The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

Ford’s (Love and Other Consolation Prizes) latest traces the ways in which the genetic inheritance of trauma reverberates throughout seven generations of Chinese women. The book begins with Dorothy Moy, who lives in 2045 San Francisco. Dorothy is plagued by depression and haunted by memories that are not her own. When Dorothy’s daughter, Annabel, begins to experience similar visions, Dorothy engages in experimental epigenetic therapy, exploring techniques that allow her to capture and manipulate memories inherited from her forbears. Each chapter focuses on one of Dorothy’s women ancestors, starting with Afong Moy, who was horribly abused when she traveled as a sideshow curiosity in the 1830s. Afong’s suffering was passed down through generations of women, where a single fatal decision, guided by the women’s collective ordeals, causes each pain and despair. A host of talented narrators—Ford himself, joined by Jennifer Lim, Cindy Kay, Mirai, Natalie Naudus, Sura Siu, Emily Woo Zeller, and Nancy Wu—honor the women’s stories with unique voices, creating compelling scenarios for each.