Book Review: Real Americans by Rachel Khong

How far would you go to shape your own destiny? Read my review of Rachel Khong’s multi-generational novel Real Americans: A Novel.

I am often drawn to stories that explore the intricate, usually messy relationships between parents and children. So, when I picked up Real Americans: A Novel by Rachel Khong, I was excited to dive into the multi-generational tale. But as I flipped through its pages, I found it hard to connect with the story. Find out why I gave the fictional novel 3 out of 5 stars.

What is the book about?

Real Americans begins on the precipice of Y2K in New York City, when twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern at a slick media company, meets Matthew. Matthew is everything Lily is not: easygoing and effortlessly attractive, a native East Coaster, and, most notably, heir to a vast pharmaceutical empire. Lily couldn’t be more different: flat-broke, raised in Tampa, the only child of scientists who fled Mao’s Cultural Revolution. Despite all this, Lily and Matthew fall in love.

In 2021, fifteen-year-old Nick Chen has never felt like he belonged on the isolated Washington island where he lives with his single mother, Lily. He can’t shake the sense she’s hiding something. When Nick sets out to find his biological father, the journey threatens to raise more questions than answers. [GoodReads.com]

**A Conversation with Rachel Khong — nb. Magazine (nbmagazine.co.uk)**

My thoughts…

Real Americans is structured around what feels like three separate stories, each focusing on a different character within the same family. At first, I thought this approach was interesting; however, just as I started to connect with one character’s perspective, the narrative would move on to someone else. This disruption made it hard for me to stay emotionally invested.

Don’t get me wrong—Khong has a talent for creating relatable characters, each dealing with its own challenges. And there’s a lot to appreciate about the storytelling. Khong has a knack for capturing the small, everyday moments that make family life both beautiful and frustrating. But the book tries to tackle so many heavy themes—identity, belonging, generational conflicts—that it ends up only scratching the surface.

Despite my frustrations, I did enjoy aspects of Real Americans. I see a lot of potential in Khong’s writing. This book might resonate with you if you want a broader, more fragmented look at family dynamics. As for me, I’ll be keeping an eye on Rachel Khong, and I’m hopeful that her next story will capture my attention fully.

Thank you to NetGalley and Knopf, Pantheon, Vintage, and Anchor for an advanced readers copy in exchange for a thoughtful and honest review.