susan_e's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
andrearbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is a book about the connections that bind us across generations, including trauma. I listened to this as an audiobook, so it was even more feels through the words of the characters. I will say I wanted more of each character's story (in a good way) because there was so much there!
elizaallison's review against another edition
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
5.0
thatsoneforthebooks's review against another edition
5.0
✨ Review ✨ The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford
Joining a special place on my shelf among my all time faves! This is one of my favorite pieces of historical fiction / multigenerational stories. It reminded me a bit of Cloud Cuckoo Land but more direct, more feminist, and packed more of a punch.
This book brilliantly weaves together seven female voices across approx. 200+ years spanning from the past through the future -- all descendants of Afong Moy, who was reportedly first Chinese woman in the U.S. As the book explores the stories of these women -- including a WWII nurse in China, a 2014 founder of a feminist dating app, and a young girl fleeing the plague on the last ship out of Chinatown in the 1890s -- we see not only their joys and struggles, but the ways in which echoes of their lives appear in each other.
The book explores ideas of generational trauma and epigenetics as we see the layers of trauma these women faced. Dorothy, a poet laureate who has fallen from grace and is struggling through a bad marriage and mental health issues in the 2040s, takes on an experimental epigenetics treatment to try to work through these generational traumas, things that happened that she's not even fully aware of. This was a super fascinating take on these topics.
What I loved most about this book, besides its beautiful writing, was the masterful way it drew on the past to create this work of fiction. Pulling from a variety of historical people and moments, Ford stitches together something truly incredible. The book also provides such powerful representation of Chinese experiences in a variety of settings from China to the UK to the US in different times and conditions.
This is definitely a favorite book of 2022 and of all time!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: historical fiction, literary fiction
Joining a special place on my shelf among my all time faves! This is one of my favorite pieces of historical fiction / multigenerational stories. It reminded me a bit of Cloud Cuckoo Land but more direct, more feminist, and packed more of a punch.
This book brilliantly weaves together seven female voices across approx. 200+ years spanning from the past through the future -- all descendants of Afong Moy, who was reportedly first Chinese woman in the U.S. As the book explores the stories of these women -- including a WWII nurse in China, a 2014 founder of a feminist dating app, and a young girl fleeing the plague on the last ship out of Chinatown in the 1890s -- we see not only their joys and struggles, but the ways in which echoes of their lives appear in each other.
The book explores ideas of generational trauma and epigenetics as we see the layers of trauma these women faced. Dorothy, a poet laureate who has fallen from grace and is struggling through a bad marriage and mental health issues in the 2040s, takes on an experimental epigenetics treatment to try to work through these generational traumas, things that happened that she's not even fully aware of. This was a super fascinating take on these topics.
What I loved most about this book, besides its beautiful writing, was the masterful way it drew on the past to create this work of fiction. Pulling from a variety of historical people and moments, Ford stitches together something truly incredible. The book also provides such powerful representation of Chinese experiences in a variety of settings from China to the UK to the US in different times and conditions.
This is definitely a favorite book of 2022 and of all time!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: historical fiction, literary fiction
melodyrose's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
clalaure's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
kdaven8's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a perfect fit for me. Echos of Life after Life and Sea of Tranquility. Great fiction and storytelling with cool science stuff. I am looking forward to the backlist of Mr. Ford.
lynds_dewey's review against another edition
4.0
Really beautiful stories, there were a few times I got lost, but overall enjoyed it.
jerzgrl626's review against another edition
4.0
This was a beautifully written thought provoking book like nothing I’ve really read before. I loved the premise of the book and the exploration of epigenetics through following the female lineage of Afong Moy. I learned so much both scientifically and historically from it.
This book asks the question can trauma be inherited and passed down from generation to generation. The way Ford wove this theory through different decades and significant times in history was captivating. Despite the jumping of time, I never felt lost in the story and I was equally invested in every single woman’s storyline. I truly enjoyed learning so much about specific niche points in history that I would have very likely never known about without reading this book.
Jamie Ford’s books usually take me by surprise and this one did not disappoint!
This book asks the question can trauma be inherited and passed down from generation to generation. The way Ford wove this theory through different decades and significant times in history was captivating. Despite the jumping of time, I never felt lost in the story and I was equally invested in every single woman’s storyline. I truly enjoyed learning so much about specific niche points in history that I would have very likely never known about without reading this book.
Jamie Ford’s books usually take me by surprise and this one did not disappoint!