Thank you to A.A. Knopf for the free copy of this book.

 - 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. 

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.

Thank you to the The Knopf Team for providing this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Quote: “And yet, with the hubris of youth, I thought to myself: Everything. Given time, we not only could, we would know everything.”

“Real Americans” is a generational tale that resonated with me in ways that I didn’t expect. A story told in three parts, each highlighting a different generation, had moments that I would have to sit there and simply process what I read. I was in awe at how someone was able to write about experiences that I always struggled to put words to.

What I truly loved about this book was Khong’s ability to carry the central themes through each of the character’s perspectives, making it all feel truly connected. Even as we moved through the lives of three very different individuals, there were constant discussions of how one’s circumstances dictate the trajectory of their life, how time is ever fleeting, and how wealth does not always make one fortunate.

While carrying through these themes as a contemporary fiction, Khong was also managed to weave in some mystery and science fiction elements that had me glued to the pages, eager to learn the truth. However, I did find that the middle part of the story dragged for me a bit and I found it odd that the final portion of the story seemed to jump perspectives when the first two parts did not.

Despite those issues, I found that all of this came together to tell a beautiful story of how the gaps between people can grow quite large. As individuals the characters in this book all tried to do the best with what they had, taking what they’ve learned to try and do better. Their actions were mirrored in such fascinating ways by highlighting how hard it was for the younger generations to truly understand their intentions. As I was going back through the quotes I had highlighted, it made the story feel more rich realizing how much the final part of the book had me looking at the beginning differently.

Real Americans is not the type of book I typically read, but I am so glad the cover caught my attention. It was beautifully written and caught my mind going back over the story anytime I wasn't reading it. I didn't expect the path the book wandered, but the whole story was as lovely as it was heartbreaking.