Cursed Daughters

Oyinkan Braithwaite’s first novel, My Sister the Serial Killer, garnered a lot of attention, but this is three steps up. It tells the story of the Falodun family and the ancient curse that has prevented the women in the family from holding on to a man – absent fathers are the recurring theme over the generations. In addition, in the present day Eniiyi, is regarded by many as the reincarnation of her aunt, Monife, who died by suicide. This is not something that sits comfortably with Eniiyi, for a bunch of obvious reasons. The novel jumps around a bit between the different generations of Falodun women as Braithwaite narrates their respective difficulties with relationships. Is it the work of the dark curse or more run-of-the-mill toxic patriarchy? This is a question that the author leaves open. Cursed Daughters is a great intergenerational family novel – a reflection on Nigerian patriarchy, intergenerational trauma and the difficult relationship between traditional beliefs and modern urban lifestyles. I absolutely loved it.