Real Americans

Khong’s (Goodbye, Vitamin) captivating novel spans three generations, from the cultural revolution in China to the late 1990s in New York City to the present day. Themes of intergenerational estrangement are woven around a central focus on genetic experimentation. The main character, Lily, is the child of mother May, who fled China during the cultural revolution. Lily meets Nick in New York City circa Y2K and falls in love, not realizing that he is the wealthy scion of the company where she interns. After Lily gives birth to son Matthew, she learns that her parents worked with Nick’s father to genetically alter her without her consent. This allowed her to become pregnant while not passing on her own inherited genetic deficiencies and produce a child who doesn’t have any Asian features. A furious Lily cuts off contact with her husband and her mother. When Matthew comes of age, he contacts Nick but becomes disenchanted with his father and his world. Later, Nick is able to help Matthew at a critical juncture, and an ultimate family reconciliation creates an uplifting conclusion.