Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your overall impression of the novel’s blend of family drama and magical realism? How does Braithwaite’s debut, My Sister, the Serial Killer (2018), compare to Cursed Daughters in its tone and storytelling approach?

2. The narrative unfolds in a nonlinear way, moving between Eniiyi’s present and Monife’s past. How did this structure affect your reading experience and your understanding of the family curse?

3. How did you feel about the novel’s ending, which glimpses a potential reunion for Eniiyi and Zubby seven years in the future?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. The plot is driven by a family narrative that shapes the lives of the Falodun women. Think about the stories, beliefs, or expectations that have been passed down in your own life. How do these stories or beliefs impact you, your family, or your community?

2. Eniiyi spends much of the novel fighting to create an identity separate from the one her family imposes on her. Can you recall a time when you felt a strong need to distinguish yourself from a family member’s legacy?

3. Bunmi, Kemi, and Ebun have very different ways of coping with hardship. Which character’s approach to survival resonates most with you? How have you (or how might you) cope with hardship in similar or different ways?

4. Monife suggests the curse has power that transcends a person’s belief or lack thereof. Has one of your negative expectations ever felt like it had a life of its own? How did you push back against it?

5. What was your reaction to Eniiyi’s decision to sleep with Funsho to break the cycle? Consider a moment from your own life in which you navigated the complicated tension of asserting agency while potentially causing harm.

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. The novel is deeply rooted in Yoruba cosmology, treating concepts like reincarnation and blood curses as real, tangible forces. How did this cultural framework shape your understanding of the characters’ motivations?

2. What does the conflict between Mrs. Kenosi and Monife reveal about social hierarchies, class, and colorism in the novel’s Lagos setting?

3. How do the choices available to women like Kemi and Bunmi compare to those available to Eniiyi’s generation? What does the story suggest about the evolution of female agency over time?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Braithwaite use supernatural elements, like Monife’s spirit leaving a physical pool of water, to explore the psychological reality of generational trauma?

2. How does the symbolism of water evolve throughout the book?

3. What is the effect of learning about Monife’s tragic relationship with Kalu while simultaneously watching Eniiyi’s relationship with Zubby unfold? How does this structure create dramatic irony and suspense for you as a reader?

4. Many multigenerational sagas explore how the past haunts the present. How does Cursed Daughters handle this theme, compared to a novel like Yaa Gyasi’s Homegoing (2016), which also deals with West African lineage and inherited burdens?

5. How does the Falodun family home function as a character that embodies the family’s fractures and history?

6. Tolu begins with silent avoidance and becomes the keeper of the family’s most devastating secrets. What role does his final confession about deleting Kalu’s message play in bringing the story to a close? What does it suggest about the impact of trauma on those who witness it?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Eniiyi gets a tattoo of a black kite in mid-flight to create a physical distinction between herself and Monife. If you were to choose a symbol to represent your own break from a past burden or expectation, what would it be, and why?

2. If you were casting a film adaptation of Cursed Daughters, which actors would you choose to play the dual role of Eniiyi and Monife, as well as Zubby and Kalu?

3. The story tells us that Eniiyi and Zubby will meet again seven years after she leaves for the UK. What do you imagine happens for each of them in the intervening years? Write their first conversation when they lock eyes in that restaurant.