Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)

The Many Daughters of Afong May examines inherited trauma. These pieces of our lives we pass on to our descendants. And the fragmented memories and experiences which are passed on to us. How the history of racism evolves in our lives. At the beginning, there was a bit of confusion to figure out the daughters of Afong May and their lives. While there are timelines and a key at the beginning, it's natural with set ups like this that it takes time for each character to establish themselves.

For me, it took a bit longer than normal, but I think it's also due to the fact that with multiple POVs there are often certain ones that resonate with you more. Some end up being ones that aren't your favorite and then others sometimes resonate more with you for some reason. Pretty early on I realized I had two or three favorite POVs and a few of them are not focused upon as much. Overall, The Many Daughters of Afong May examines the dignities - both quiet and loud - that we give up, that are stripped from us.

Content Warnings

low_keybookish's review

Go to review page

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Wowowow. I was so intrigued by this storyline that I started it when I got it in the mail!

Pub Date: 8/2/22

Do you believe trauma is inherited and intergenerational? Like THE BODY KEEPS SCORE, the premise of this book is that our bodies store experiences but perhaps across a longer time than we think (how our experiences can change our DNA, epigenetics). He also acknowledges Navajo and Indigenous practices that use this concept way before modern day medicine has looked into this idea. This story traces the generational line from the first Chinese woman in the U.S. (based on a real person, Afong Moy) to 6 generations later, with a focus on Dorothy in 2045. [Real-life Afong was used as an "exhibit" to show of exoticized Chinese culture and her bound feet.] I LOVE an intergenerational story, highlighting what are familial vs contextual characteristics.

CW a lot of violence against the characters, rape & sexual assault ; xenophobia, homophobia, racism, sexism. There's a whole theme of karma. What is passed down vs what is taken up in a new generation? What is motherhood when the odds are stacked against you?

The author starts out with "This book is for anyone with a complicated origin story. I feel you." I was instantly drawn in. While historical fiction, the author uses a lot of research on actual people and contexts, such as the plaque in 19th century San Francisco (chilling connections to our current pandemic) and nurses during WWII. Definitely recommend this mysterious read, where you're guessing until the end of how these characters come together and where healing begins.

Content Warnings

More...