The story of a family through the firstborn girls. McFadden writes about herself and her mother. As her mother deals with domestic violence, Bernice has to help raise her younger siblings.

I truly applaud this very talented author for her candor and frankness in sharing her Bio/Mem with readers. Ms McFadden's life's journey captured me from the first page and I was thoroughly mesmerized until the very end. I am sure a lot of these memories were very painful to put in writing but, Ms McFadden did a fantastic job doing it.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group/Dutton for the ARC of this outstanding Bio/Mem.

On September 27, 1967, award-winning author and creative writing teacher Bernice L. McFadden died at the age of two years old. She was resuscitated and rescued from a flaming car wreckage. In this new memoir, she chronicles her life from that moment to when she published her first novel, Sugar. Heavily influenced by Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, Bernice writes with care about her descendants, self and offspring.

Firstborn Girls is a true story of mother-daughter bonds, generational trauma, inherited family secrets and fierce love. Bernice takes us from the very beginning of her angelcestors to motherhood. The setting spans from Detroit to Brooklyn to Barbados. It is moreso a family history in novel format than a personal memoir, yet it beautifully defines the woman Bernice L. McFadden has become based on her family's past. It celebrates Black families while acknowledging historical events, much like a handmade quilt passed down through generations.

I recommend Firstborn Girls for fans of literature and memoirs.

Happy Early Pub Day, Bernice L. McFadden! Firstborn Girls will be available Tuesday, March 4.

Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie

I love these type of books because this is the only way to learn about somebody else life and I found that the people in this book are those who do not let life stop them but try and try again and succeed. I love the women in this family not only for being strong, but also having a lot of gumption, because whatever challenges they find themselves in, they not only work through those challenges but also survive and exceeds those challenges.

I love the love in this family and how the women are ready to put their arms around each other and laugh and cry over the lives they are living.

I really like how the author show us an honest look into her life both the sad and the happy times, and also the indifference and domestic violence
that were part of her life and yet she didn't let it stop her.

I love the way this book was written, it reminds me of a storyteller who is telling a tale for someone to learn from and also enchanting us with their lives and making us laugh, cry and sigh along with them.

I want to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book that show the strength and love of a group of women.

This was a heartfelt memoir surrounding race, identity and family. It can be difficult to read as time seems to jump. I had to re-read parts because McFadden would jump around, discussing one set of people, then another, but overall it was good.

Bernice McFadden’s new memoir FIRSTBORN GIRLS is not only a personal history, it’s a constellation of family and cultural history that explores cycles of trauma, the effects of segregation, and the dogged determination of women to survive. I was a bit surprised at the length of this book—clocking in at 400 pages—but McFadden doesn’t let us miss a detail, and the majority of the time, I was fully engrossed.

To become who she needs and wants to be, McFadden finds the courage to leave her household at a critical moment in her development, during high school. McFadden’s family has enough money at the time to send her to boarding school, which she requests, and this space gives her the ability to begin to self-define.

Inspired by writers such as Alice Walker and Toni Morrison, Bernice L. McFadden has written critically acclaimed novels including Sugar, Gathering of Waters, and Glorious. She has received numerous awards. McFadden now shares her journey with her memoir Firstborn Girls. This engaging story begins in September 1967 when McFadden and her mother Vivian were in a horrendous car accident. While they both survived, this event had a profound and lasting effect on McFadden. She believes their survival was aided by the voices of her ancestors, dating as far back as the days of slavery, whom she calls angelcestors. This connection to her predecessors became a guiding light for her. 

Growing up, McFadden witnessed her beloved mother endure years of abuse from her alcoholic father. Most women in her family experienced difficult relationships with the men in their lives. Out-of-wedlock pregnancies were present across generations. From her youth to adulthood, reports of riots and violence continually reminded her of the country's racial injustice. When McFadden began writing stories as a young girl, she knew where her future was headed. Learning about other Black women writers made her dream feel attainable.

This powerful book is about family, especially daughters, love, and resilience. While some challenges are universal, many are unique to Black families. As a white woman, I felt I was given special entry into McFadden's world. This love letter to her family, past and present, will stay with me.

4.5 stars.

I don’t typically read much nonfiction but the synopsis of McFadden’s memoir convinced me to give it a chance, and I’m glad I did. I love the interweaving of so many of the stories of the other women in her life and the focus on Black women’s experiences. I did struggle sometimes with the lack of linearity because stories would be interjected with historical context and it would make it hard for me, personally, to hold onto all the details and references and who had what experiences. That aside, though, this is a really intense memoir with lots of experiences and also an abundance of love. I’m really glad I read this and looking forward to trying some of McFadden’s fiction.

First Born Girls
By: Bernice L. McFadden

What Bernice L. McFadden has offered with First Born Girls, is a family memoir; and I loved it. It is one thing to to tell your story and include the people, places and events that are relevant; it is quite another to honor the people (mostly women) who loved, guided and pushed you to become the person that you are, by telling the collective story. That is what this book is. It feels like a “thank you” letter to all whom contributed to the brilliant author and dynamic woman that McFadden has proven to be time and time again. The story flowed with such beauty and ease that even the difficult and painful moments didn’t feel as biting. I loved the way McFadden would veer off and offer a story about a great aunt, or distant cousin that didn’t always seem to have a direct connection, but added so much texture to the narrative. It is not a full accounting of the author’s life, but she takes us from her birth to the birth of her debut novel Sugar. It was an enlightening journey and an all around fantastic read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

This is one of my most anticipated reads of 2025. I love everything this author has written. This book definitely is not for the weak. What it gives us is her back story and insight to her other works. I heavily related to this book and the patriarchy in it. This was a very emotional ride and I can’t wait to read this one again. As a first born daughter it really reinforced my thought during adulthood and coming to terms as a mother. Things that could have been a lot different.This is a story that will sit with you and challenge everything you think a parent should be. I loved the author’s vulnerability and honesty. I will forever recommend this book to my audience.

Bernice McFadden's *Firstborn Girls* is a powerful story about family pain, ancestral lineages and healing. She shares how she almost died as a toddler and grew up with a father who struggled with addiction. Her honesty makes her journey feel real and relatable- the writing is so vivid that it makes you feel as if you were at home with her reliving the scenes.

Growing up in Brooklyn in the 1980s, McFadden found comfort in books and summer visits to Barbados. These escapes helped her deal with the chaos at home. Her words paint a clear picture of both the difficult and joyful parts of her childhood.

The book made me think about my own experiences as a firstborn daughter and the complicated emotions tied to my relationship with my mother. McFadden explores the idea of the "mother wound," those unanswered questions we carry about our mothers' struggles and choices. She examines how as we grow from girls to women we begin to regard our mothers differently and this is also an act of healing.

What stood out most was her idea of 'angelcestors," ancestors who spiritually guide her. This concept is woven throughout the narrative as a way to point to signs and synchronicities along her own journey of becoming and spiritual growth. The way this book is written reminded me how powerful our connections to the past can be. McFadden's story encourages personal reflection and emotional growth in a way that's accessible to everyone. This book provides an equal dose of grit and grace. I loved every page!

Firstborn Girls is a really compelling true story of deep rooted family drama and trauma. Bernice's story is unrelentingly heartbreaking with the cycles of abuse from maternal and paternal figures. The most that I took away is that looking at the cycles and cycles of abuse from Bernice's grandparents and parents, you can really see how centuries of systematic racism affects the micro.

4/5 Thanks to the publisher for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

Memoir detailing not only her life but also those of family and friends growing up in the United States, disconnected
from ancestral Black history and the impact on their lives.The author shares heart wrenching details and the courage it
takes to keep moving forward for a better life and opportunities to advance.
#FirstbornSisters #PenguinGroup #Dutton #NetGalley

From the very first page, McFadden weaves a narrative that is as poetic as it is powerful. Her prose captures the essence of love, loss, and the enduring strength of familial ties. The characters are beautifully complex, their struggles and triumphs resonating with raw authenticity. One of the most striking aspects of *Firstborn Girls* is how McFadden deftly blends past and present, allowing readers to see the ripple effects of decisions and traditions across time. Each chapter is a tapestry of emotion, pulling readers into the lives of these remarkable women and their interconnected stories. This novel is more than just a story—it’s an experience. It invites readers to reflect on their own family histories and the legacies that shape who we are. McFadden’s ability to evoke such introspection is a testament to her talent as a writer. *Firstborn Girls* is a book that lingers long after the final page. It’s the kind of novel you’ll want to share with friends, discuss in book clubs, and revisit over the years. Bernice L. McFadden has truly outdone herself with this stunning work. Highly recommended for anyone who loves multi-generational stories, rich character development, and prose that speaks directly to the soul. A must-read!

deeply heartfelt and well written memoir about discovering and learning ones identity. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I read everything Bernice McFadden!

As a firstborn girls from a firstborn girls, this book was relatable on so many levels that I am still processing.

A story family, beginnings, longing, pain, domestic violence, and finding your voice while reaching for the stars. Bernice McFadden gives us her story with all its imperfections that many of us know up until the publication of her first novel 𝑆𝑢𝑔𝑎𝑟.

I cannot wait to read whatever she writes next!

First Born Girls is a novel about the life of Bernice McFadden. It is a hard life filled with abuse and misfortune. I kept wondering why the generations of women in her family tolerated that continual abuse from the men in their lives, but I had to remind myself that they felt they had no other options. Bernice , as well as most of the other women in her family tolerated, became pregnant and was forced into
abusive marriages. They endured and survived, but only Bernice had a will to change her life. Her writing was her salvation and she succeeded after many years of struggle to get published.
I had known about her novel, Sugar, so I was curious about her life. After reading her autobiography, I now want to read some of her books to see how her experiences influenced her writing.
This novel is hard to read, but it is worth the effort .

I really wanted to love this book but it was slow and confusing. I couldn’t connect to the characters. This might be one that I just needed to read at a different time and not during the hustle of Christmas with too much other stuff going on. I’ll try it again another time.

Firstborn girls chronicles the historical account and modern connections the author has with her ancestors. The journey of learning about your ancestors and learning that you lives are inexplicably tied to each other is a journey that Mcfadden brilliantly shares. The author shares the first born daughter experience throughout the book and the path in which the responsibilities and role of first born girls endure is so relatable though overwhelming. The sharing of something so personal and deeply touching as the author shares her history with the reader and so intricately connects the patterns that repeat throughout her lineage. Introspective and intrigued is how I felt throughout this wonderful reading experience.

This is a beautiful look at McFadden's family history and how it shaped her and brought her to where she is today.
A sometimes hard to swallow story, but very necessary to showcase diversity of life.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.