How does may feel in our modern fast times to be told that you are inheriting a curse brought to you by your women ancestors? It may feel like carrying a genetical disease, but of a spiritual nature. And according to modern genetics, there is possible to challenge your inherited health condition through a different lifestyle, diet, personal choices. So could it happen with the curse, it seems.
Eniiyi, one of the many women characters of Oyinkan Braithwaite first novel Cursed Daughters - author, among others, of the stunning multi-awarded novella My Sister, the Serial Killer - is looking for a job in genetics, as an epigenetic counsellor. Back home to Lagos, after spending many years far away from her women-family, she is carrying not only a curse, but also a stunning resemblance with her aunt, Monife, who committed suicide the day she was born.
For generations, the women lived together in their family house, haunted by the curse of being alone, abandoned by men. They accepted their condition surviving love stories inspired by popular Mills&Boons novels. Although Eniiyi will have her share of drama romance, she is dramatically changing the course of her life and implicitly the curse.
Curses are an interesting topics that may be perceived from different cultural angles. For the characters of the book, they are as much of actuality as the news: they do belong to life, may be belived in because there is no reason to escape them. From a very deterministic perspective that defides the laws of modern logic, they speak the language of the future, they shape decisions and personal destinies. There is a curse of the curse that one cannot escape, unless you are about to take a step out of the matrix of the social habits and behavior expectations.
The family dynamics, mostly women-related is effusive, over-protective, but can also easily turn into a toxic attitude that does not see beyond the assigned lifelines. Juju may help in the most ridiculous, money-consuming ways, as the only modality that can overcome the destiny´s determinism. Family operates as a cruel reminder of the conservative social and personal order. The self-fulfilling profecy is facilitated by this straight social and family network.
I, personally, was enchanted by this story, melting elements of magic - and some juju - with erotic intermezzo and modern-day relationships, family obligation and tribal divides, and some fine everyday humour built on the interactions between characters - like the grandma East and West, based on their location within the big family house.
As in her other writings, the women characters are realistically developed and the plot is carefully built allowing some interesting twists encouraging me to stay tunned to the book. I was so absorbed into the story that felt that it ended too abruptly, but at the right time though.
Cursed Daughters is a book written with literary maturity by a writer I want to read more from.
Rating: 4.5 stars
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