The Many Daughters of Afong Moy: A Novel

by Jamie Ford

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
A Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick The New York Times bestselling author of Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet returns with a powerful exploration of the love that binds a family across the generations in "one of the most beautiful books of motherhood and what we pass on to those that come after us" (Jenna Bush Hager, Today ). Dorothy Moy breaks her own heart for a living. As Washington's former poet laureate, that's how she describes channeling her dissociative episodes and mental health struggles into her art. But when her five-year-old daughter exhibits similar behavior and begins remembering things from the lives of their ancestors, Dorothy believes the past has come to haunt her. Fearing that her child is predestined to endure the same debilitating depression that has marked her own life, Dorothy seeks radical help. Through an experimental treatment designed to mitigate inherited trauma, Dorothy intimately connects with past generations of women in her Faye Moy, a nurse in China serving with the Flying Tigers; Zoe Moy, a student in England at a famous school with no rules; Lai King Moy, a girl quarantined in San Francisco during a plague epidemic; Greta Moy, a tech executive with a unique dating app; and Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America. As the painful recollections affect her present life, Dorothy discovers that trauma isn't the only thing she's inherited. A stranger is searching for her in each time period--a stranger who's loved her through all of her genetic memories. Can Dorothy break the cycle of pain and abandonment to finally find peace for her daughter and love for herself? Or will she end up paying the ultimate price? "For Jamie Ford fans both old and new, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is an unmitigated pleasure" (Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author) and a lyrical love story unlike any other.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Magical Realism, Book Club, Fantasy, Audiobook, Historical

634 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2022

About the author

Jamie Ford’s debut novel, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, spent two years on the New York Times bestseller list and went on to win the 2010 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature. Jamie’s work has been published in 34 languages. Also, because Jamie feels weird writing about himself in the 3rd person, he’s going to say…

Hi, this is me.

Not a publicist. Not some weird aggregated bit of web-content, just little ol’ me, the author, sitting here in my favorite Batman pajamas (yes, I have several pairs) writing this note in my cozy home office, dog at my feet. Her name is Lucy and she’s twitching right now, obviously chasing squirrels in her dreams.

While we’re chatting, I should mention that my latest novel novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, is now available for pre-order :)

If you’re looking for more things that have spilled out of my brain, I have steampunk storiess in The End is Nigh, The End is Now, and The End Has Come (The Apocalypse Triptych). Also a tale in Stories from Suffragette City.

Lest I forget, I have a story in Anonymous Sex, but I'm not allowed to say which story is mine.

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford

This is a difficult review to write because I can't really tell you what happened in this story. I don't understand what happened, or how it happened, or why it happened. I'd never heard of epigenetics (the study of heritable phenotype changes that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence) before I read this book.

We see this story from the viewpoint of seven women. They are all related and affected by transgenerational trauma, trauma passed down from one generation to the next. Each woman can feel something, emotions from a past that she has never experienced. Some of the women don't know the history of the women before her so she can't even explain her feelings of discomfort, anxiety, and despair as the product of hearing stories of her ancestors' difficult past.

Afong leads the way for these seven women and Afong is based on a real person, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America. From her sad start we progress to the stories of the women who come after her. The story is not told in chronological order but instead we weave back and forth between pivotal times in each woman's lives. Annabel is at the end of this line of women, many years into our future, and thanks to her mother's experience with new and improving treatments, Annabel and many of her ancestors are able to feel/experience their past, present, and future differently.

The story was interesting but very sad, seeing how the women were affected by the cruelty and indifference of their fellow man. I would have liked to have better understood how Dorothy may have changed what had happened to something different. My mind imagines chaos for the future, in changing the past, but we don't see that in this story.

Published August 2nd 2022

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

[Catherine (alternativelytitledbooks) - still catching up! · Rating 5 out of 5]

**Many thanks to Edelweiss, Maudee Genao at Atria, and Jamie Ford for a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review! Now available as of 8.2!**
We loved with a love that was more than love."-Edgar Allen Poe, Annabel Lee

We inherit our eye color. The curve of our jawline. The hint of a dimple (or lack thereof) when we smile.

But what about our pain?

Are we predisposed to experience the trauma in our lives? Are we simply wearing tread over the paths our ancestors walked, many years before? Is heartbreak, agony, and longing ever avoidable...or will it rise to meet us, no matter what path we intend to choose?

Jamie Ford explores these questions and many more in this thought-provoking, deep, lyrical, and sweeping novel that I COULD NOT put down!

In 2045, Dorothy (poet, mother, and wife), has been battling her inner demons for most of her life. Though her profession urges her to explore and use her pain, she has never been able to overcome the mental roadblocks and now sees some indication that her beloved young daughter Annabel might be heading down the same path.

Fearing the worst, Dorothy decides to take drastic action, heading to a clinic where epigenetics (the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work, as defined by the CDC) is utilized and studied via administered treatments. These treatments attempt to 'break the pattern', as it were, by imbuing the subject with filtered memories of the past and realities they have never personally known, but have affected them in some way.

During Dorothy's course of treatment, we meet several different women: the titular Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman in America; Faye Moy the nurse, looking after wounded soldiers; Greta Moy, a savvy businesswoman with an innovative and wildly successful dating app; Lai King Moy, a girl quarantined on a ship during a plague epidemic (and no, this was not COVID!); and Zoe Moy, a student whose unorthodox school is a challenging environment for many reasons. The narrative weaves seamlessly in and out of these different time periods, with Dorothy feeling more muddled yet more intrigued as time passes and the treatments continue.

Will she have the opportunity to save Annabel from what fate has in store by story's end...or will embodying this pain from the past cause her to cross a threshold never meant to be crossed...with dramatic and dire consequences?

If you'd told me a month ago that I would stumble on a Historical Fiction book that I both
wouldn't be able to put down AND wouldn't be able to stop thinking about?

I probably would have laughed at you.

Historical Fiction has always been my touch-and-go genre, one where fit is essential and honestly it is so RARE for me to rave about anything from the genre, even if I enjoy the book. It usually still has that air of a History textbook, or else everything falls neatly into eye-rolling cliche (A solider falls in love, is killed in war, etc. etc.)

This book is SO much more than that.

Expertly weaving in philosophical notions, magic, mystery, heart, and more importantly, heartache and trauma, this book manages not only to tell a fascinating story, but to explore the human condition in SUCH an accessible way. Nothing lofty or pretentious here, folks, but I hope you have an appetite, because you could sustain yourself on the food for thought present for several months! (Ford also points to MANY resources in the back of the book, so don't be surprised if you feel like doing a bit of additional research once you've finished!)

Ford is also a Poet, pays homage to poets, our main character IS a poet...so as an occasional amateur poet, I was swooning over the language in this one. Sparse at times, evocative at others, Ford never wastes a word...OR adds some that aren't necessary. This is the culmination of lovely writing, tight plotting, and expert editing.

Despite the fact that this novel jumps ALL OVER time and space, and in several different time periods, not ONCE did I feel lost. I was so invested in all of these women's lives that I gasped along with them when tragedy struck. You know you're fully immersed in the world of your book when you start actually TALKING to the characters in the book, trying to warn or protect them at all costs. I truly felt I was on a journey of my own alongside Dorothy, at times struggling with inner torment, but ever hopeful for resolve. The story ends with Annabel, set years after Dorothy's treatments, and proves a fitting and poignant end.

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is a rare gem of a book, penned with the tender hand and the tortured heart of the poetic soul.

Ford mentions in his Author's Note that this book is his big box of crayons, and he couldn't POSSIBLY have colored a more beautiful and tragic portrait of our world.

5 stunning stars

This fabulous book is also available through BOTM, was selected as a Read With Jenna Pick, and is also being adapted for the screen!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars: I began by listening to the audio of Jamie Ford’s “The Many Daughters of Afong Moy”, which had eight narrators for seven time periods. Too confusing! Plus, I started listening to it cold, without reading the blurb right before listening. Another big mistake. Thankfully, I got lucky because my library had the book, which I was able to use. This is a story to be read. Listening to it without reading it made me lose a lot of meaningful content.

Ford chooses the idea of epigenetic for his seven generational story. He wanted to explore the idea that we inherit generational trauma from our ancestors. Personally, I’m not a fan of the theory. It’s another burden that parents, mothers especially, will feel guilty about. A mother experiences stress or depression while pregnant or before pregnancy, well, you just gave that to your unborn child. Every decision, feeling, or experience will have impact and ramifications on your future offspring. It’s almost impossible to not suffer from grief, sadness, anger, or any negative emotion. Now, we are adding the emotional weight to women that can be seen as soul crushing, at least by this reader. But I digress.

As with all good historical fiction, Ford’s Acknowledgments at the end of the book were almost better than the story itself. Ford magically weaves nonfiction events and people into his story which provides further elucidation.

Afong May was a real-life person who was believed to be the first Chinese woman to come to the United States. She had bound feet and was used as a circus attraction. Not much is truly known about her life, and Ford made reasonable assumptions as to how she was treated and mistreated. In Ford’s imagination, she had a daughter, Lai King Moy, a young Chinese girl who is quarantined during the Barbary Plague in San Francisco (a true event). Lai King had Zoe, who studied at a radical school which was based on Summerhill, which is a school in England celebrating nonauthoritarianism and freedom. Zoe’s daughter was Fei-jin (Faye) Moy who was a nurse serving with the Flying Tigers which was a group of American pilots who fought against the Japanese in WWII. Faye’s daughter is Margaret “Greta” Moy who created a dating app for women. Ford was inspired by a real dating app, “Siren”. This app was launched in 2015 and was wildly successful. But in real life, other apps with more venture capital backing (generally given to men) pushed out Siren. Greta’s daughter is Dorothy Moy. She is the main character in the novel. She suffers from depression, and is concerned that her daughter, Annabel, will inherit her depression and mental health issues.

Ford centers his story on Dorothy, in the year 2045. Given this is the future, Ford devises his own experimental treatments that Dorothy undergoes to unearth her generational trauma. Slowly, Dorothy connects to these ancestorial women through mind altering medications. This is where he lost me, this sci-fi interpretation of time travel. Ford did a great job of solicitating the readers’ empathy for what Dorothy is undergoing. Adding to her mental health struggles is a horrendous mother-in-law and a distant husband.

What I enjoyed most is Ford’s historical fiction pieces of the women preceding Dorothy. I found Faye and Afong to be the most interesting characters. I enjoyed his ability to weave history into his story. He also added an unrequited love who follows each of Afong’s decedents. Ford also shows how historically woman had little agency over their bodies and lives. Through each of Afong’s decedents, he shows the improvements and continued flaws in the way women are regarded.

Ford provided scientific information supporting the idea of epigenetics, yet I didn’t buy it, or more appropriately I don’t understand how it works.

This is an interesting story, yet I am not persuaded into his premise of epigenetic inherited trauma. And the audio did not work for me!

[jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

the psych major in me definitely nerded out with this one. generational trauma/the inheritance of trauma is a subject that i find deeply fascinating. i loved the authors note at the beginning and how his personal experience inspired his to cast a wide net of pain and love over the course of seven generations.

my only critique would be that with 7 POVs, some definitely got more attention than others. yes, some are more important to the overall narrative, but the POVs that i actually enjoyed the most got the least amount of page time, which bummed me out. i just think thats the risk an author takes with so many POVs. perhaps if the number was reduced, the characters and their storylines would have felt more fully explored and developed.

but overall, i really enjoyed this unique story!

↠ 4 stars

[Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found it hard to follow this book and rate it 3.5 stars rounded down. The book consists of multiple women, all daughters of Afong Moy. Each chapter is about a separate woman and the chapters go back and forth in time with the various women. About halfway through the book, one character goes to an unusual doctor who is experimenting with bringing back memories of ancestors that were passed on epigenetically(term explained in the book). The time span is 1836 to 2086 and the years are shown at the head of each chapter, along with the character's name. The ending ties all the chapters/women together. If you like feel good endings, then you might like this book.
The author describes some of the discrimination and hardships that Chinese immigrants faced in the US.
One quote: "Karma is like a suitcase. You have to be unafraid to open it up and look at what's inside, to unpack the things you don't need. Karma is the climate of the past, which shapes how much leeway we have in the future."
Thanks to Atria books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley.

[Angela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The premise is interesting, but I wasn’t sure if it was for me. I’m a fan of Jamie Ford’s books and I love how he honors his great grandfather by writing about about Chinese people and how there usually are real events or people from history that serve as inspiration for his stories. I had never heard of epigenetics until this novel, but because it was written by Ford, I decided to give it a chance. It’s a science and there are numerous articles you can find on the web explaining it, articles which discuss the shared trauma aspects of it. I’ll leave it at that rather than trying to explain something I don��t quite understand.

It is, though, an intriguing topic and Ford’s wonderful story telling capabilities are reflected in the stories of multiple generations of women, focusing on their shared trauma. What worked for me was the characters, the historical and cultural reflections and their connections, their personal stories and, yes their shared trauma. I was taken by Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to come to the US. Her story is interesting and sad. What didn’t work for me was the way in which Dorothy Moy in 2045 makes that connection with her ancestors through an experimental treatment. I just couldn’t wrap my head around what happens and suspend my disbelief. I found it difficult at times to get what was happening. Because I did find some of the things that I loved in those earlier novels in this one, I’ll round up to 4 stars and I will continue to look for what Jamie Ford writes.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Atria Books through Edelweiss and NetGalley.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve enjoyed all the historical novels that Jamie Ford has written. But this is something different and I wasn’t sold on the premise. Jumping back and forth through time, from 1836 to 2085, it covers seven generations of Moy women. The premise is that trauma can be passed down from generation to generation, just like a physical trait. I can understand that an author would want to try something different. But Ford’s attempt to include this weird scientific theory just didn’t work. In fact, I didn’t get a clear understanding of this premise. It seemed that what was passed along was an endless streak of bad luck, not an initial trauma somehow being re-visited on each succeeding generation.
The story worked best for me when it focuses on Afong Moy, who initially comes to the US and is exhibited throughout the country. Some of the other characters were also interesting, but the individual stories didn’t hold together to form a unified whole. All the stories were deeply depressing although the ending brought a bit of hope. In his Author’s Note, Ford outlines some of the historical events/places that inspired certain chapters.
My thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of this book.

[Kerrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is one of the more unique novels I have read in a while. It is part historical fiction, part modern-day, and part science fiction that includes climate change complications.

In 1834, the real-life Afong Moy was the first known Chinese woman to immigrate to America. She spent approximately 17 years traveling across the United States performing under the name the “Chinese Lady.” Patrons were curious about her bound feet, clothing, the songs she sang, her make-up, etc. Author Jamie Ford uses Afong as inspiration for this novel about transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Afong’s female descendants apparently have inherited the trauma that Afong endured and each additionally passes some of their own traumas to the next generation.

The primary character is Dorothy Moy, who lives in Seattle, Washington in 2045. Dorothy’s crippling depression causes her to lose her academic position as well as the title of Washington’s poet laureate. When she notices her daughter, Annabelle, exhibiting some of the same behaviors Dorothy did as a child, she undergoes a new radical treatment to help her deal with her inherited trauma. In so doing, Dorothy is able to interact with Faye Moy, a nurse in China serving with the Flying Tigers in 1942; Her own mother, Greta Moy, a tech executive who created a dating app in 2014; Zoe Moy, a student enamored by one of her teachers in 1927 England; Lai King Moy, a girl who barely escapes San Francisco during a plague in 1892; and of course, Afong Moy, the Chinese Lady. Dorothy realizes that each woman has a great love that is somehow denied. They all struggle with acceptance in a foreign land. In dealing with these past events Dorothy hopes to find the peace that has evaded the Moy women for generations.

4-stars. This novel was published on August 2, 2022. Many thanks to NetGalley and the Atria Marketing Team at Simon and Schuster for my advanced reader copy.

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy brings an interesting premise of generational trauma, thus exploring the subject of epigenetic inheritance.

It is developed through five POVs, and it starts with Dorothy who struggles with mental health. Once, her five-year-old daughter exhibits similar behavior, Dorothy seeks help. Through storylines of previous generations the story reveals how trauma caused in previous generations can resurface in following generations.

The timelines that I connected with were the ones set in the 19th century. The modern timelines, set in present and future times, are challenging for me. In general, I do not connect with those.

What interested me into this story were the premise and the writing of this author as I’ve read all his previous books, which I highly recommend.

In regards to past timelines, they are written very well and are engaging. The one I connected the most was the oldest timeline of Afong Moy which is based on a true character. She is the first Chinese woman to set her tiny, bound foot on American soil and being a successful performer.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I received a free copy of this book. In exchange here is my honest review.

Every chapter is a new POV, different locations, etc. The author described it like a box of crayons, all their own color. 🤓 That perfectly describes it. 👍

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It's okay to miss someone. It means you loved them."


I have been a fan of Jamie Ford since reading Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. Now whenever I see he has a new book coming out, I get very excited. Jamie Ford is such a talented and gifted writer. In this book he looks at inherited trauma/multigenerational trauma. This is a huge undertaking. The book goes back and forth in time telling the stories of 7 women of previous generations. The women are: Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman in America; Faye Moy, a nurse in China, Zoe Moy, a student in England; Lai King Moy, a girl quarantined in San Francisco during an epidemic; Greta Moy, an executive for a dating app, Dorothy a poet in 2045 and her daughter, Annabelle. Ford also showcases how Chinese immigrants were treated when they came to the United States.

Ford uses a creative concept as he tells the individual stories of inherited trauma and how they are connected. Whew! This was a lot for me to wrap my head around at times.

The story line is different from his other books. Very different and while reading, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. What I can tell you is that his writing and passages are quite beautiful. This was different but worthwhile.

"Strangers are the people we forgot we needed in this life."

3.5 stars

Thank you to Atria Books and Edelweiss who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

’We all have some experience of a feeling, of what we are saying and doing having been said and done before, in a remote time–of our having been surrounded, dim ages ago, by the same faces, objects, and circumstances.’
–Charles Dickens

This story covers multiple generations and times, examining epigenetics - how the trauma experienced by past generations may be passed on to the next generation, or generations. Sons of prisoners of war were affected, as were the grandchildren. There’s more to epigenetics, but in this story that’s all you really need to know.

This is a story based on the life of a real woman, Afong Moy, who was recognized as the first Chinese woman to arrive in America in 1834, the first Chinese woman to set foot upon the streets of New York City, the first person from China to achieve both fame, public endorsement and recognition in America. She was invited to the White House by President Andrew Jackson. Poems were written about her by men who were fascinated by her.

This story begins with Faye Moy in 1942, an unmarried nurse in her fifties has become the one that mothers point out to their daughters as a cautionary tale. It isn’t that she’d avoided marriage, but all nurses had to swear they’d never marry in order to become nurses.

This story skips around in time, including the early 1830’s, 1892, 1927, 1940’s, 2014, 2045, and 2086, following Afong Moy, Faye, Greta, Dorothy, Zoe, Lai King, and Annabel. While each narrative shares different places and times, this isn’t difficult to follow, however some time frames will likely appeal to each reader on a different level. Overall, it’s a fascinating concept and story. All are related to some degree, all affected in one way or another by some degree of transgenerational trauma, and have feelings or memories from a past that is not theirs - and yet it still can be a wound, a memory that affects them physically that they carry inside them, or a flicker of a hope.

An emotional and often thought provoking read at times, that speaks to the effect of trauma on both past and future generations.


Published: 02 Aug 2022


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Atria Books

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new epic novel from Jamie Ford spanning more than two centuries and beginning with Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set her bound foot on US soil. Seven women tell their story in this novel which explores the phenomenon of epigenetic inheritance. It took me a bit to settle in as the book hopscotches around through the various generations. Then with the therapy treatment for Dorothy (2045), her experiences cross generations. My favorite was Faye, who was a nurse in the Pacific theater during WW II. This is my first time reading a Jamie Ford novel (although I do have the others on my TBR). There is no doubt that his writing has some secret sauce. I am a fan.

Thank you to Atria Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 generational trauma stars - now available

This is a unique book and I admit, difficult to review! It’s a mix of historical elements, cultural elements, the life difficulties women can face, and science all thrown in the mix.

There are several women’s stories in the book. I appreciated that there was a good chunk devoted to each, rather than hopping around changing characters in short chapters.

Dorothy is the most contemporary character, and in fact futuristic, living in 2045 Seattle, which by the way has horrible weather with hurricanes battering the coast. Dorothy is struggling with depression, and she finds a new therapy that explores inherited trauma. She undergoes treatment in the hopes of healing the past.

We learn about Dorothy’s ancestors, Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to come to the U.S. with her bound feet on display. There’s Lai King, quarantined during a plague, Faye who was a nurse in China, Zoe a student at a boarding school, and Greta, a tech genius with a dating app creation. Each woman has struggles that seem to be compounded by the women that came before them.

The writing is excellent, but it’s hard to describe exactly what happens in this book. If you are open to reading something a bit different, I recommend this one.

And don’t miss the author notes at the end. It was fascinating to read that epigenesis is a real science, studied for example with the children of holocaust survivors.

This made for a good buddy read book, thanks Marilyn!

My thanks to Atria Books for the opportunity to read and honestly review this one.

[Elyse Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

I preferred Jamie's podcast 'about' this book!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The concept of biologically passing on trauma responses is intriguing. There were parts where this book really frustrated me because what this particular family passed down was naivete and inaction. With the older generations it makes sense but with Greta and Dorothy you're kind of just like wtf.

I come from a yelling all your feelings all the time family so it was hard for me to patiently wait for any of these women to take action. I found the ending very satisfying and I feel like whether inherited through genetics or observation it is our responsibility to not pass our bullshit on to our kids.

[Bkwmlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Jamie Ford is one of my favorite authors, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise how delighted I was to get my hands on an advance reader’s copy of his newest novel, The Many Daughters of Afong Moy . In his newest work, just as he has done with his previous novels, Ford takes an event or a person in history and builds a compelling story around it, all while paying homage to his Chinese ancestry and heritage. I love this aspect of his works. With that said though, this book is actually a bit of a departure from Ford’s prior historical fiction works in that it leans more heavily into areas of science and technology as well as spirituality and philosophy. This book is quite a bit more complex than his other novels, which is fine, but I think it’s beneficial to know that going into this one, especially since it has the potential to affect the reading experience.

For me, I had never actually heard of epigenetics prior to reading this book and even now, after reading up on the subject after finishing the book, I still don’t really understand what it is, to be very honest. While the mechanics of this science and all the terminology went completely over my head, I did catch onto the overarching concept of inherited generational trauma, which played a huge role throughout the entire story.

The science part aside, there were plenty other aspects to the story that I loved: the historical and cultural elements, the beautiful writing, the meticulous storytelling, and of course, the wonderfully rendered characters. I was fascinated by the interwoven stories of the seven generations of Moy women (Afong, Lai King, Faye, Zoe, Greta, Dorothy, Annabel) in a narrative that spanned several time lines and settings — from Baltimore in 1836, to San Francisco in 1892, to England in 1927, to China in 1942, to Seattle in 2014, 2045, and 2086. Truly this is a narrative that covers past, present, and future, with strong female protagonists at its core, each with moving, poignant backstories where they endure a defining, traumatic event— these are characters I couldn’t help rooting for, even when their actions and some of the decisions they made gave me pause.

Overall, I appreciated how ambitious this book was and while I didn’t always understand exactly what I was reading, it was hard not to be drawn in by Ford’s masterful storytelling. Though this wasn’t my favorite of his novels (my favorite remains Love and Other Consolation Prizes ), it was still a fantastic read that I wholeheartedly recommend. Not sure how long we’ll need to wait for Ford’s next book, but I absolutely look forward to what he may have for us next!

Received ARC from Atria Books via NetGalley.

[Taury · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford is a complex yet depressing story of women suffering from a mental health diagnosis of epigenetics.
First what is epigenetics: the study of how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.
This is a hereditary disorder that goes down the line many generations. Causing concerns in 5 previous generations including Dorothy’s mom. It isn’t until Dorothy sees it in her 5 yo daughter. Dorothy finds there is more to this trauma. Someone is searching for her in each generation. Dorothy under goes treatment to break generational curses and to find peace for herself and her daughter.

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, I was a bit confused by this. The characters bounce between different women but not in chronological order so that was a bit confusing for me. It's such a moving and sad story about how generational trauma can affect others down the line. I truly enjoyed this once I could get over the confusion between the bouncing back and forth between all of the women. I was hoping at the ending it'd really show how the women changed the generational trauma for the best. But that never happened. Still such a great read!

I won this book from a Goodreads giveaway. All statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

[Maja · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has such a good concept and the general world building around it is so thoughtfully constructed. This really had the potential to be a beautiful read but unfortunately fell short. It was consistently slow and din’t manage to fuel the emotional stakes which would have kept me going. The way that generational trauma is shown is also done through repeated instances of sexual and emotional abuse which feels wrong as the main focal point in a book written by a man. There are also slurs present against black and Romani people which are both groups which this author is not a part of. Finally, the queer representation in this book comes in the form of an obviously inappropriate child/ teacher relationship. I believe that there are always better ways to show the atmosphere of the time than including these elements. There were a few succesful moments where I felt emotional invested but by the end was simply skimming

[Martha Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book--the wonderful female characters, the fast pace, but most of all Jamie Ford's lovely and often heartbreaking take on life. The way he brings us Afong Moy, as just one example, a woman taken from China and brought to America in the 1830s and cruelly displayed onstage as an oddity, is just brilliant and heartbreaking. He gives us such poignant insights into all the Moy women and still serves it up with his trademark wry sense of humor. For me, the last man who wrote this well from the female point of view was Arthur Golden in Memoirs of a Geisha. Can't wait for the next book.

[Melissa Crytzer Fry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ll just say it: this is the novel Jamie Ford was meant to write. I’ve read Hotel and Willow Frost, both of which I enjoyed, each with a bit of a more commercial feel. But this one -- I obviously adored this book; it was so wonderfully literary – with a hat tip to so many poets, such a complex storyline, and incredibly beautiful writing with characters who had fascinating backstories and experienced palpable heartache.

The theme tying the entire novel together – epigenetics – has long fascinated me. I had, in fact, previously read some of the studies the author mentioned in his Author’s Notes regarding the passing of trauma, genetically, from parent to child (notably, the altered stress hormones shared by children of Holocaust survivors who were generations removed from the Holocaust). So, I was “in” from the start – no issues of suspending disbelief for me, because this science is so incredibly interesting. And, besides, what fun is a world in which we cannot consider the unknown through the lens of possibility?

Then, the characters… Many readers indicated they connected only with one or two of the matrilineal line of characters, but for me, they all held equal weight (which is truly amazing; usually in a ‘simple’ dual-timeline story, I gravitate to one character/timeline, and almost exclusively the historic character). But in this book, I was swept into Afong Moy’s story as much as I was Lai King’s, Fay’s, Zoe’s (who had only a few chapters), and into Greta and Dorothy’s. I don’t read a lot of contemporary fiction, but I have started to read speculative fiction set in the not-so-distant future. So, Dorothy - the anchor of the story - appealed immensely.

Even if you don’t favor all of the eras highlighted in this book, every single character is put in insane high-stakes scenarios. You know… the kind where you, as the reader, ask yourself, “Now, how on Earth is she going to get out of this?”

And the ending… aaah… the way all the ancestral stories came to this one, brilliant point and conclusion. I absolutely loved it. It was such a smart literary technique that led to an incredibly satisfying ending. I can’t say more without spoiling it, except that Ford gently wove in themes of neglect and heartache, history, and family, tying them off with a final matriarchal theme illustrating the strength of women not only to endure, but to fight back.

Write another one like this, Jamie Ford. I’ll be first in line to read it!

[Marialyce · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times a book asks you to suspend your beliefs and embrace another way of looking at life. It employed the new "science" of epigenetically, which explores the concept of one being able to bring back the memories of generations that proceeded one. It's a bit of a stretch, unless perhaps you are a believer in reincarnation within families.

The generations and daughters of Afong Moy are the characters and over the years of their lives we are presented the turmoil that pervaded their lives. In the present we have Dorothy, who struggles with episodes that leave her stunned and not understanding what happened. She becomes even more concerned when her daughter, only five, shows the same behavior which plagues Dorothy. Panics ensues and she seeks the help of a revolutionary treatment which endeavors to connect her with female ancestors.

We are presented with Fay Moy, Zoe Moy, Lai King Moy, Greta Moy, and Alfong Moy (purported to be the first Chinese woman to land in the United States). Seven women are presented all of them having a relationship to one another and all of them experiencing trauma. Did all of this upset travel down generations, and is that the reason the women are suffering almost like they were predestined to do so. Do or did they all suffer from transgenerational trauma, which might be carried in their DNA, in all of our DNA that our ancestors experienced is now presenting itself in us.

I liked the concept, but it did seem a bit farfetched but I am sure people feel this might actually occur and accounts somewhat for the fears and unhappiness in our lives. It was a sad story where the women were abused and left feeling abandoned. I did listen to the story and as it alternates with each woman, I found I had a bit of a time determining who was being written about. I will confess, I don't do well with multiple characters so this was a distraction to the story.

Whether you believe in epigenetically or not, the story does give you a fine telling of the way Chinese women were treated and how their former treatment effected the direction of the generations that came after.

Thank you to Jamie Ford, NetGalley and Atria Books, and Jennifer Lin, Mirai, Cindy Kay, Natalie Naudus, Suri Siu, Emily Woo Zeller, and Nancy Wu. (narrators)

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Afong Moy is a figure of history--the first known female Chinese immigrant to the United States. In 1834, Moy was brought from her hometown of Guangzhou to New York City by traders Nathaniel and Frederick Carne and exhibited as "The Chinese Lady." Everything about her was fascinating to audiences, including her tiny bound feet, her exotic clothes, songs and dances.

In his new book, Jamie Ford imagines some scenarios of her life and that of many of her female descendants. The premise of his story is that trauma they suffered can be passed down genetically through the generations. He cites a field of study called epigenetics. I'm kind of open to that idea myself. It might answer the question of why some families seem to have so much more tragedy and loss in their lives. A quote from mathematician Norbert Wiener in the story illustrates the idea: 'We are not stuff that abides, but patterns that perpetuate themselves.'

Dorothy, one of these many daughters whose own life story is set in the near future, worries that her depression will be passed on to her little daughter so she becomes more proactive to learn how to break the cycle with the hope that 'by no longer identifying as victims of the past, we are empowered to change the future.'

I found the stories about each of these women to be rich and interesting, though very sad at times. I've been digging into my own family's history this past year and often think it's frustrating that we cannot really know much about who they were, other than what can be gleaned through unearthed facts and a few remembered family stories.

I received an arc of this new work of historical fiction from the publisher via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have so much to say about this gem of a book, and so little time. Which also reflects my experience of reading it, as I have had extremely little time and attention. This is a book I would have preferred to languidly savor. It was cleverly written. Very interesting concept.

First let me say, that I know a lot about Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma I have even written and presented a paper on it. For any psychoanalytic psychologist, this is not unfamiliar ground. Many analytic themes are presented here. Compulsion to repeat/Repetition Compulsion. The idea is that with insight and reflectivity, making the unconscious more conscious, we can recognize the patterns, be they thrust upon us or created, and choose to act differently. To not be ruled by habitual unthought action. Our insight is our keys and tools and techniques. How we come to change ourselves for the better.

I have always thought that cultures and families, secrets and trauma, is passed down through the genes. But also so is the good stuff. Recipes, stories, resilience.... Fear, hope, attachment styles. There is a lot more spirituality and woo woo in the field of psychology and that underlies our concepts than we would like to admit. Our attempt to be a hard science, which neurology and neurobiology and epigenesis helps of course, but there is also a good deal of the mystical. I have written a paper on that as well.

There are people who use past life regression as a therapeutic modality, but its quite rare to see. But it is the same concept. I do think the psychoanalytic folks come closest, with our deep peering into the past and into the history of internal and external dynamics in relationship. But then there is the odd thing. My 13 year old son is talking about organ donor recipients taking on the characteristics of the previous heart owner. Loving things they do not remember, nor never cared for. Having new likes and dislikes, proclivities, and even mannerisms. This is more evidence of the body carrying pieces of the soul. As is, they way bodies hold on for right timing for birth and death, wait for loved ones, etc.... With all our science and technology, one thing we cannot predict is the timing of these two phenomena.

I enjoyed the book. I never say this, but it might have even been okay to be a bit longer. By the time you hear the stories of the five women, its almost over. I thought the end was clever and worth discussing when others have read it through to the end. I wish I could speak of that in my review. But alas, that will have to wait.

Very much enjoyed, I hope you did as well.

[Angela · Rating 1 out of 5]

Do not read this book unless you want to be driven crazy.

The premise is great. But the family line is so confusing that a family tree is provided at the beginning. But that makes it more confusing, not less, because the author forgets all about the family tree. He can’t keep Faye and Zoe straight.

On page 52 Greta calls Zoe her grandmother. On page 199 Dorothy calls Zoe her grandmother. Also, on page 199 it specifically says Faye is Zoe’s mother (the family tree shows it opposite). Then on page 232 Dorothy calls Zoe her great grandmother.

How could the editors not have caught this mess?

[Qian Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet rejoice: Jamie Ford has done it again. The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is a searing and vibrant epic of generational love, trauma, and healing. In his trademark poignant prose, Ford breathes Afong Moy and her descendants to life with dimension and power. This is a book that will stay with readers and reshape how they engage with their own lives and legacies. To read it is to be transformed--and to transcend.

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford was a very powerful read. I had read Jamie Ford’s book The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet many years ago and loved it so I was very excited to read this new book. It was a little confusing in the beginning since it explored several generations of women. Just as I was getting involved with one of the women’s story, another one was introduced. I have to admit I almost gave up but decided to persevere and I was glad I did. Jamie Ford brought all the life experiences and resulting trauma of each woman together by the end in a way that was quite satisfying. The Many Daughters of Afong Moy was a Read With Jenna Today Show Book Club Pick. When I heard Jenna talk so passionately about this book I knew I just had to read it. I listened to the audiobook that was read exceptionally well by Jennifer Lim, Mirai, Cindy Kay, Natalie Naudus, Sura Siu, Emily Woo Zeller and Nancy Woo. The Many Daughters of Afong Moy explored the themes of love, loss, separation, women’s dictated roles, motherhood, struggles and the trauma mothers pass on to their children. It viewed multigenerational trauma and how one generation passed that trauma onto the next. How would the effects of that passed on trauma be felt on future generations of women and mothers?

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy plotted a unique look at the women of the Moy family and how each woman passed on an inherited trauma to her daughter until one of those women tried to put an end to it so her own daughter could live a life that was absent from trauma. It all began with Afong Moy who was the first Chinese woman to arrive and live in America. Faye Moy was a nurse in China during the 1940’s. She worked with The Flying Tigers. Zoe Moy was a young, impressionable, sensitive and artistic student that had attended a progressive school in London. Lai King Moy was sent away by her parents to protect her against a plague epidemic. She had to quarantine in San Francisco during this epidemic. Greta Moy was a very bright and talented young tech designer. She designed a dating app that was an instant success. It wasn’t until Dorothy Moy, daughter of Greta Moy and former poet laureate, was introduced that the burden of carrying these traumas was truly explored. Dorothy lived in the future (2045). She had one five year old precocious and artistic daughter. When Dorothy realized that her daughter, Annabelle, was experiencing some of the same visions and flashbacks she was, Dorothy decided to seek help. Dorothy appeared to have many mental health challenges as a result of the inherited trauma she carried. She decided to seek professional help to guide her through trying to understand what was plaguing her. Dorothy accepted help in an experimental treatment plan designed to help her manage her inherited trauma. While undergoing this treatment, a window of sight and understanding opened up for Dorothy. She was able to examine the lives and choices the women in her family who lived before her made and how those choices impacted the trauma they were burdened with. This was Dorothy’s attempt to finally break the cycle of pain and trauma the women of the Moy family were compelled to live with and pass on. Would Dorothy be successful in ending this inherited trauma?

The Many Daughters of Afong Moy was well written and quite powerful. It reminded me of a book, The Long Tail of Trauma by Elizabeth Wilcox, that I had read in 2021. That book centered around trauma mothers passed on due to the effects of living through World War I or World War II. The trauma these women felt was real and made a significant impact on their daughters. I really enjoyed reading The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford and highly recommend it.

Thank you to Atria Books for allowing me to read The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Publication was on August 2,

[Kathleen · Rating 1 out of 5]

While reading this book, I kept having visions of those old silent movies with a young woman tied to the railroad tracks wildly gesticulating in fear and mustachioed villains grinning maniacally. In The Many Daughters of Afong Moy, the characters were that….caricatured, to wit, all heterosexual men are rapists (save a couple Ken doll cameos) and all women are virtuous, helpless maidens or spinsters. Rather than uplifting, the tale came off as patronizing and pandering. The concluding sprint down memory lane was ham handed. And the endless climate fear porn backdrop of a Seattle under water and battered by typhoons was less noir than beige.

[Linden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet was a favorite of mine, so I was looking forward to reading the author's newest book. The plot concerns what is referred to in the book as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: when trauma experienced by ancestors affects their descendants for many generations. We meet women from the 19th and 20th centuries, and some from the future. I found the stories disjointed, as the narrative jumped from one woman's story to another just as I felt I was getting to "know" them. The way the women were treated was uniformly bad, which made for a depressing read. I was disappointed, but I did like the ending. Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC.