gave me goldfinch vibes.

This is a thought-provoking tale and the three timelines are all compelling. The amount of times the characters crossed paths accidentally though, felt contrived. I also struggled with the whole lotus seed wish/stopping time magical element - it didn't work well and was wholly unnecessary. Yet the themes of race, fate, power and the potential ability to play God with biogenetic engineering all made this one that'll likely have me thinking on this for a while. I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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

Rachel Khong's Real Americans follows members of one family from China to Hong Kong and across the US from Mao's Cultural Revolution into the near future. Khong explores family, class, race, visibility, wealth, fortune, biology, and more in this must-read novel.

The book isn't excessively long but by the time I got to the end it felt long, if that makes sense. Because of the three alternating POVs I couldn't quite connect with any of the main characters. And the writing didn't feel full—too much telling and a choppy flow. But, I'm sure some readers will enjoy it and it will make a good movie.

Thanks to NG and the publisher for the ARC.

This was an absolutely beautiful story that I could not put down. There is such incredible momentum that one would not expect from the way the timelines unfold. The intersection of philosophy, history, science, and culture was expertly written here in a way I have never experienced. I love how every character is just a little unlikeable, but all of their flaws are incredibly human and well-intentioned. The use of philosophy and Kant to justify some of what otherwise would require a suspension of belief was perfect. This is a marvelous book and I can't wait to see the accolades it earns.

wow wow wow - I LOVED this book! Multigenerational family saga told in 3 parts from different perspectives - sign me up! I couldnt put this one down and will be telling everyone I know to read it. Not only does the language pull you in but the story itself is really interesting and makes you think about the choices you would make if you were in the characters shoes.

The Real Americas deals with topics like immigrant experience and exploration of personal identity - 2 intense topics, its a really approachable and readable book.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. I enjoyed it immensely.

Thank you to NetGalley and A. A. Knopf for the ARC!

Real Americans, a novel told by three generations in one family, is an ambitious fascinating story of fate, science, feelings, and family. It's hard to pinpoint the genre, it's a family saga, part historical fiction, science fiction, with a little magical realism thrown it. The first section is narrated by Lilly, a young Chinese-American woman starting her adult life in NY. She has a difficult relationship with her mother and considers herself unlucky. The second section is narrated by Lilly's son Nick, who is being raised in Washington State, where Lilly is now a single mother. The final section takes us back to China where we learn the story of May, Lilly's mother. As the novel goes on, we learn a lot about why the characters are they way they are. There is much to discuss here and it would make a great book club read. I have minor issues with the book, but not important enough that it gets in the way of a great read.

Thank you to @Knopf and #NetGalley for the digital ARC of #RealAmericans. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This is multigenerational story about identity, belonging and family secrets. It's told from 3 different perspectives, but it doesn't follow a linear timeline and that made it more interesting to me.

The first narrator/timline is Lily, the American born daughter of Chinese immigrants. It's 1999 and she's starting her adult life in New York. She meets Matthew and falls in love. The next narrator/timeline is Nick, Lily's son. He's 15 and has lots of questions about the father he doesn't remember or know. Since Lily won't tell him anything, he searches on his own. The final narrator/timeline is May, Lily's mom. Her story arc starts in 2030 and bounces back to 1966 as she tells how she escaped communist China and came to America.

The underlying theme of scientific research and ethics as it relates to gene editing was fascinating as well. Would make a good book club read - so much to discuss.

Real Americans was engaging and interesting. It was a perfect cultural cleanse after reading so many thrillers. I liked seeing life through the eyes of different characters, especially Lily and Nico. I loved the romance between Matthew and Lily and really felt Nick’s angst. I was hooked on both of their stories. Unfortunately, it had to switch to Lily’s mother’s POV and that really took the wind out the storm’s sails. Sure, her story was important for the plot, but I slogged through it, feeling dejected that the book had been so good until I got to the last third. Still, it is a wonderful book, and the author has a gift with words and expressing the human condition. Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.