The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

The Many Daughters of Afong May by Jamie Ford 384 pages 

Like millions of other readers, I fell in love with Jamie Ford’s writing with his first novel, “Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet.” What a wonderful story. Now Ford has written his most complex novel yet; one that I am not sure that I understand. 

At the root of this novel is a burgeoning science, epigenetics. It is “the transfer of the memories of trauma through generations, or inherited trauma.” I’m not sure that I fully understand it epigenetics, and therefore did not fully understand the novel. I read this book about two months ago and have been thinking about it ever since. I try to understand that if some of my trauma’s haven been handed down; but I’m not sure. 

Anyway, Daughters is told via seven narrators, all descendants of Afong Moy, who is a historical figure. She was the first known Chinese woman to step foot on American soil back in 1834. She traveled across the country as an oddity and was part of P. T. Barnum’s circus for a while.  

In real-life, it is not known of Afong had any descendants, but Ford gives us six. Each of his characters can trace a direct lineage to Afong. The timeframes for those six characters are 1942, 2045, 2014, 1927, 1892 and 2086. 

The most dominate narrators is Dorothy in 2045. She lives in Seattle with her husband, Louis, and daughter. Annabel. She is Washington State’s poet laureate. A tropical storm is battering the West Coast, and Seattle is in its eye. The winds are so strong, that she can feel her apartment building sway. Annabel is a creepy little girl, and I think she is the one suffering most from the inherited traumas of her ancestors. 

Plus, and I’m not sure if this is correct, Dorothy can time travel. It is she who goes back to those other times and sees/participates in the events. I think; I’m not sure. 

Thankfully, Ford only delved into the science once. It was rather dull. However, the transitions between narrators are seamless. I did enjoy the different characters’ plotlines. If I am ever asked if I recommend “The Many Daughters of Afong Moy,” I would say that it “is complicated, but I enjoyed it.” Therefore, “The Many Daughters of Afong Moy,” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

 

The Lioness

The Lioness by Chris Bohjalian 336 pages 

When I first started hearing about Bohjalian’s 2022 book, I heard it was about Old Hollywood. I adore stories about Old Hollywood. However, the novel’s timeframe, 1964, isn’t Old Hollywood. I was disappointed but dug in anyway. Bohjalian always comes through with a great read, and this one is no different. 

At first, the unique structure was off-putting, but by the end, I thought it was brilliant. Each chapter would start with current time (1964), but then switch to each character’s backstory. As the novel progressed, in each chapter, narrated by one of the ten top characters, the structure shifted, dealing more with what was happening than backstories.  

In 1964, one of the most glamorous and A-list actresses in Hollywood, Katie Barstow, marries gallerist David Hill. Instead of a traditional honeymoon, they take seven others with whom they are close with, along on a photo safari to Tanzania, Africa. They hire a famous guide, Charlie Patton, who puts together a “civilized adventure.” However, it’s hot on the Serengeti, and there is nothing Charlie can do about that. 

Not long after they arrive, the group is attacked by Russian mercenaries. They shoot most of the porters and guides, leaving Katie, David and their entourage defenseless. The Russians round them up, divide them up and shove them into the Land Rovers, “guns to their heads,” and head out into the desert. What follows brims with dread; this reader had her heart in her stomach for the rest of the book. 

All are terrified, but the Russians show no mercy. As thy group travels across the plains, each takes chances they would never take back in Hollywood, chances that will haunt them for the rest of their lives. 

Even given the dismays I pointed out earlier. “The Lioness” still receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. That sense of dread and several shocking events kept this reader up long past her bedtime.  

 

The Unveiling of Polly Forrest

 “The Unveiling of Polly Forrest” by Charlotte Whitney 310 pages  

Readers get ready to block off some to when you start reading this historical mystery! Definitely a page-turner. 

Polly Wolcott is only twenty years old when she marries the much older Sam Forrest. She marries him because she doesn’t want move from rural Michigan to Connecticut to help her mother take care of her grandmother.  And, it doesn’t hurt that Sam appears to be wealthy. He has his own thriving farm. 

But it is 1934; the Great Depression has gripped America. Even Sam is affected. Crops and farm animal’s prices are at the lowest anyone has even seen. Then Sam is killed in a freak farm accident that is brutal. Polly isn’t mature enough to, nor does she want to, take over the farm by herself. So what will happen? 

Author Whitney’s novel is narrated by three individuals: Polly, Polly’s sister Sarah, and Sarah’s husband, the local preacher Reverend Wesley Johnson.  Three distinct voices in short chapters that tell the story from all three points of view. 

In the beginning, Polly is not accused of murdering Sam. After all it does appear to be an accident. However, the Sheriff’s Office is looking into his death. He and his deputy question Polly, Sarah and Wesley for what seems like an eternity. The novel is set from February 7 to December 25, 1934. The questions last through the summer. 

The two strangers claiming to be White House Police show up at Polly’s door, demanding answers to their questions and thoroughly search the house and all the outbuildings. Seems like Sam was involved in some pretty shady dealings that left me reading the pages as fast as I could.  

During the course of the story, Polly’s unveiling comes in many ways---from her views and days as a flighty young woman to a more wizened, experienced woman. I thoroughly enjoyed this who-dun-it set in the glories of rural Michigan and the hardships of farm life. “The Unveiling of Polly Forrest” is a thrilling read and receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

The Clockmaker's Daughter

 The Clockmaker’s Daughter by Kate Morton    496 pages

I love Kate Morton novels. They are nice and thick with a mystery that spans generations.  I love to snuggle down in my favorite reading chair. I waited until October to read her latest, mainly because of the opening sentence: “We came to Birchwood Manor because Edward said it was haunted.”  What a perfect line for late fall with Halloween just weeks away! And one sentence in the dustjacket blurb (“Tensions simmer, and one hot afternoon a gunshot rings out.”). I was ready to stay up all night, expecting to be so engrossed I couldn’t stop reading. 

As I read further into Chapter 1, I was thrilled to discover that one of the narrators was a ghost.  How cool was that!? The ghost was not identified nor was its paragraphs, but those were easily discernible.

The first part of the book took place in 2017, when archivist Elodie Winslow discovered a satchel and sketch pad belonging to 19^th century artist Edward Radcliff. Part One was wonderful.

But then I reached Part 2. The ghost was still there, but new characters appeared. I had no idea what was going on. Yet I read, and read, and read. But to my disappointment, it didn’t make sense. It was like a different story set in the same place.

It took me another week to finish this novel.  It did comeback around, but by then I was so confused about Morton’s plotlines, that I turned the last page in utter disappointment. Well, all writers have one book that is a dud, and this is it for Morton.  Fingers crossed that her next one will live up to her talent.

 “The Clockmaker’s Daughter” receives 2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

Saving Ruby King

Saving Ruby King by Catherine Adel West 320 pages 

This novel could not have come at a more appropriate time with the Black Lives Matter movement at the forefront of our national consciousness.  And it’s wonderfully written! I loved that the church, Calvary Hope Christian, has a voice---it added to the sinisterness underlying the novel’s mysteries. 

Ruby King and her family are trying to pick up the pieces of her mother’s recent murder, tragically inside their family home. The people in their Chicago South Side neighborhood believe that Ruby’s father, Lebanon, is responsible for Alice’s death. He had served time for killing a man and he had a hellacious temper. The neighbor’s know that Lebanon abused Alice and fear he is taking his rage out on Ruby.

Ruby’s best friend is Layla. Their mothers were close and their grandmothers even closer. Layla and her mother do what they can to protect Ruby. However, Lebanon is best friends with Layla’s father, pastor of the Church. Rev. Potter forbids Layla to interfer, yet readers get to watch him giving Lebanon large sums of money.

At the heart of this story is secrets and mysteries and the repercussions they inflict on the two families and the neighborhood.

I felt the novel got off to a slow start, but that was okay. It really ramped up about of the fourth of the way through.  As Author West began to foreshadow the deepest and ugliest of the secrets, I think she gave away too much, as I had it figured out, without trying, before it was revealed. That diminished the climax somewhat for me.  Therefore, “Saving Ruby King” gets 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.