Rachel Khong’s ambitious novel Real Americans (Knopf) is a profound exploration of identity, heritage, and the varied definitions of what it means to be considered truly American. Spanning from the 1950s in Maoist China to an imagined 2030, the story is woven through the experiences of a Chinese American family, examining their personal trials against a backdrop of significant historical and cultural shifts. This multigenerational saga begins with a mythical lotus seed and extends into speculative realms of genetic engineering, all while maintaining a rich narrative grounded in the everyday realities of its characters.
The novel opens in 1999 with Lily, a young media intern in New York, navigating the complexities of adulthood and romance. Her relationship with Matthew, a quintessential American from a wealthy background, unfolds amidst stark societal and class disparities. Their union, marked by the birth of their son Nick in the early 2000s, introduces the first of many intricate family dynamics that Khong skillfully portrays. Nick’s adolescence, plagued by typical teenage struggles and an absence of his father, culminates in a series of personal revelations sparked by a DNA test.
As the narrative advances to 2030, the perspective shifts to May, Lily’s mother, whose experiences during the Cultural Revolution and her groundbreaking work in genetics profoundly shape the family’s legacy. Her story, infused with both historical depth and speculative science, explores the intersections of past and future, posing urgent questions about the ethics of genetic manipulation and the essence of human agency.
Khong’s storytelling is enriched by her ability to intertwine themes of luck, fortune, and the distinctly American pursuit of wealth, questioning whether such elements are truly within our control. This is illustrated through Lily’s transformation from an unpaid intern to a figure navigating the tumultuous waters of wealth and privilege, her story intertwining with Nick’s discovery of his complex inheritance. The narrative also revisits Mei, Lily’s mother, tracing her journey from a challenging rural life in China to a prominent career in a New York lab, reinforcing the notion that our destinies are often shaped long before we are born.
Throughout the novel, Khong challenges the reader with philosophical inquiries into free will, the inheritance of identity, and the mutable nature of what it means to be American. These themes are particularly resonant in the characters’ struggles with their hybrid identities, as they navigate a landscape that is both alienating and full of opportunity. The novel does not shy away from critiquing the American obsession with lineage and wealth, contrasting the characters’ volatile fortunes with the more stable, yet restrictive, upper echelons of American society.
Real Americans is not just a story about the Asian American experience; it is a broader commentary on the human condition, the random lotteries of life, and our shared journey through the landscapes of time and culture. Khong’s work, reminiscent of her earlier successes and enriched with her unique narrative style, invites readers to reflect on the grand narrative of nationality and race, and more profoundly, on the personal choices that define our truest identities. The novel’s conclusion, a reflective musing on life’s simplicity and the small wonders that enrich our daily existence, serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty that transcends the relentless pursuit of material wealth.
Sign up for the Daily Dose Newsletter and get the morning’s best science news from around the web delivered straight to your inbox? It’s easy like Sunday morning.