Spanning over two decades, The Original Daughter is a powerful and emotive examination of intergenerational trauma. It is also a fascinating and intimate portrayal of Singapore working class society. Character driven and full of depth, this is a novel that pulled me in and wouldn’t let me go.
Written by new literary voice, Jemimah Wei, this debut novel tells the story of Genevieve and Arin, two girls brought up together as sisters in a Singaporean working class family. Living in a one-room flat as an only child with her mother, father and grandmother, Genevieve, known as Gen is eight years-old when seven year-old Arin is brought into the family. Although not fully understanding why Arin has been abandoned by her original family, the two girls quickly bond.
Told in first person from Gen’s point of view, the slow burning and fascinating narrative explores the relationship of the ‘sisters’ as they grow from innocent children to adolescents, to women. This is set against a backdrop of family turmoil, the harrowing pressure of societal achievement and a fear of failure.
As Gen and Arin deal with family shame, both past and present, as well as the societal demands thrust upon them, they both discover their individuality. This results in the fracturing of their sisterly bond.
Although their actions are not always likeable, I feel each character possesses a raw vulnerability; a vulnerability that they try to hide which brilliantly enhances the drama and emotion within the plot. This makes such compelling reading, especially when their vulnerabilities and struggles are exposed to all in their community. This further enhances the character’s vulnerability as well as their shame.
Thank you to Anne Cater from Random Things Tours for inviting me to the blog tour of The Original Daughter, which I really enjoyed. It is such an intelligent and thought provoking read full of empathy. The portrayal of Singaporean culture I also find so interesting and captivating. Thank you also to Weidenfeld & Nicolson for my advance, gifted copy.
The Original Daughter was published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson is published on Thursday 5 June 2025.
To follow the blog tour, please see below.
