Welcome to Litsy!

This one ended up feeling a little less substantial (a little less oomph-filled) than it seemed like it would be, but I enjoyed the story, the character development, the coincidences. It's also interesting to see how authoritarianism manifests basically the same regardless of the stated politics behind it, possibly because it's about power and the ideology is just the vehicle for getting one man (or a few of them) as much power as he can wrangle.

I'm having one of those days that just feels tough for no really good reason. The kind of day where I was looking forward to repotting houseplants and am unreasonably undone that the delayed delivery of two pots has pushed the task until tomorrow, where I know I'm being bratty and ungrateful, but I can't seem to be anything different. So to heck with it; I'm reading.

Loved the first part, was mid on the second, and less thrilled on the third. The different viewpoints to me don‘t weave together enough to make more than the sum of the parts. Pretty masterful writing, I just didn‘t love the story.

We start this with Lily in New York in the 1990s, then her son Nick in 2021, then jump to her mother May in 2030, who looks back on her youth in the midst of the Chinese Cultural Revolution. They all struggle to find their own identity and this runs as a theme through all three stories. A really absorbing, lovely yet also sad read (there are some science-y bits which didn‘t always work for me, but didn‘t detract from the overall).

Coming towards the end of 2 weeks of rest and relaxation and finishing it off with this cracker of a book.

This novel spans the history of a family for three generations, jumping around from Y2K New York and ending with Chairman Mao in China. It gets a lot into DNA and the meaning of time. I liked it a lot, especially the part about Chinese history. I grew very attached to these characters. It was a compelling story.

I really enjoyed Lily and Matthew‘s love story and was surprised when it changed to Nick‘s generation. I soon grew to love Nick‘s youthful idealism and felt for him as he got to know his biological father. I was less sucked in by May‘s storyline and the end felt a tad rushed. A light pick.

I read this with the @litsybookclub . Book 41 of the year.

I finished this over the weekend, and then I almost forgot to review it. I found some parts interesting, but overall I‘m just ambivalent about the whole thing. I will be curious to see if our book club discussion gives me any greater appreciation for it.

#LitsyBookClub #audiobook

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What defines a Real American?
A multigenerational story told by 3 points of view. Looking at parent- child relationships, ethnic backgrounds vs citizenship, with a slight sci- fi twist.

#LitsyBookClub

Repost for @litsybookclub

New month, new book. March‘s book is Real Americans by Rachel Khong. Please join us in reading this month‘s book. Meeting will be Sunday March 30th. More information will be posted closer to the meeting day about time.

Questions? Ask @Graciouswarriorprincess

New month, new book. March‘s book is “Real Americans‘ by Rachel Khong. Please join us in reading this month‘s book. Meeting will be Sunday, March 30th. More information be posted closer to the meeting day about time.

Questions? Ask @Graciouswarriorprincess

#ToBLonglist
I really enjoyed this one. The characters were all interesting and believable. I loved how the idea of genetics and science was woven through but not a focus (don't be dissuaded if you are not into science). This book seems to tackle so much- generational family drama, coming of age, college life, all in a harmonious way.
My only note is that the author had a strange way of putting sentences together and I often had to reread them.

#weeklyforecast
Finishing the tagged today
ARC - One Day Everyone Will Have Been Against This
Overdue at the library -need to start I Cheerfully Refuse
#BookedInTime & #25in25 starting Wolf Hall

"Between us was a small graveyard, marked with moss stones. Most of its inhabitants had died young in the 1800s, which was oddly reassuring to me. Their ghosts were babies, and babies most likely didn't know enough to be vengeful."

"She isn't afraid, but he is."

#FirstLineFriday
@ShyBookOwl

I have a 4 day weekend and I have been not really in a reading slump but just super distracted. I have got to finish the tagged (it is overdue at the library) I am hoping to make a dent in the other 2
One Day Everyone Will Have Beed Against This (ARC)
Forgotten On Sunday

Starts off weirdly and I didn‘t know where it was going and then science appears! DNA coding has lead us all to a world where we may not recognize ourselves. 3 family timelines that don‘t want to be connected but are. Good read.

This exploration of 3 generations of a Chinese then Chinese-American family is an interesting look at family relations, race, and immigration. It‘s good, but it‘s nonlinear and the pacing is a little off. I feel like this had the potential to be dynamite if it had been tightened up more during editing.

#TOBlonglist

I liked the first two parts of this story, Lily and her son Nick, although it felt similar to a lot of other books.

Once it moved on to Mei and the science-fictiony/ gene therapy bit I started to lose interest. I don‘t think it went into enough depth to have any kind of impact on the story and the 3 sections felt very disjointed, as the 3 MCs plus Nick‘s Dad weren‘t communicating with each other.

Still a pick though.

#ToBlonglist

Three generations of a three part novel depicting members of a Chinese-American family. This is a good pick for anyone that loves an epic family drama.

I really enjoyed this - my first novel by Rachel Khong. She takes a three POV structure for a “three generations of an immigrant family” style story - but makes it intriguingly different from other such novels with a little sci fi twist. I did wish she had amplified that aspect more, but i was won over by how well Khong writes familial relationships. I enjoyed being in each of the POVs even when not a lot was happening.
Pic: spring at the library

This was a good read! I've chosen it for our book club and had a worry that I'd picked without researching. However, I think they'll all like either the overall story, or the way n which the theme of Fortune and wealth is represented. The three narrative styles and perspectives work well to unfold the family history.

This 3-generation story of a Chinese-American grandmother, mother, and son was told with the POV of all three just not in the sequence one might expect. It was interesting to gain perspective as each POV was introduced. Also happening is a parallel story about the ethics of gene editing and selection. There‘s so much going on that plot-wise a few things could have been further flushed out, but overall I really liked this.

So this was certainly a perfectly fine book but it didn‘t live up to the hype. Great writing, good story but just left me a bit flat at the end.

I thought this was going to be a higher star read for me but it was just ok. It contained 3 different stories, 3 different point of views. And honestly, it was hard to fully connect with the characters. I enjoyed Lily's part the most and May's part the least. I thought there was going to be more discussion of what it meant to be an American while being non white. It was disappointing.
3⭐️

#BookspinBingo #6 #DoubleSpin
@TheAromaofBooks

Three POVs- mother, child, grandmother,- that fill in gaps of the family dynamic. The characters are complex and engaging, the plot curves enough to be believable and page turning. It‘s a good book when as one POV ends, I want more. Excellent.

Three different narrators & perspectives during three different time periods, this book doesn't quite land, but it was easy to read and definitely offers lots of food for thought about genetics, life experiences and family. I think we'll have lots to talk about in book club. Solid 3.75 stars.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I liked the structure of this book and the characters were all intriguing. The numerous themes and characters ended up feeling like they were all spread a little too thin for my personal taste, though. The audio narration was very good with a different narrator for each character, and this helped bring the story to life. 🎧

Beautifully written, it will make you think. A multigenerational story, looks at how even science can bust up families, people with the best intentions, create secrets that some can‘t forgive. About immigration, the illusions of the American dream , how immigrants assimilate and so much more. There is a sadness to it maybe more noticeable by me as I‘m a bit sad these days.

I finished this a week ago, and it has still stuck with me even if I didn‘t enjoy part three as much as the first two. What starts as the story of a slightly mismatched couple turns into a sweeping book about family bonds, biomedical ethics, and 20th century Chinese history. So much more than meets the eye in a fantastic way!

4.5⭐️/5⭐️

Such a good book. Multigenerational, secrets, choices & consequences with high stakes. When science and scientific research are used without one‘s knowledge, can a family mend from the cracks it puts in their relationships? Khong builds wonderful stories & characters.

#BookSpinBingo @TheAromaofBooks

Book 131 of 2024. Real Americans by Rachel Khong. I love a family saga that spans generations. This book was excellent. The writing was so beautiful and I was captivated by this story. This was one of those books that really made you think.

This compelling intergenerational story is told from the perspective of Lily, the aimless daughter of Chinese immigrants; Nick, her blonde, blue-eyed son; & Mei, her driven mother, a scientist who left everything behind to secure a better life in the US. A fascinating look at the choices parents make for their children, the disconnect between the love you need & the love you get, & the cost of defining yourself by what you want & how much you have

I simply ADORED Khong‘s first book, so maybe I just had unreasonably high expectations. I did enjoy this and the story was compelling, but it just didn‘t bowl me over. The story is told through three related characters who have vastly different life experiences. It seemed like three coming-of-age stories with an additional science/ethics thread tying them together. It didn‘t feel as cohesive as I wanted. But it was good and worth a read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5 ⭐️

I‘m not totally sure what I just read. Individually, I enjoyed the stories of Lily, Nick and May and how they each navigated their ways in the world. But the big reveal involving science and genetics left me scratching my head. And the decisions made by several characters seemed contrary to their natures. I was left feeling confused, unsatisfied and wanting more.

When you‘re reading your current book and suddenly stumble across the place where you work! 🤯

I had to look up the author‘s bio—yep, she went to Yale. Of course. Lots of references to New Haven locations in here.

Poolside reading might be my favorite!

#BOTM

Up early on this Memorial Day!🇺🇸 So ironic starting this!😊❤️💙🤍

Really liked this book about family, choices and genetics. What makes us who we are?
Highly recommend.

#BookMail is the best mail ! #BOTM

So far I can‘t put down this multi generational story following members of a Chinese American family, starting off in Y2K New York.

What I enjoyed the most about this book is the 3 different POVs, even though sometimes it took a little bit of adjusting from one to the other (this happened mostly with Nick).

The story centers around a Chinese-American family and how trying to shape fate affected them. I loved it. I loved the dynamics and how the author developed the characters and presented the story.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

1. I won the tagged book on Goodreads.
2. Facetime with my grandson.
3. Our daughter is with us for the summer….with her cat!!!
4. I got a new windshield on my car but the joyous part was I was first one in and only waited an hour. 🙌🏻
5. We don‘t get much rain but I had a rainy, reading afternoon on Wednesday.

@DebinHawaii #5JoysFriday

Read the first chapter and it looks promising… #NetGalley

If you‘re in the mood for a fantastic, literary read - this book is it! It reminded me of a steak & potatoes dinner; it has heft to it and was very filling, but didn‘t feel forced or insincere. Told from 3 POVs, this is a multigenerational saga that will keep you hooked. If you enjoyed her debut (“Goodbye, Vitamin”) I would definitely add this to your TBR 👍 Pub date is 4/30/2024