This story is told 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.

This was a sad story, but very interesting. I enjoyed meeting all of the women and seeing how the past affected their ancestors down the line. This is a subject that is coming up a lot lately, so it was nice to see a story set with this premise.

DNF - Well written, but not a topic for me.

When I requested this book back in 2022, I had been spending a lot of time reading about difficulties people have faced due to racism, homophobia, or other forms of discrimination. I think it's really important for people to write about these issues, and everyone should educate themselves! I have reached a point where I really don't enjoy these kinds of stories anymore, and prefer to read more empowering diverse stories that focus on some of the power and resilience that people have always had. This is a personal preference, and doesn't have to do with the actual writing in the book.

The concept Jamie Ford chose for this book is how generational trauma is inherited. I think I would have enjoyed this story more if it more clearly focused on healing from these traumas as opposed to witnessing them.

A huge fan of Jamie Ford.
The Many Daughters of Afong Moy was an emotional read that takes us through seven generations.
Beautifully written.

I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't this and I am so glad about that. This was a beautiful journey through the lives of the Moy women. It was futuristic, but also had grounding historical fiction elements as well. The journey was so cool and where I was a bit confused at times, once I suspended my grasp on reality and leaned into the magic, it all made sense.
Highly recommend this one.

This wasn't my favorite read, however it was still enjoyable. Jamie Ford did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and keeps it until the end of the book! I would still recommend it!

I am just universally here for books with intergenerational trauma, though I am usually wary of books that are inspired by real events
(this is a personal thing I just am unsure how to feel about blending fact and fiction) but this was a really well-done story.

A beautiful, troubling exploration of generational trauma told from many (perhaps too many?) different perspectives. I heard this book has been optioned for a TV series, and I look forward to seeing the adaptation.

While I love multi-generation family stories, I didn't like this one as much as I'd hoped. Telling the story out of chronological order made it, at times, confusing and hard to follow. I also didn't find the main daughter's narrative terribly engaging, which made the book move very slowly. I found myself yearning for more time with the other characters, who I enjoyed being with more. I appreciate the author's writing and would definitely read something else of his, perhaps his previous book, The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Jaime Ford's The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is a sweeping saga that spans seven generations of Chinese women - taking readers from 19th-century San Francisco to futuristic Seattle.

Protagonist Dorothy Moy undergoes an experimental treatment, which allows her to experience the lives of her ancestors firsthand. It's such a fascinating concept, and it's something I wish I could do - even with the potential for pain.

With so many plot lines, the book is a bit uneven in places, but the overall effect is riveting. I'll look for more from this author.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

An epic story that spanned a multitude of decades and history. With the narration following different timelines and different people, readers are given a well rounded look at Afong Moy's family. I found myself connecting with each timeline and narrator, wanting each to find their own happy ending. I found the genetic memory concept interesting! Thank you to NetGalley for a copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

I really like Jamie Ford’s novels. However, this one was just okay for me. The many timelines were confusing and it had way too much heartache and trauma. Thank you #Simon&Schuster, #AtriaBooks, #JamieFord and #TheManyDaughtersofAfongMay:ANovel for the copy for my honest review.

It takes a while to settle into The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford and its different timelines. It takes a longer while to settle into the fact that this book is more the presentation of an idea than a plot line beginning to end. It is about trauma compounded through generations. It is about efforts to counter that trauma. It is about hope for the future in science. The book leaves me thinking, and I will remember it.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/10/the-many-daughters-of-afong-moy.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

I am crushed. Such a sad story but in the end it was such a good story. This hit me deeply and I am so glad I had the opportunity. to read this remarkable novel.

Jamie Ford is quite the storyteller! A novel telling 6 different women's stories spanning 100's of years and generations on paper sounds like a tough read. However "The Many Daughters of Afong Moy" ending up being a magical tale told in a way that made you care for all these women and their stories. It had just a touch of magical realism that I love. I definitely recommend this novel as a lovely escape into another world.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest review.

This novel explores the idea that trauma can be passed down through generations, and how someone can heal from it. Dorothy lives in the near future and struggles with crippling depression and anxiety, having tried all sorts of treatments that never live up to their sterling promises. She is recommended an experimental genetic treatment that allows the subject to experience the memories and lives of their ancestors, unlocking memories and finding ways to heal past selves. The narrative then jumps between Dorothy's perspective in the future, and those of her ancestors throughout history.

I really enjoyed the historical perspectives of the women Dorothy comes from. Ford's writing brings to life a vast array of time periods, creating engaging stories, even when we may only spend a fraction of the book with a character. However, in Dorothy's sections, I found the warmth to evaporate from the writing. It left her sections feeling lackluster in some way, and made it harder for me to connect with her story. I also found it a bit hard to understand the passage of time in Dorothy's sections. I can understand how some of these writing choices may have been made to reflect each character, but I think overall, it made for an uneven, and at times confusing, reading experience.

I also found the structure a tad repetitive. Each historical perspective ends with some sort of trauma, which makes sense due to the premise, but chapter after chapter—it felt endless. I wonder if there would have been a way to structure the story a bit differently so that each chapter felt a bit less formulaic.

This was a mixed bag for me. I think the writing wasn't strong enough to pull off such a complicated, idea. However, the idea is fascinating, and I'd be curious to see what Ford publishes in the future. Maybe I'd do better with a more straightforward (and historical?) plot.

"The Many Daughters of Afong Moy" by Jaime Ford is a captivating exploration of history, identity, and the resilience of the human spirit. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century America, Ford weaves a rich tapestry of characters that brings to life the experiences of Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in the United States.

Throughout the novel, Ford's meticulous research is evident; readers are immersed in the complexities of Afong Moy's life as she navigates cultural clashes, discrimination, and the challenges of being a foreigner in a land that both fascinates and alienates her. Not only are all the characters unique and vividly portrayed, but Ford masterfully interlaces their stories, creating a multi-generational narrative that spans continents and decades.

Ford's prose is evocative and emotionally resonant. He seamlessly shifts between moments of tenderness and moments of heartache, while still capturing the intricacies of human relationships in a way that feels genuine. Not many authors can effectively manage multiple POVs and even fewer can pull off 7 - but, Ford somehow manages to do just that.

Jenna's book club recommendations never let me down and this one is no exception. This is a powerful and highly emotional story that explores cultural heritage and the enduring strength of women. Easily meets all the criteria for what I would call a "must-read".

The events of one ancestor influence many others in the family. A very different book for Jamie Ford.

I had been wanting to read The Many Daughters of Afong Moy since before it was first released - was excited to snag a NetGalley eARC and then just never got around to it - don’t you hate when that happens ?
Much has been written about this book and I loved my reading and was intrigued by this tale on generational trauma and epigenetics - the author’s note blew my mind !
The Many Daughters of Afong Moy is structurally unique in that it blends historical fiction with contemporary and science fiction with an outlook on not just medical developments but also climate change complications. The book starts with the real life character Afong Moy the first Chinese woman to come to the US - paraded around on her bound feet for paying customers enjoyment and imagining her descendants and their inherited as well as additional own trauma until everything comes to a head in the 2040s when Dorothy starts to crumble under the weight and needs to dig deeper and free herself for her own and her daughter‘s sake. She undergoes a new and radical treatment. 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 with one of her teachers in
1927 Summerhill, England; Lai King Moy, a girl who barely escapes San Francisco during a plague in 1892; and of course, Afong Moy, the Chinese Lady.

This book was fascinating and I should have read it way sooner !

Just ok. Liked Ford's first work better. Too much left unaddressed, ending a downer, alternating timelines not smoothly handled .
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Transgenerational trauma is a concept that most personality psychologists are becoming familiar with. This novel by Jamie Ford imagines an experimental treatment procedure that allows individuals to "see" specific ancestors' trauma that has influenced the present-day protagonist's own anxiety and depression. Because the story delves into the lives of several Moy women over two centuries, I read this as a kind of time travel that ultimately allowed the protagonist to heal. While some of the women seem to lead more interesting lives than the others, their individual pain is sharply observed and described.. I especially enjoyed the specific historical details and the focus on human frailties that kept this book from veering into sci-fi territory. Suitable for public and undergraduate libraries