The Many Daughters of Afong Moy

The story follows Dorothy Moy, a former Poet Laureate of Washington state who is struggling with a deep, inexplicable depression that threatens her relationship with her daughter. Desperate for a cure, she undergoes an experimental treatment that allows her to access the "epigenetic memories" of her ancestors. The narrative moves across generations, following five of Dorothy's foremothers—beginning with Afong Moy, the first Chinese woman to set foot in America in 1834. As Dorothy inhabits their lives, she discovers that the heartbreaks and strengths of these women are literally woven into her DNA.