4.99k reviews for:

Real Americans

Rachel Khong

4.06 AVERAGE

baileygrinter's review against another edition

4.5

emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

patty_pages's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective medium-paced

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This is one of those reads where the ratings score I gave it doesn't accurately reflect how I feel about it because structurally I had some issues with the story but off the page there's a lot to consider and discuss. This is a great bookclub book for that reason and one that invites conversation as it challenges readers to reflect on their own life stories, motherhood, immigration, assimilation, ethics, power, and forgiveness.

emilycjohnson's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Strong character development: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

lerepp's review against another edition

4.5

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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This book took me a long time to read. Not because I didn't enjoy it, but because it felt like pressing a bruise. It's hard to contributed something new to the diaspora of what it means to be Chinese American and how can American grandchildren possibly relate to their Cultural Revolution-age grandparents, but this book is a reminder that our lives are defined by fortune, and the choices we make. 

trinity_tompkins's review against another edition

4.25

challenging emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Following 3 generations within the same family, this book explores wealth, race, ambition, forgiveness, and so much more. At times I felt as if I was about to get to the good part only for it to breeze on ahead which could be frustrating. That being said, I was extremely invested in the characters and what would happen between them all in the end. This book did a beautiful job of showing the imperfections of parents as well as the big expectations we have for them as children and how heartbreaking it can be for both parties.

kstrauss17's review against another edition

5.0

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This book is so good. I never wanted it to end. I’m obsessed with the characters and the plot and literally everything. It was almost 600 pages and yet that wasn’t enough!!

mamullen518's review against another edition

4.0

emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

babblesbea's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous emotional reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

sarahwisemanx's review against another edition

4.5

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

andinelson1014's review against another edition

5.0

informative reflective medium-paced