Amy (amy_alwaysreading)'s Reviews > Real Americans

Many thanks to my friends at @aaknopf and @prhaudio for the free #gifted copies of this book.

Intriguing. Thought provoking. Though ambitious in scope, Khong delivers in her latest novel.

Real Americans is a sweeping family saga centered around three generations of Chinese Americans. It’s also an introspective look at what it means to be American, especially when the implicit connotations do not fit.

The storyline is told in 3 timelines with 3 different perspectives with the baton being handed from one generation of this family to another, though not in chronological order, as the tale progresses over more than sixty years.

For me (one who never reads a synopsis), this created a surprising dynamic that propelled the narrative. As the different timelines unfolded, new details were painted onto the broader family picture. Most clever, none of the characters became fully fleshed out until viewed from all perspectives. This layered unfolding allowed an intimate and genuine depiction of a complex family experiencing a broad range of emotions and concerns which kept me deeply engaged and constantly eager for more.

Khong boldly addresses some of life’s most challenging questions regarding identity and belonging. There’s also an exploration of science and ethics which is meted out as generational secrets are exposed. Even while the density of themes sometimes made me feel held at arm’s length, they also left me with much to contemplate.

Real Americans felt easy to read despite the complexity of the narrative. I was hooked almost immediately and found myself dedicated to the unfolding. The deft storytelling and rich characterization propelled the timely messaging, even as it stretched so broadly. This read fully entertained even as it challenged.

🎧Narrated by Louisa Zhu, Eric Yang, and Eunice Wong (a favorite!), each character had a distinct voice. This amplified the uniqueness of the structure within the novel and breathed life into the story as a whole.