The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei is a well-crafted debut novel that explores generational trauma in a very specific place and time. Set in Singapore at the turn-of-the-century, the original daughter, 8-year-old Genevieve (Gen) Yang is joined by a 7-year-old cousin (Arin) whose family has abandoned her. The girls share a grandfather who deserted Gen’s father and was presumed dead. Gen’s grandmother, who lives with her family in a small apartment in Bedok, the largest city in Singapore, makes the decision to accept Arin into their family without consulting any of the others. Arin’s arrival is understandably disruptive but in time the two girls form a close bond and become very dependent upon each other as they pursue academic success to better their situation in the rigid “caste” system of Singaporean society. As they get older and progress in their studies, their grandmother dies, and their father walks out on the family after his participation in an emotional affair was revealed publicly. When Gen fails to thrive in Junior College and Arin flourishes as an online influencer, the pair begin to grow apart. Their dramatic rupture occurs after Arin seemingly betrays Gen to further her career as an actress. When their mother is dying from complications of breast cancer, she desperately tries to get the girls to reconcile. The family reunites but true forgiveness and reconciliation remain elusive.

While the story was engaging, it was over long and could have benefited from tighter editing. The characters were carefully drawn, yet all seemed to suffer from untreated mental illness. In particular, the wife and mother (Sue Yi) was so positive and optimistic as to be delusional. The husband and father was extremely depressed and both daughters – the original and the spare – were petty, selfish and without personal insight. Sue Yi’s mother, who makes a cameo appearance in the story, was a classic case of narcissistic personality disorder.

Based on reviews from early readers, I am an outlier.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the eARC in exchange for this review.

A beautiful debut, but I will say I kept finding myself thinking, "this is SO LONG."

I think the problem was I wasn't expecting this book to be quite so EPIC. It meticulously explores the vast majority of these sisters' lives and the way their relationship changes over time. Ultimately, it's a fascinating story of inter familial power-dynamics, backstabbing, and jealousy between sisters--all meaty stuff to explore in a plot.

Perhaps the reason the book felt long to me is we spend time in the head of only one sister, Genevieve (ostensibly the one that has the less dramatic life--upon the book's opening we learn that her adopted sister Arin, has ultimately become a famous movie star.)

Gen at times behaves atrociously, at other times, inspiringly. She's fully human and we can both understand why she carries so much pain and shake our heads at the bewildering choices she keeps making to shut people out of her life. But it is at times hard to like her since her struggles seems, at face value, not as challenging as her sister's (but maybe simply being "the less interesting sister with the more aimless life" is challenge enough.)

Ultimately, the book is interesting, well written and moves at a nice clip. And I loved this quote: "love is an action word, I thought. It can be committed, like a crime." Nicely sums up this challenging sister dynamic.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Based on reviews from early readers on this 2025 release, I am definitely in the minority. The story took hold of me right from the beginning but became a bit drawn out and so depressing. This debut novel is the story of a Singaporean working class family in which eight-year old Genevieve (Gen) Yang is an only child. When seven-year old Arin, the granddaughter of Gen’s presumed deceased grandfather arrives at their apartment, the Yang family must take her in. The girls become sisters, forming a close bond but as they grow older, tensions arise from the academic and social pressures put on them. This story is a deep exploration on the relationships within families, with an emphasis on the sister’s betrayals toward one another and the subsequent effects on the family.

Thank you NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the opportunity to receive a digital copy of The Original Daughter in exchange for my honest opinion. Publication date: May 25, 2025

Outstanding, impressive debut novel. So many layers (sisterhood, mother/daughter, father/daughter, family, career) and an ending that tied up the story without sugar-coating the relationships or characters.

Impressive debut novel, The topics of ambition, sisterhood, family ties, guilt - all combined in one book! Great character development and complicated and emotional interactions.

An 8 year old only child suddenly acquires a 7 year old younger sister; a cousin who has been abandoned by her family. Set in Singapore, this is the story of their bond and their eventual estrangement. Beautifully written, it is also the story of complex, brilliantly rendered characters, their relationships, life choices loves, despair and human needs and foibles. This is a powerful debut novel.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to preview this novel prior to publication. I was a little concerned about whether I would like this novel when the first chapter discusses a mother’s battle with breast cancer. But, the remainder of the book is a flashback telling the story of two “sisters “ and how the rift in their relationship developed. This was a very touching story. The setting is Singapore in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The writing is so beautiful and it was so easy to get emotionally invested in the relationships. It is a story about family, love, desertion and reconciliation. This is a novel I will be recommending to readers.

Jemimah Wei has given us a book about a bond between two sisters that is so strong that it seems nothing could break it. However early in the book it is apparent that they are estranged and one has grievously hurt the other. Gen is at home taking care of their dying mother while her half sister is living life in the spotlight as a famous influencer and movie star.
It is their mother’s dying wish that Gen reach out to her sister to heal the breach and allow her to see her daughter one last time before she dies. The story takes place in Singapore where filial duty is strong but even here that obligation does not appear to be enough to set aside Gens anger and personal grievances.
The sisters grew up loving and protecting each other. They swore a blood oath of “til death do us part”. It seemed as if there was nothing they would not do for one another. And still there is clearly some sort of betrayal. As we read the book there is foreshadowing as to what is the basis for the pain. The question begins to arise, what value does one place on ambition and what currency are they willing to use to get there? On the other hand one asks how tightly should one hold on to their grievances? This book is about love and forgiveness. It is beautifully written by a debut writer who takes us on an emotional roller coaster as the story plays out. I was surprised who I empathized with in the end. 5 stars

The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei is a captivating exploration of the complex dynamics of family, ambition, and the enduring bonds of sisterhood. Set against the backdrop of Singapore's rapid modernization, the novel delves into the lives of two sisters, Genevieve and Arin, as they navigate the challenges of their personal aspirations and family tensions. Wei's masterful storytelling draws readers into the heart of the Yang family, a household marked by both love and conflict. The author skillfully balances moments of tenderness with instances of harsh reality, creating characters that are genuine, empathetic, and flawed. This was a stunning debut!

As a reader, this book had all of the elements I love in a reading experience. It took me a while to get into this book but once through the first third, I was really absorbed in the Yang family's story. For the most part, I found the novel's exploration of family dynamics and societal pressures compelling. However, I was put off by Genevieve's self-destructive behavior. Her actions were, at times, unsympathetic, and in many instances her self-centeredness and lack of empathy overshadowed her redeeming qualities. It made it challenging to root for her and when many of her friends and family finally turn against her it was hard for me to sympathize with her. With that being said, I am an older sister, and I appreciated the opportunity that the book gave to reflect on my relationship with my own sister. Though Gen was the narrator for most of the story, Wei does a beautiful job of showing the way that Arin looks up to her big sister even as her [Arin's] own career takes off, and the effect their strained conflicts have on their mother. Wei did a beautiful job writing the nuances of these complicated relationships, and for the reflections they inspired for me, I am grateful.

Thank you to Doubleday Books, NetGalley, and Jemimah Wei for an advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was disappointed in this book. It felt like a long not very interesting account of two girls living their lives with the normal sibling issues. I didn’t like any of the characters, they seemed shallow and self-served. The book does give us a good look at growing up in Singapore through the eyes of Gen, the original daughter and does a good job on dysfunction, abandonment and other issues the characters faced. Although the book was long I continued to read this book to the end in the hopes it would reveal what I was missing. I received an arc of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

A beautiful, sweeping epic about sisters and fame.

Jemimah Wei's sentences sing and sing. She is the real deal. I gobbled this novel up!

Thanks to the publisher for the e-galley!

a brilliant debut! jemimah wei is a WRITER. from the first page, there's tremendously strong voice, a strong and kind of dark set up that makes you go 'how did they get here?'. the book does a great job of answering that question- there's so much pain, love, jealousy, hate, sisterhood. singapore is such a vivid setting here and i adored the new zealand chapters. the book is kind of giving ferrante's neapolitan novels, in the absolute best ways. it took me a while to get through this in the year of my reading rut, but only because there were so many strong negative emotions lol.

I received a free e-arc of this book through Netgalley. It's a well-written book with well-rounded characters. Gen is about 8 when a distant young relative is thrust into her family and suddenly Arin is the younger sister that Gen never wanted. They are able to become close over time. Unfortunately circumstances and life choices divide the two women and Gen forces Arin to make a lasting decision. I found it rings true for family relationships. The patterns of leaving and loss echo in the different generations.

Well written and the author conveyed Genevieve's emotional tumult well, however, I wouldn't say the dynamic between the two sisters and the family were especially revelatory or her reactions to them, yet I was invested in Genevieve. I felt she made a big deal out of life's common occurrences, so I kept expecting more. The great ‘betrayal’ was lackluster. I guess I’m jaded from my own experiences, but her ‘violation’ was meager, yet it incapacitated and traumatized her and it just seemed inauthentic. Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for giving me the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

This is a beautifully written first novel. The way this author explores relationships and emotions in this story is exceptional. The narrative focuses on the bond between two girls in a family, Genevieve and Arin, from its unusual and intense beginnings into its tortured and anguished future.

The main protagonist is Genevieve, who starts life as the only child of hard-working parents, both with complex and tough backgrounds. They are living with Genevieve’s paternal grandmother in a modest apartment. Then one day, Arin comes into their lives, a child relation of theirs who was unknown to them beforehand.

Arin and Genevieve form a strong sister bond, both determined to do their best in school to achieve academic success in the competitive small country of Singapore. However, their futures unfold in ways neither of them had predicted, and the differences in their personalities and the ways they each work toward success lead to a serious rift between them.

Arin, who was abandoned by her family and at a young age understood that she was not wanted by her parents, could not help but to have a different world outlook from Genevieve. While Arin could put up an act and manipulate people, Genevieve’s emotions were more honest, on the surface. She was not as confident and had no talent for faking it.

Meanwhile, Genevieve’s parents are parting ways, and then it seems that these four people who made a family are now scattered. Reading this, I felt the sadness and frustration about the fact that so often, decisions that people make when they are very young, before much perspective is gained, affect the rest of their lives. Despite all that transpires during this story, Arin and Genevieve are still young women at the end of its telling. This does offer some hope.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for providing me with a review copy of this memorable novel. I would recommend it to anyone and certainly read Jemimah Wei’s work again.

Before I forget, since this is an ARC, maybe a couple of corrections can be made (if anyone reads this)? Referring to a visit to a bookstore early in the book, "As I led them to the stationary section..." I'd bet all the sections of the store were stationary. I think you mean "stationery" with an e. Also, the author uses the word "bemused" a number of times, and in virtually every instance, the context makes it seem like she means amused. Bemused doesn't mean amused. It means confused. Someone should do some editing and fix that. Now, as for the story itself...

I cannot understand why I've seen a number of rave reviews on Goodreads for this book. The protagonist, Gen, has early academic success, coming from a drive to succeed. She works hard, and I wouldn't begrudge her that success. But she also, at various points in her life, is just not a nice person. In those early days, when she's trying to best those who come from better socio-economic backgrounds, there are opportunities to be friendly, and she spurns those. There even are those (one in particular who comes to her aid in later years) who make efforts to try to befriend her, and Gen is quite obnoxious in her rejection of the overtures towards friendship. Yes, some of the other girls in her school think she shouldn't succeed because of her background, but she hardly rises above.

In later years, she helps her "sister" Arin (who is family but technically not her sister) succeed, but then she seems to look for reasons to be angry at her and spurn her. She also gives no thought to her mother's suffering. Gen has a gift for seeing herself as a victim. I went back and re-read parts, to see if I'd misunderstood Gen's behavior, but I don't see it. Her sister, Arin, spends time with her and helps her; and yes, Arin uses a little piece of Gen's history as part of a movie she's in. Perhaps Gen even has a right to be upset that she did that without asking, but she blows it all out of proportion. Neither of them is perfect, but Gen destroys the relationship they had and does so in a way that deprives her dying mother of a chance to say goodbye to Arin.

Some may see Gen as a victim, but some friends of hers in her new/temporary home of Christchurch, New Zealand, hit it on the head after the building their theater is in is heavily damaged in an earthquake. Gen goes back there, and is asked, as these people are sitting amid the ruins after a prior quake already had devastated their lives,
"What do you want, Genevieve?"
"I came to see if you were all right--"
"If we're all right? What do you think?"
"I--"
"Go home, Genevieve . . . Haven't we done enough for you? Go home."

But that hit the nail on the head. Gen sees things through the lens of poor Gen. Yes, she has had hardships in her life, as many do, but she handles much of it terribly and hurts people who care about her and have tried to help her.

While I began this book sympathetic to Gen, by the end I truly disliked her. Perhaps some still will enjoy this overly long story of a brat who never grew out of it, but I really didn't like it.

Growing up in a small, working-class house in Singapore with her parents and overbearing grandma, Genevieve’s life changes forever when Arin shows up to live with them. The product of her grandfather’s second family, Arin struggles to fit in but eventually, the two girls become sisters. When a betrayal divides them, Gen must decide what is truly important in life, and figure out how to forgive. The Original Daughter is well-written and Gen’s character is developed and complex, but not enough happens for me and too much time is spent in Gen’s musings and moaning. A good edit and a little more action would have elevated this book, but I enjoyed the Singapore background and the difficulties of the dysfunctional family.

An unexpected addition to the Yang family brings chaos and division. Genevieve Yang lives with her mother, father, and grandmother in Bedok. Her father is a taxi driver, and her mother works at the local university. Her grandmother lives with them; she is a widow—or so they thought. The normal days change when an unexpected cousin arrives at their home. She is to be raised in their family as a sister to Genevieve. Arin clings to her new sister and they both begin to excel at school. Being good students will guarantee the girls good placement in higher education. The better the education, the better the future. Genevieve struggles with the unexpected attention her new sister receives. A school award for Arin causes a fracture in their sisterhood. Their estrangement seems to suit both girls until there is a need for them to reunite. Can they reconcile their differences?

Culture, values, and traditions complicate the story of an unexpected change in life. The girls begin their relationship in simple times when school is their primary focus. They are poor and the lure of making money on social media becomes all-consuming. Success brings new problems. Traditional values aren't applicable, and the people who grew up believing in them feel unmoored. Families and relationships are forced to change as social media boldly attacks tradition. Wei has captured the life and emotions of a family with her well-developed characters. While there are recognizable cultural differences, the love and devotion of a family remain. Genevieve's struggles are understandable and relatable. Her story, while fiction, resonates.

This seemed promising for a good story of family ans sisters and mothers stories. I found it to be overly detailed and I just got tired of reading it. I got so I just didn’t care about the characters. Despite that I liked the style of writing.

This extraordinary debut showcases two sisters that are brought up in Singapore. One was adopted from another family. The book explores sibling rivalry and the many ways they hurt each other while loving each other deeply. The author portrays the family dynamic and how they adjust to abandonment, success, failure and disappointment. The characters are fully formed, warts and all. In some ways, the writing reminds me of Adam Haslett, with the depth of a mid-career author. I am very impressed and love spending time in her world.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday for this advanced readers copy.