The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of sexual violence and harassment, death, racism, emotional abuse, and mental illness.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Ford’s novel Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet also explores intergenerational trauma through parallel timelines, but this book adds the science fiction element of epigenetic memory treatments. What distinguishes this novel’s approach to inherited trauma from other multigenerational stories you’ve encountered?

2. The novel spans over 200 years of family history through six different time periods and characters. How effectively does Ford weave these disparate storylines into a cohesive narrative that feels unified rather than fragmented?

3. Which aspects of Dorothy’s epigenetic healing journey felt most compelling or surprising to you, and why?

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

1. Dorothy’s treatment allows her to experience her ancestors’ memories as if they were her own lived experiences. How have family stories or knowledge of previous generations’ experiences shaped your understanding of yourself?

2. Poetry serves as a bridge between characters across time, from Yao Han’s hopeful verses to Dorothy’s role as Seattle’s poet laureate. What role does storytelling or creative expression play in how you process difficult experiences or connect with others?

3. Dorothy receives multiple mental health diagnoses over her lifetime, but none of them adequately explain her experience of inherited trauma. Have you encountered situations where traditional explanations or treatments felt inadequate for addressing deeper or more complex problems?

4. The novel shows characters finding refuge and guidance in Buddhist temples during storms, both literal and metaphorical. What places, practices, or philosophies have provided you with calm during turbulent periods in your life?

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

1. Afong Moy was a real historical figure who was essentially a human exhibit in 1830s America, displayed for her bound feet and cultural practices. Ford transforms her from a historical curiosity into a fully realized character with agency, desires, and resistance. How does Ford’s fictional treatment of her story comment on ongoing issues of cultural appropriation and the exploitation of marginalized communities?

2. Greta’s experience with workplace sexual harassment destroys both her career and her budding relationship with Sam. The consequences extend far beyond the immediate trauma, affecting her professional reputation and personal connections. How does her story illuminate the lasting impacts of sexual violence that ripple through multiple areas of a survivor’s life? How does it contribute to ongoing cultural conversations, such as those sparked by the #MeToo movement?

3. Dorothy lives in a climate-changed Seattle plagued by monsoons and typhoons while seeking experimental medical treatment for inherited trauma. What connections do you see between environmental destruction and the ongoing effects of historical injustices on communities today?

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

1. Ford employs magical realism when Dorothy alters past events during her final epigenetic episode. How does this fantastical element serve the novel’s themes?

2. The motif of water appears throughout the text, from Yao Han’s supposed drowning to Dorothy seeking refuge during typhoons. How does this imagery reinforce the novel’s exploration of overwhelming emotions and the possibility of finding calm?

3. Ghosts appear as symbols throughout the narrative, from Afong’s traumatic encounter with her grandmother’s corpse to the benevolent spirit haunting Annabel’s writers’ retreat room. How does Ford transform ghosts from symbols of trauma into symbols of hope and continuity?

4. Ford withholds key information about family relationships and shared experiences until the novel’s climax. What effect does this have on your understanding of the family’s story and the nature of inherited trauma?

5. Buddhism offers characters both explanations and comfort for their suffering, particularly through Shi’s guidance to Faye and Xi’s advice to Dorothy. How do these spiritual elements balance the novel’s focus on scientific epigenetic treatment?

6. Each woman in Dorothy’s lineage faces some form of sexual or emotional abuse from men who manipulate their vulnerability or dependence. How does Ford use these recurring patterns to explore both systemic oppression and individual agency?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Dorothy’s epigenetic visions allow her to rewrite traumatic family history, giving Greta her relationship with Sam and reuniting Afong with Yao Han. Her choices in these altered memories create ripple effects that heal generations of inherited pain and loss. If you could enter your own family’s past to change one significant event or pattern, what would you choose, and how might it transform your family’s trajectory? Write a journal entry that explores this change and its implications.

2. The novel suggests that future technology might allow people to access and heal inherited trauma through medical intervention. Design your own version of Dr. Shedhorn’s epigenetic treatment center, considering what the physical space, therapeutic approaches, or support systems might look like.

3. Annabel’s story ends with her meeting a potential romantic partner at a writers’ retreat, suggesting the healing cycle will continue into the next generation. Write or outline the opening of Annabel’s novel about her family’s story, considering what perspective or themes she might emphasize.