Winnie M Li’s The Great American Everything is a thoughtful, moving, and deeply layered family drama that blends road trip adventure, self-discovery, and unspoken trauma into a compelling narrative about what it means to be American.

The novel follows the Chu siblings —Bonnie, Kevin, and Alex—who haven’t been in the same room for years. When their mother, facing an upcoming operation, makes an unusual request for them to take a road trip to the Grand Canyon, they reluctantly agree. Decades earlier, an aborted family trip to the same destination left a lingering mystery, one they never discussed but can no longer avoid.

As they journey down Route 66, the siblings’ conflicts, cultural identity struggles, and old wounds resurface, forcing them to confront their individual and collective pasts. What begins as a simple road trip transforms into a powerful exploration of memory, race, family expectations, and the complexities of the immigrant experience in America. Li’s writing is unflinchingly honest, The novel questions what home truly means and how shared histories can shape and fracture familial bonds.

Highly recommended for those who love introspective literary fiction with strong themes of identity, belonging, and family reconciliation.

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This is a sweet story of three Taiwanese siblings--Bonnie, Kevin, and Alex--whose family had attempted to go to the Grand Canyon on a road trip, but something unexpected stopped them. Now as adults, they return--immersed in memories as they grow closer to acknowledging their bond and stay true to each other!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I felt as if I was with these 3 sibling traveling across country to California. The writing is descriptive and lyrical. I could taste the dust of the desert and my fear of heights at the Grand Canyon. A sad but enjoyable read.