Thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday for the ebook. We follow a family in Lagos through multiple generations as we see the effects of a family curse: No woman in the family will ever have a successful, long term relationship with a man. Young Eniiyi is a modern woman and has no time for this nonsense, except she does seem to look exactly like her dead aunt and now she’s even fallen in love with someone whose family might be the reason that her aunt died. This is such a fun and devastating family epic with rich family characters throughout.

Having read " My sister, the serial killer" I knew this book would be a good read. What I was not ready for was the detail in four generations and how each woman tried to outrun the curse, but didn't succeed or did they.
to me this book shines a light on how family history isn't shared and how a curse will follow you if you give it life. While Eniiyi is who we're introduced to as the reincarnation of her aunt. For me it's her mom who steals the book for me. Ebun left me wanting to know more about her and how she felt and what was going on in her mind the entire book. To see how Monife viewed her thru Ebuns eyes and what she "thought" she was feeling but never quite knowing. I think this was intentional because I believe this is how Eniiyi felt her entire childhood as well. This origin story was everything and the amount of detail in each person especially the men. This will definitely be an excellent 2025 read.

Eniiyi is a young woman born to a family of Nigerian woman beloved to be cursed. Everyone in her family believes her to be the reincarnation of her deceased cousin Monife.Eniiyi falls in love with the handsome boy she saves from drowning, she can no longer run from her family’s history. As several women in her family have done before, she ill-advisedly seeks answers in older, darker spiritual corners of Lagos, demanding solutions. Will she be able to break the curse once and for all ? I enjoyed reading this novel. The writing style was on point , and I liked reading about the history behind different women in the story. This book explores themes such as family dynamics, societal expectations, and love.

“Cursed Daughters” is the latest novel by Oyinkan Braithwaite. Like her acclaimed work “My Sister, The Serial Killer,” Braithwaite explores complex themes such as family dynamics, loyalty, and the societal expectations faced by Nigerian women, all while still feeling universal.

In this novel, the author vividly portrays one family's struggle with a curse across generations, focusing primarily on Eniiya, who is believed to be the reincarnation of her deceased cousin Monife.

I loved this story—I found myself questioning whether the family was navigating rivalries and self-fulfilling prophecies that justified poor decision-making and circumstances beyond their control, or if the curse was actually real. I enjoyed the sharp, witty writing style and the symbolism of the black kite, and the look at women throughout the family over time.

My only complaint is that while we learn about the female lineage and their struggles with love and relationships, we don't get to see much more beyond that. For example, Eniiya studied genetic counseling, and although this is mentioned, I'd love to see her explicitly contemplate concepts like epigenetics or how science influences the debate of nature versus nurture. While I found this book compelling and recommend it, it does not pass the Bechdel test. I wish the characters were portrayed in a more well-rounded way within the context of this plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday for the ARC. This read will linger in my thoughts for a while. 4.5 Stars