The Many Daughters of Afong Moy by Jamie Ford

A beautifully told story of love and sorrow handed down through generations starting with the first Chinese woman to come to America. Beginning in 1834 With Afong Moy who leads a sad life as a sideshow performer and filtering down to Dorothy in 2045 who attempts to understand her past pain, this is a story of how each generation is overshadowed by trauma from the past. These traumas often feel like a glimpse of deja vu or feeling like you know someone you have never met - a way of seeing life from the shadows or a dream that you can't quite remember clearly. These women endured much and embraced a somewhat different path yet had many similarities. Jamie Ford is so talented in finding something in each character that we can embrace and make a connection. It will come as no surprise how much cruelty humans can inflict upon each other and their equally immense capacity to show compassion. The background for this book, the study of epigenetic inheritance ,is fascinating and Ford provides a wealth of background and reading materials. This will appeal to his many fans as well as readers of Asian historical fiction by Lisa See and Amy Tan. 5 stars