I really loved this story! So excited to help curate this book into the Authentic Book box experience. This story is one that will stick with me for a long time to come and I can’t wait for others to read it and fall in love with these women!

Do you like messy family dramas? If so than you will absolutely love The Fortunes of Jaded Women. This book was everything I expected and nothing like I expected at the same time!

The Fortunes of Jaded Women is the story of 3 generations of Duong women, who have been cursed since their great, great grandmother, left her marriage for love. She and all her daughters, granddaughters, and on were cursed to never have sons. Fast forward to present day, sisters Mai, Minh, and Khuyen are estranged not just from each other but from their mother, their half sister Kim, and all of their daughters. When Mai goes to Hawaii to visit her trusted physic, she learns that this is the year to make amends and could be the year the curse is fully broken.


This story is definitely for fans of multiple POVs. Each Duong women gets a turn narrating, meaning there are at least 13 Duong women perspectives, one non Duong perspective, and if I remember correct 1 or 2 additional POVs. I had a hard time at first of keeping track of all the women. Their personalities and events are all so different, but just the shear number of main characters really had me confused for a bit. There was a handy generational chart at the beginning of the book, but it’s always so hard to view those when you’re reading a digital copy. It’s honestly my biggest complaint about eBooks. Quick take on the different Duong women:

Ly Minh Duong – Grandmother & Matriarch
Mai Guyen (eldest daughter),
Mai’s Daughters: Priscilla, Thuy, and Thao
Kim Luong (Other eldest daughter)
Kim’s Daughters: Lily and Rosie
Minh Pham (middle daughter)
Minh’s Daughter: Joyce
Khuyen Lam (youngest daughter)
Khuyen’s Daughters: Elaine and Christine

While there are quite a few characters to keep track of, I ultimately ended up enjoying getting to see everyone’s point of views. There are so many colorful personalities entrench within this story and to have only gotten one side of it would have been a shame. I will say that the transitions from character to character was fairly smooth and make for a well balanced multi-generational story. Huynh has also built excellent and complicated relationships between all of the Duong women. Kim and her daughters have the least development, but even then I felt that each of the mother-daughter relationship were fill with happiness, struggles, guilt, grief, and everything in between. I have a great relationship with my mother, but could still relate to many of the aspect of their relationships. Especially now that I’m a mom as well.


Past the mother-daughter theme, Huynh touches on a multitude of other major topics including: the view of Asians through a white males perspective (ie fetishizing of Asian women), Asian stereotypes, toxic male masculinity, the cultural view of daughters vs. sons specifically in Asian culture, culture identify of Asian-Americans, and how we measure success. Huynh does an amazing job of portraying these topics while at the same time filling the pages with humor and wit.

This is a stunning debut and realistically it was a 4.5 star read for me, rounded up to 5. It’s not a solid 5, just due to the vast number of characters to keep track of. I loved the characters, loved the large family dynamic, love the wit and humor, and while it doesn’t play a huge role the addition of a bit of magical realism just sealed the deal for me. I highly highly recommend this book if you want a laugh, enjoy mother/daughter relationship stories, and/or looking for a family drama. Honestly, if you enjoy a good story, you will enjoy this one!

The Fortunes of Jaded Women comes out September 6, 2022! Huge thank you to Atria Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books.

3.75 stars

The saga of a Vietnamese family of women and their "curse" -- they would only bear daughters, no sons. This richly comic novel chronicles one complicated family, including a grandmother, her three daughters plus one half-sister, and eight granddaughters. The family has suffered many estrangements and the grandmother's three daughters plus one haven't spoken for a decade. They are a volatile, judgmental, interfering and vocal bunch and some of the group scenes are priceless -- surely someone will draft a screenplay.

In between the laughs though, are lots of barbs. At the crushing expectations of the Vietnamese mothers, the thinly disguised racism of the white people they meet, and the difficulties of modern love, marriage and parenthood. A very fun read. Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is chaos and I freaking LOVE it! How can I not, when it has:

❤️ Family drama
❤️ Sprinkled with some prophecy-related suspense
❤️ Flawed, complex and strong women to root for
❤️ Complicated mother-daughter relationships
❤️ A larger-than-life cast
❤️ Savage humor (and characters)
❤️ Insight into Vietnamese culture and Asian diaspora
❤️ One particular revelation that took me by complete surprise

The Fortunes of Jaded Women explores some rather heavy themes but its overall tone and storytelling is on the lighter and fun side, especially with witty banter and over-the-top slapstick behaviour from the characters. This results in a compelling novel that's illuminating, enjoyable, balanced and relatable all at once. I loved getting to know all the mothers, aunties, sisters and daughters. I laughed with them, cheered for them and felt for them.

A terrific and unforgettable read that I highly recommend!

3.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Fortunes of Jaded Women is a fun tribute to the relationships between Vietnamese women across generations. Evoking the humorous, satirical, sometimes comical style of Crazy Rich Asians, I love how this book tackled some deep issues while also being a pretty over-the-top family story with a subtle infusion of magic in the form of a generational curse.
There’s a lot of characters here, and I can’t say I felt attached to any one of them. However, I like how the general spirit of the relationships was executed, with the goal of the book being for these bitter, estranged people to reconcile with each other before it’s too late.
And while the large extended family have splintered for one reason or another, I love how the narrative sees them facing varied life changes and transitions together, from the loss of loved ones (a funeral) to other rites of passage (a marriage and a birth).
This book works on the strengths of its overall themes, balanced with the light tone. While it might not work for someone who prefers something a bit more character driven, I would recommend it for someone who enjoys a narrative where each character plays a role in contributing to a larger piece of the puzzle, as they do within the family unit here.

Thanks to Atria Books for the gifted copy!

A generational story about a family cursed to only have daughters with multiple POVs, mother/daughter and sister relationships, and an exploration of new generations and old traditions. Perfect if you like laugh-out-loud family drama (that reunion chapter had me HOWLING), colonialism jokes, and OwnVoices stories. There was mourning and difficulty, but also strength and hope. A magnificent story of Vietnamese women.

Okay story of mothers, daughters, and strong cultural belief systems.
The writing was clunky at times and keeping up with a dozen characters a bit much.
I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Many generations ago, the ancestor of the Duong women went and got herself - and her descendants - cursed because she ran away from her marriage to be with another man. Ever since, Duong women have been doomed to only birth daughter and never find love. But now, descendant Mai Nguyen's psychic has told her that by the end of the year, all of the estranged women of the Duong clan will be reunited and witness a funeral, a marriage, and the birth of the first grandson in generations. Too bad she hasn't spoken to her sisters in more than a decade... and her own daughters in a year. As the Duong women struggled with each of their own unhappy lives, they will be brought together and confront the issues at the heart of their family - like it or not.

Though the myriad cast of characters can sometimes be hard to keep track of (though a handy family tree at the beginning helps), the story and the women driving it forward are interesting and at times, hilarious. The central storyline of Mai and her daughters provides a backbone to the novel, while sisters and cousins give additional depth and color to the story. Not all of their stories and personalities are as fully formed as Mai's, but they each have their moment in the spotlight. There are some truly funny scenes in this book that are created by some rather unlikely circumstances, and the conflict between the sisters feels incredibly real for those of us with complicated sisters of our own. What starts out fairly serious and dark becomes funny and light by the end with some magic woven in for good measure.

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Fortunes of Jaded Women in exchange for an honest review.

The Fortunes of Jaded Women is a family drama centered on the Duong sisters and their daughters, who have been living under a curse first set upon their ancestor Oanh, after she left her marriage to pursue true love. The family is cursed to never find love or happiness, and the Duong women would only bear daughters, never sons. Oanh’s current descendant and the oldest Duong sister, Mai Nguyen, is very familiar with the curse. She’s divorced and estranged from her mother, sisters, and all three daughters. Desperate for answers, she flies out to Hawaii to meet with a psychic. The psychic predicts that this year the estranged Duong family will finally be reunited and experience: a funeral, a marriage, and the birth of a son – signifying the end of the curse.

This book, despite being less than 300 pages, is a mighty and beautifully written story about the Vietnamese diaspora community and the sacrifices women make to ensure a better life for their children. A rollercoaster of emotions that will have you laughing one page and crying the next, I can guarantee you will fall in love with the chaotic and meddlesome Duongs. In this multi-narrative novel, we are told the story of the Duong women, each one multi-layered, charmingly fallible, and VERY dramatic. There is no one single diaspora experience and this book does an excellent job showcasing that. In the end, this book is about family, about HOPE, and about healing, and I am so grateful to Carolyn Hyunh for sharing this story with us. Do not miss out on this book!

(Note: I was provided an advanced copy of The Fortunes of Jaded Women by the publisher via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.)

Well written family drama of three generations of Vietnamese-American women. This was not what I was expecting. It was described as being brimming with levity and I expected a more humorous novel than it ended up being. It was, however, very well written with fully developed and engaging characters. Strongly recommended

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advanced reader copy.

Thank you Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC - out everywhere 6 September
The Duong women have been cursed for generations. From Vietnam to the streets of Orange County, year after year they squabble and resent, and most importantly, only give birth to daughters. When Mai, the eldest, is told by a psychic that the year will bring one death, one wedding, and one pregnancy, a mad dash to gather all the prodigal daughters under their roofs begins, with unintended consequences.
This one is for all the eldest daughters out there. And the middle daughters and youngest daughters. Mostly for the estranged daughters. is a testament to the overeager mothers – the ones who set you up on dates and follow-up on those dates, and call you to remind you that if you go outside in the rain you’ll probably catch a cold and immediately perish. Find me a woman who hasn’t considered throwing a wine glass at her mum’s head at least once, or considered an arranged marriage for her hopeless daughter, and I’ll show you a fraud.
I think Huynh overextends herself a bit; there are over 12 characters and POVs you’re supposed to invest in, and some of the characters obviously get shafted in service of the juicer storylines (how very middle child of them).
Read If:
1. You need a book for the end of summer patio-season
2. You’ve been fetishized by a significant other
3. If shit is going down on your block (or in the group chat), you are not the peacemaker. You pull up a chair, pour yourself a drink, and grin as you watch it implode.

I must admit I had some difficulty in following the rather large clan that's central to this novel. The names also took some getting used to, but once I got a reasonable hang of some of the key characters, it was a relatively easy from there on.

The story is of the Duong women, and the curse they are certain afflicts the women in their family, and that only a son can rid them of. Made for an interesting read, for the most part.

To say the Duong women are a colorful lot would not even begin to scratch the surface of the shades they come in, and turn into - at the drop of a hint. The story moves all over the globe, and the women of the clan scattered around the world and across the US give a variety of perspectives on how they are all different and yet share an underlying yearning for love and belonging, and perhaps most importantly, how they are all family - no matter what. Sure they have different dreams and aspirations and drives and goals, the DNA they share compels them to act in a certain way that borders on self-destructive, and yet at the same time perhaps a little redemptive as well.

I was a little put off at first, by their constant bickering, but eventually came around to the gradual realization that it was part of their characterization. The fact that the characters can elicit such a response from the reader, that they can get on your nerve, even if for a bit, shows the skill of the author at depicting three-dimensional and well-formed characters.

The book is narrated in third person, but loaded as it is with innumerable inner-thought asides, it gives you a ringside view of what each of the women is thinking, and the author is very liberal in letting her characters share exactly why they are doing whatever it is that they are doing, irrespective of how absurd or illogical it might seem on the face of it. Without agreeing with much of what they do, just knowing what is driving them made for an easier reconciling for me a reader, with a society and a people far removed from me, and especially given that I've had very limited interaction with Vietnamese women in real life, it helped me appreciate their actions and personalities that much better.

Overall, a satisfying read, and the occasional spot of well-timed and sharp humor added to the fun.

I will be very surprised if this novel isn’t turned into a film or mini series. Carolyn Huynh does a masterful job of bringing her characters to life, describing them in full colour. The story has a unique way of moving the story along through the stories of individual family members. This book is full of women who are somewhat quirky, selfish and self important but at their core they are strong, beautiful driven women you will want to see succeed in their individual pursuits. The novel is funny but poignant and anyone part of a family will find something to relate to.

If you are looking for a lighthearted and hilarious (especially the climax) AAPI read with all the family drama, I'd give The Fortunes of Jaded Women a try!

This story follows an estranged family of Vietnamese women who have been cursed so they can only give birth to daughters. While the plot seems simple, the premise is far from it! With chapters narrated from 10+ perspectives, it definitely takes time to understand the family dynamics, figure out who's who and warm up to the multi-generational story.The family tree photo at the beginning of the book is a necessary reference as you read, and I think I'd be pretty lost without it.

When I finished reading the first thought I had was "WOW. This was an experience." I loved learning about the Vietnamese culture and the Vietnamese-American experience. The characters were authentic, and I found it amazing how the author gave each woman their own unique voice but equally attended to the larger family dynamic. There was also a magic realism piece integrated throughout the story, making it perfect for fans of fantasy fiction.

Thank you Atria for this ARC! Pub date 8/30!

Looking for an enjoyable, multi-generational novel that explores what it means to be Vietnamese in America? This is it!

THE FORTUNES OF JADED WOMEN by Carolyn Hunyh explores the lives of the Dương sisters and their daughters, who have been unfortunately mired in a generations-old curse. Each woman brings something different to the story - career success, health challenges, the role of motherhood, romantic pursuits, international travel, and so much more. I laughed out loud several times wading through this story, and ultimately found myself enjoying the humour Carolyn Huynh used to explore the depth of motherhood and Vietnamese American identity. The story is centered around a psychic prediction, and the ends to which the Dương sisters will go to ensure the prediction comes true. Not to be mistaken for a fluffy family drama, it also reveals truths about the fetishization of Asian women and many stereotypes that are applied to Vietnamese Americans today. While the story is centered around the Vietnamese sisters, there is reference to Korean, Chinese and Thai culture through the friendships and relationships the women pursue.

I chose this book because I am unfamiliar with the Vietnamese culture and was pleasantly surprised by this novel. The story centers around a family of Vietnamese women that were cursed to not find happiness. However over the course of life events such as weddings and births they come together and find they were allowing the curse to rule their lives.

This was a refreshing novel which I thoroughly enjoyed

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC

The Duong women have been cursed for generations to never find love and to only ever have sons. The daughters of this generation are trying to make their own lives, away from their mother's but the curse is never out of their mind. As circumstances change and they return home will they find a way to break the curse and find happiness?

I absolutely adore this book! The story is so interesting and the writing is just beautiful. This book truly had it all. I loved the way Carolyn Huynh writes, as she is able to convey the vulnerability and the emotional relationship between mothers and daughters. I loved how the story was interwoven between generations and how each chapter focused on different members of the family because I was able to connect to them and truly understand their family dynamic. The dialogue between some of the Aunties was so enjoyable to read, as they can be quite sassy! Carolyn Huynh did such a wonderful job giving each woman their own unique voice, which is impressive considering it is such a large family, but I absolutely loved that. Overall, this was such a good read and I highly recommend it! There was nothing I didn't like about this book. It had all I could ask for and more!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.

There is a feeling that this book created while I was reading The Fortunes of Jaded Women and that feeling was the same one I felt when I watched Everything Everywhere All At Once. It is the feeling of warmth, the sense of being heard and that you are not alone in this world.

The Fortunes of Jaded Women follows the women of the Duong family. Cursed by the actions of their ancestor, they're doomed to only know misfortune in their lives and never give birth to any sons. After consulting a psychic, an unexpected property is announced. In the upcoming year, the family will witness a marriage, a funeral, and the birth of a son which means the end of the curse. This soon brings together the estranged mothers, daughters, aunts, and cousins for good, the bad, and the ugly.

This novel is told through multiple perspectives of the Duong women. In each view, you learn about their struggles, their estrangement from their family, and what this prophecy may mean for them. The way multiple narratives were incorporated enhanced my feelings. Each woman went through a struggle I've experienced. The feelings they felt were ones that I felt in that situation. Carolyn Huynh captures the experiences of Southeast Asian women that I haven't read until now. I feel heard after reading this debut novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance readers copy of The Fortunes of Jaded Women!

What an emotional, honest, and smart tale of the tumultuous relationships between mothers and daughters - this book had it all for me. The cultural chasm that can exist between first generation immigrants from an Asian country and their parents; the colorful characters and their developments in their own journeys of love, fulfillment, and self discovery; the magical realism of a psychic who is never wrong. And y'all, this book is funny. I found myself re-reading bits of dialogue because I enjoyed the clever quips and backhanded compliments amongst the mothers and aunties so much. Truly a stunning debut novel that I could not put down.