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sparker4345 's review for:
Real Americans
by Rachel Khong
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).