Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.06 AVERAGE
4.06 AVERAGE
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"aren't we lucky? our dna encodes for enumerable possible people and yet it's you and I who are here-winners in a stupefying lottery. we came at the exact right moment, a blip in the hundred million centuries of the universe: the Earth inhabitable, not yet engulfed by the sun, but not only molten magma, inhospitable to life. the planet cooled and water formed; it was able to hold an atmosphere . and in this place, on this small blue rock, innumerable miracles: redwoods, computers, stingrays, pianos, you and me"
this book was not at all what i was expecting, both when i picked it up and as i was reading it. khong's thoughtful analysis and extensive research were defining features of this novel as the characters within it navigate not only their personal strife and relationships, but also their relationships to shifting political, social and cultural movements of their time. khong elegantly weaves together tales of social revolt in china to debates about genetic modification and encryption in the 21st century in such a way that reveals the interconnectedness of our world so vividly.
the ever present theme of fortune/luck and how it affects the life we get to live is such a key driving force in the reality behind the american dream, which khong examines in this piece as well, searching for a definition on what it means to be a "real american" as per the title. the american dream is a lofty goal that mei at some points takes part in believing, only to discover that the luck of the draw, typically at birth, far too often distinguishes a life full of poverty or pain versus a life full of riches.
I both appreciated and at times was frustrated by the narrative construction of the piece. i think it was important to follow the lives and perspectives of these key players (lily, nick and mei) to get a better insight to the generational trauma that affects them all, there were moments that felt disjointed and places where one character referenced an act or situation that made me flip through the book to try and see how another character dealt with it. i do think it's impressive how well the author was able to distinguish these three voices and establish each character as their own entity, cemented in their own time and life experiences.
i feel like so much happened while at the same time nothing was happening. we traverse nearly 100 years of family history over the course of the book and see each character through migration, death of loved ones, marriage, loss, sickness, etc. and yet the things we spend the most time with the dissecting is the cadence of a peer's voice, or the reflection of light on water. while at times tedious, i think khong's vivid atmospheric descriptions made the novel all the more immersive, as we got to see, in some ways, through the character's eyes and receive a glimpse of how they perceived the world in all its small details.
also, the ending wrecked me (in a good way).
this book was not at all what i was expecting, both when i picked it up and as i was reading it. khong's thoughtful analysis and extensive research were defining features of this novel as the characters within it navigate not only their personal strife and relationships, but also their relationships to shifting political, social and cultural movements of their time. khong elegantly weaves together tales of social revolt in china to debates about genetic modification and encryption in the 21st century in such a way that reveals the interconnectedness of our world so vividly.
the ever present theme of fortune/luck and how it affects the life we get to live is such a key driving force in the reality behind the american dream, which khong examines in this piece as well, searching for a definition on what it means to be a "real american" as per the title. the american dream is a lofty goal that mei at some points takes part in believing, only to discover that the luck of the draw, typically at birth, far too often distinguishes a life full of poverty or pain versus a life full of riches.
I both appreciated and at times was frustrated by the narrative construction of the piece. i think it was important to follow the lives and perspectives of these key players (lily, nick and mei) to get a better insight to the generational trauma that affects them all, there were moments that felt disjointed and places where one character referenced an act or situation that made me flip through the book to try and see how another character dealt with it. i do think it's impressive how well the author was able to distinguish these three voices and establish each character as their own entity, cemented in their own time and life experiences.
i feel like so much happened while at the same time nothing was happening. we traverse nearly 100 years of family history over the course of the book and see each character through migration, death of loved ones, marriage, loss, sickness, etc. and yet the things we spend the most time with the dissecting is the cadence of a peer's voice, or the reflection of light on water. while at times tedious, i think khong's vivid atmospheric descriptions made the novel all the more immersive, as we got to see, in some ways, through the character's eyes and receive a glimpse of how they perceived the world in all its small details.
also, the ending wrecked me (in a good way).
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
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
Classic multi-generational Asian American story, with a genetically modified twist.
Interesting thought experiment on gene editing and wealth inequality — with a kind of Ivy League NYC elitism that felt both familiar and wary.
Interesting thought experiment on gene editing and wealth inequality — with a kind of Ivy League NYC elitism that felt both familiar and wary.
4.5 Honestly I really liked this, well structured, well paced, I liked Lily and Mei’s sections the best. Middle was a bit of a lull, since we already had context to something the character didn’t. I do think the author tried to cover too many bases, I was confused / thought the book was taking a scifi turn when I thought this was an examining into the Chinese identity & immigration
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, War
Moderate: Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Grief, Colonisation, Classism
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Interesting reflections on family, time, ethics in genetic science, money, history of communism in china and life aspirations. I loved the characters and found myself getting absorbed in their stories so much so that I almost forgot about what was held in prior sections. I liked Lily and Nick’s sections the best. Overall interesting themes but I wish certain characters and story points were more fleshed out, such as Lily's father and Matthew’s father. This book definitely leaves something to be desired. Felt lost from Lily’s perspective especially by the end of the book.