Review: ‘Real Americans’ Left Our Book Club in Shambles

Some people may think we have enough family drama to last a lifetime and that there’s no need to welcome even more into your life through a book. But over here at The Everygirl Book Club, there’s nothing we love more than a book that demands a cathartic cry and makes your family problems look minuscule in comparison. And it’s safe to say the emotional rollercoaster Rachel Khong took us on in Real Americans was full of tears and plenty of “okay, well, my relationship with my mom isn’t that complicated” moments.

The second Garri and I picked up this book, I knew the themes of identity, race, class, and finding yourself would resonate strongly with our Book Club. After an hour of deep conversations, insightful commentary, and, of course, countless bookish tangents (this is a book club, after all), here is The Everygirl Book Club’s full review of Real Americans, plus everything else you missed from our meeting last night.

Rachel Khong

Real Americans

How far would you go to shape your own destiny? An exhilarating novel of American identity that spans three generations in one family and asks: What makes us who we are? And how inevitable are our futures?

 

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What is Real Americans about?

Equal parts literary and historical fiction, Real Americans is vast, enthralling, and group chat was chatting nonstop as we made our way through the book. It’s a novel that prioritizes character development above all else, highlighting class struggles, racism, and the meaning of family through its characters’ experiences.

It begins in New York City in the early 2000s, when 22-year-old Lily, an unpaid intern at a media company, meets Matthew. While Lily is the broke, Florida-born daughter of scientists who fled Mao’s Cultural Revolution, Matthew is a suave East Coaster and heir to a pharmaceutical empire. They may have nothing in common, but nevertheless, they fall in love.

Flash forward to 2021: Nick Chen feels like an outsider on the Washington island he’s grown up on with his single mom, Lily. He suspects she’s hiding her past from him, so he sets out to find his biological father in search of answers—but ends up with more questions than he started with.

The Everygirl Book Club’s review of Real Americans

Whether they typically reach for literary fiction or not Real Americans, was an emotional read for all of our Book Club members. While some felt the book got off to a slower start, once you were in, you cared about these characters with your entire heart. Every misstep, every heartbreak, every moment of joy our members felt right alongside the characters. It’s the kind of book that rips your heart out and squeezes it until you’re not sure it will beat again before finally letting it go, literally with the last line of the book.

Our readers particularly connected with the themes of wishing you could stop time, loneliness, discovering who you are, and finding your place in your community. Even if Nick, Lily, and May’s lives didn’t mirror our own exactly, we were all able to see parts of ourselves in these characters, maybe even parts we don’t like confronting. The Real Americans reading experience is one that reminds you just how all-consuming and emotional books can be. You’re completely transported into the minds of the characters, flaws and all.

“If you want a character-driven novel that will sweep you up in its world and spit you out on the other side a changed person, run to Libby to put your copy Real Americans on hold.”

Another aspect of the book that really resonated with readers is the, err, complicated family dynamics. We all deal with our own family messiness, often behind closed doors. The Everygirls agreed that getting to read about a family that, while they may not have the exact same issues as you, still experiences feeling disconnected from parents, being crushed by the weight of expectations, wanting to give your children a better life than your own, and the heartbreak of uncovering family secrets was incredibly powerful. While the characters may have been fictional and the plotlines invented, we couldn’t deny the comfort and relatability in knowing you’re not the only one completely overwhelmed by whatever is going on in your family life. Though we did wish we got to see some more of these moments actually unfold on the page, like a confrontation between Lily and Matthew, and getting to see May and Lily’s reunion.

We also found that the three different POVs and the novel being split into three distinct parts was such a unique and interesting way to structure the book. Our Book Club members almost felt like they were reading three different books: the first, a story of first love; the second, a coming-of-age novel; and the third, a reflection on a life. We got to experience each character through the lens of the other points of view, as well as in their own head, seeing how multiple people can view the same event or relationship in completely opposing ways. It was absolutely fascinating and nothing unlike anything I have ever read. It made us have so much empathy for each character when you see the decisions and worlds that shaped them, informing who they are and how they act.

When a book does such a good job with character building, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll inevitably sob while reading. I mean, you care far too much about these characters to have a less dramatic reaction to anything they go through. Real Americans is definitely a book that demands tissues nearby. It’s not really an “oh my god, I’m so devastated” kind of cry (though it may be at times); it’s more of an “oh my god, I feel so seen” kind of cry. That feeling is what stuck with our readers after finishing this book. And while some may have felt it was a little too slow or slightly outside their comfort zone, the majority were completely struck by Real Americans and rated it four stars and above.

So, should you read Real Americans?

If you want a character-driven novel that will sweep you up in its world and spit you out on the other side a changed person, run to Libby to put your copy Real Americans on hold. It’s the kind of book that spans reading tastes, ages, and genres, uniting us all in a completely singular reading experience. If you’re someone who judges a book solely on its plot twists, it might not be up your alley. But if you want a book that’s going to make you feel, you’ve found your next read.

Real Americans Book Club discussion questions

1. Why do you think the author chose to structure the novel through multiple perspectives and timelines? How did that impact your reading experience? Did you have a favorite POV? And how did your feelings about each character change throughout the different perspectives?
2. Throughout the novel, Lily, Nick, and May struggle to connect. Whether it’s their cultural differences, generational ones, or even the DNA experiment Otto and May put Lily and Nick through. How do you think these differences shaped their relationships? And what commentary do you think the novel makes about nature versus nurture?
3. Other than through blood, how do you think Lily, Nick, and May are similar? How are they different?
4. Lily promises herself that she will give Nick what she didn’t receive from her own parents growing up. Do you think she accomplished that? Why or why not?
5. How would you have reacted if you were Lily and discovered what Otto and May did to her and Nick? Why do you think Matthew chose not to leave with them?
6. What do you think happens when Lily and May reunite at the end of the book?

Everything else you missed at The Everygirl Book Club meeting

Like every good book club, our meetings strike the perfect balance between staying on topic and diving into plenty of bookish tangents. I mean, that’s part of the fun, right? I left with about 10 new books added to my TBR that the girlies were raving about, and of course, I offered plenty of suggestions of my own. We also found so many different quotes throughout Real Americans that left a lasting impression, reminding us to stay present and not move through life passively. One favorite, “Time passes, indifferent to me. So much of my life I have let slip by, because I have not attended to it. All this while, instead of seeking more time, I could have been paying attention,” has us all logging off the Zoom feeling honestly so inspired.

The books we read may change every month, but the one constant in every The Everygirl Book Club meeting is a group of women eager to find community through our shared love of reading. Yes, it’s a place to discuss our monthly pick, but it’s also a space where you can take an hour and a half for yourself. It’s a room where you can truly be yourself, geeking out over your recent reads, and take a much-needed break from the chaos of life outside of our Zoom. If you weren’t able to join for May, let this be your sign to start reading our June pick with us.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren Blue, Associate Editor & Book Club Co-Host

As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives, from must-read books and behind-the-scenes interviews to beauty products she can’t live without. When she isn’t sitting in an AMC watching the latest buzzy release, she can be found scouring Goodreads for the perfect pick for The Everygirl Book Club. There, she co-hosts discussions with members, debating plotlines, fancasting characters, and, of course, tossing in her own recommendations.

READ LAUREN’S FULL BIO

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