Real Americans

Rachel Khong's "Real Americans" is an expansive and poignant novel that traces the complexities of American identity across three generations. It opens in 1999 New York City, introducing twenty-two-year-old Lily Chen, an unpaid intern from a modest background, who falls for Matthew, the charismatic heir to a pharmaceutical fortune. Their love story, bridging vast differences in class and upbringing, sets the stage for a family saga deeply rooted in the legacies of Mao's Cultural Revolution, which drove Lily's scientist parents to America. The narrative then fast-forwards to 2021, focusing on Lily's fifteen-year-old son, Nick. Living a seemingly isolated life with his single mother on a Washington island, Nick feels a deep sense of not belonging and suspects Lily harbors significant secrets about his past. His quest to find his biological father unravels a web of hidden truths, challenging perceptions of family, inheritance, and the choices that define one's destiny. Khong skillfully explores profound questions of class, race, immigration, and whether individuals are products of fate or architects of their own making, weaving an immersive tale of trust, forgiveness, and the enduring search for home.