Ayad, the natural-born American son of Pakistani immigrants, begins his story as a young man in the early 1990s—raised on illusions of America being “the hilltop city gleaming for all to see” (xvi). This vision, instilled in him by his father’s belief in American superiority, clashes with his mother’s view of Americans as materialistic. The novel follows Ayad’s journey to self-discovery as he lives long enough to form his own opinions on America.

As he ages, Ayad experiences numerous instances of discrimination and prejudice because of his skin color and Muslim faith, especially after 9/11. On many of these occasions, he tries his best to fit in by hiding his heritage or wearing a Christian cross necklace around his neck. Eventually, Ayad realizes that succeeding in America requires that he give up much of himself. Bolstered in part by the forced assimilations of his family members (some of which were violent), Ayad decides to “stop pretending that [he feels] like an American” (120). After the rise of Donald Trump to the presidency, Ayad’s newfound criticism of America clashes with his father, Sikander, who often sides against his own countrymen in praise of American values.

Ayad’s friends, Riaz Rind and Mike Jacobs, prove to him that the only way for minorities to succeed is to make enough

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