In the Prologue, we are introduced to two characters and a potential third. What do you think of the descriptors we are given of each one?
Monife in the prologue talks about a boy. One she hopes goes through pain and chokes on it. What do you think could have happened between Monife and the boy to cause this?
Ebun, Monife’s cousin, notes that Tolu is walking around the funeral with condemnation. Do you think it is possible that Monife was referring to his pain and suffering in the prologue?
What do you think of Mo’s mother removing all the pictures of her daughter?
Ebun’s daughter is born five weeks early and just after giving birth, Ebun looks into her daughter’s eyes and sees a resemblance to Mo. What do you think is the significance of this?
When Ebun wakes on her second night she notices a figure walking to her daughter’s cot. Do you think this was a dream?
Mo explains to Ebun how the family was cursed. What do you think of this? Do you think the curse is the reason why Mo walked into the ocean?
Aunty Bunmi notices the similarities between Mo and Ebun’s daughter. What do you think of her claiming partial ownership over the daughter?
What do you think of Aunty Bunmi trying to be very involved in the process? From constantly holding the baby to attempting to buy naming rights?
Ebun is ambushed by her mother and aunt to follow tradition. Are you someone who leans more traditional? Or are you more on the fence?
What do you think of the name Eniiyi?
Part one is set in the year 2000. What do you think of Part Two being set six years earlier?
Do you think that by preparing for the curse, Mo’s great-grandfather did in fact believe in it?
In Part II Chapter I, we learn more about Bunmi. Do you think her persistence will come to play a role in Ebun and Eniiyi’s life? If so, in what way?
Mo and Ebun attempt to get Aunty Bunmi’s money back. What do you make of the interaction and Mama G saying that one day Mo will need her help?
On the way home, Mo buys a dog from a hawker. Why do you think she does this? Is it to upset the parents? Or for another reason?
When the girls arrive home, they notice Tolu, Mo’s brother, hanging up the call. Why do you think Tolu lies to his mother and says that his father is asking for her? Do you think that by doing this, he is feeding into her idea that he will come back?
Do you think Mo will get rid of the dog?
11 responses to “Cursed Daughters – Day One”
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1. The prologue describes the characters in a way that is very strong on magic realism.
2. Perhaps she had loved him too much. Or perhaps he had been physically violent towards her.
3. It’s very possible that Monife was referring to Tolu, but as they are
cousins I really hope not.
4. In some strange way it made a little
Sense that she would remove the photos. Her way of grieving was forgetting.
5. That perhaps she had an affair with Tolu.
6. Very likely was a dream as the novel feels very “dreamlike”. But more of a fever dream.
7. It all depends on whether you believe in curses, and curses need people to believe in order to work. Personally I only believe curses work if you believe they do.
8. She believes that the new baby is a reincarnation of her own daughter. I think she wants it to be true so that she can try again.
9. Aunty Bunmi’s involvement will be frustrating, but it’s not an uncommon trait in families. The meddlesome aunt is a common character in fairy tales, and perhaps Cursed Daughters is a bit of a modern fairy tale.
10. I can go either way with names. As long as it means something to the mother. The name is beautiful in my opinion.
11. I love flashbacks and different periods of time as a framework for a novel. It’s fun to time travel.
12. Yes, but he also could have been humouring the women in his family.
13. Yes she could definitely be an important figure in the story. Especially as the mother-daughter dynamic is so unstable in this novel.
14. This was a great bit of almost comic relief. A little break from the novel’s initial seriousness.
15. I immediately wondered about her reasoning for the dog. Especially since she knew it would be a problem for both her mother and her aunt. I think she’s trying to stir up a little trouble.
16. Perhaps he wants to avoid an altercation with his mother. Or to spare her feelings as he knows how much his father’s abandonment hurts.
17. I somehow doubt she will get rid of the dog. It seems significant that she got it in the first place. I really hope she keeps it. -
1. I was very interested in knowing who Mami Wata is. If she was in deed real or not. Here Monife was mentioned but not much is said about who she is just the situation she finds herself in. Then there is Golden Boy and from all the bad things Monife wishes upon him he must have done some terrible things.
2. Definitely a failed relationship and the boy is the reason.
3. I am not really sure. So much in those first few chapters was confusing and it all unravels as you read on.
4. It’s normal when one is grieving. You do what you think will lighten the load and I think that’s all she was doing.
5. Growing up we were taught that when you lose something you are always blessed with another and when someone passed on we knew that to mean that another would be born. And in most causes those people are the same gender and have an unmistakable resemblance. So I definitely think the child was Mo in another form.
6. It seemed a little too real to be a dream. I definitely think it was real.
7. I always find polygamy to be something that requires all parties to have grace and compassion for all involved if not it becomes a survival of the fittest test.
Probably. Given the mermaid story at the beginning.
8. I found it to be sad. But also it gave aunty Bunmi some hope which is always a good thing to have when grieving.
9. She is trying to give herself the full experience of feeling that she was in deed part of the child’s life from the beginning. After all she does think this is her daughter having returned to them.
10. I only follow traditions I understand and believe in. I actually didn’t know about a naming ceremony and found it to be so profound to be able to speak life and blessings to a child. I loved that name and loved more that Ebun is the one that named her daughter.
11. I always struggle at first with stories that go from present to past but if told well the reader does find the flow as they continue reading and I think I’m definitely finding the flow.
12. They all seem to have believed it.
13. Definitely because we see how she has tried over the years to fight the curse and might just be the one to help Ebun and Enugu fight the cause too.
14. It seems all the women of the family end up going to her for help. Which clearly they don’t find thus they are where they are.
15. For another reason. To have something to take care of and focus on.
16. He knows that it would make his mother happy so yes he feeds her the idea to keep her hopeful.
17. Nope I don’t think so.
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Mami Wata peaked my interest. Because who is she and what will she mean for this story. Here they don’t really go into detail about Molife but more of the state that her body was found in, which makes me really want to know what happened to her for her body to have ended up in that manner. And then, the Golden Boy must be the guy Molife is in love with.
Since I already know what the curse is about, he probably left Molife for someone else.
I don’t think so as the three of them seemed really close to each other since what I’ve read.
I think that’s maybe just her way coping with her daughter’s death, which is fair since everyone doesn’t grieve the same.
I really think this is a reincarnation of Mo, maybe she will be the one to break the curse in the end.
I don’t believe this was a dream. It was definitely odd that there was after all water on the floor after she woke up.
I definitely think that the curse is the reason why Mo walked into the water. I don’t know why but I think the father of Ebun’s child might be the same man Mo was in love with. That would explain why Tolu is also not talking to Ebun after Mo’s death.
That was just weird behaviour from Bunmi and it makes me feel uncomfortable.
Bunmi is definitely giving weird vibes right now. I get that this might be part of the grieving but basically acting as if someone else’s child is yours and disregarding the feelings of Ebun is going to end bad for her, cause once Ebun decides to take herself and her daughter out of this toxic situation, Bunmi will again suffer the loss of a child that is not even hers.
There are some traditions where I feel it’s very beautiful and meaningful, so it should be carried on. But most of the time I would also just like to do my own thing or even create family traditions of my own. And I absolutely love the name, it also sounds better than the other two names.
I think this is going to be the start of why Mo’s ends up walking into the ocean.
Definitely, but I think he just wanted to give his daughters hope of finding happiness.
Yes, I think at some point she will genuinely believe that the child is hers and I can already feel like this is not about to end well if she goes on the way she does.
I think Mama G definitely knows about the curse and just said if because maybe other women of that family has asked her for help, but also feel like it’s a premonition.
I think this was her way of proving a point to her mother. To her her mother was spending money they don’t have on an unnecessary matter and I think she did it to prove that point to her mother.
I think he does it to spare her feelings but he’s not realising it’s doing more bad than good feeding into his mother’s delusions.
I don’t think so. She has a very strong personality and gives off the vibe that she will stand on her point no matter what. So I don’t think she will give up the dog willingly or easily.
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1. The first line has me thinking maybe Mo’s beauty was likened to that of a mermaid then I realised the two aren’t one, is Mami Wata a character on its own?
Golden Boy isn’t positively portrayed and this gives me a feeling he must’ve done something wrong.2. I think it could be a love interest gone wrong, Mo sounded hurt.
3. Possibly not, with my reason being that Tolu is Mo’s brother and the pain and suffering sounded to me that it was wished upon a lost love. Incestuous?
4. I think it must be grief and could be hurt considering how Mo died.
5. I think when we look at people we see what we want to see and that is what happened in this instance.
6. I think was all a dream.
7. I am convinced everything is because of the curse, including Mo walking into the ocean.
8. At first I thought it was unfair of her to do so but when she said “She is our daughter, and we will love her even better this time” I fully understood her.
9. I think this is relative, depending on how the new mother feels about it. Ebun didn’t like it and this makes it wrong of Aunty Bunmi to do so.
10. I am more on the fence, with my mother and grandma anchoring me on the traditional side. Considering the history of the family. Eniiyi is a beautiful name.
11. I struggled a bit to adjust to the time travel but as soon as I got into it, I was glued!
12. Yes, he absolutely believed it.
13. I think Bunmi’s persistence would have a role on any child who is living with a parent existing in the past, failing to move on.
14. Mama G is probably ‘helping’ a lot of people in the community and believes that at some point Mo will undoubtedly need her ‘help’.
15. Convinced is to upset the parents, probably a way to rebel.
16. I think he is doing it just so he does not upset her. He is feeding into the idea and I think the best thing to do would’ve been for him to be honest and maybe that could’ve been a wake up call.
17. I don’t think she will get rid of the dog, strikes me as someone who doesn’t want to be told what to do.
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First, can I just say how wild it is that this lady keeps going on about how this new child is Mo reincarnated. Like lady, I know you miss your child but DO NOT reduce this new life to your daughters old one. That was absolute diabolical, like lady? Are you serious??
So, I think the pain described in the prologue as it relates to the boy makes sense given the context of the curse – which might I add it a wild story in and of itself. I know relationships fail for all sorts of reasons, but I do think the curse defs contributed to the demise of her relationship. I mean home girl said: “no man will call your house a home, … they will find no peace… your daughters will pursue men, but men will be like water in their palms…” I mean!? What a wild curse lady! But yoh, Feranmi didn’t take her seriously and here we are. So, I am not surprised that things ended between the pair of them.
It’s hard to say what exactly is the cause of pain – grief manifests differently for each person. I think removing her pictures is her way of coping with her loss. I mean there is no doubt that she loves her daughter (please refer to my starting paragraph). The lady is so consumed with her loss that she wants to make Eniiyi Mo.
Well, the curse was your daughters will pursue men, and they will be like water in their palms so ofc the mark of her daughters will be reflected in their appearance. Daughters have some resemblance to their parents – in this case to their mother and so it stands to reason that Feranmi’s line of women would resemble her likeness since they are her cursed daughters.
Yes, initially I thought it was a dream until she stood at the cot and found her feet wet with water. Clearly it wasn’t a dream then. Unless her hallucination game is that strong.
I don’t think it’s the reasons she walked into the ocean, but I do this it explains why all the women are without men despite having children by those men.
I think tradition is good, but it shouldn’t override reason. I think if a woman is hellbent on claiming your child because they resemble her dead daughter and the name, she wants to give the child is more a chain or a rather a shadow over her future then 100% do not allow tradition to win. I am glad she settled on Eniiyi which has a much better meaning than “I have come again”.
The author wants to give us context, and so it makes sense to go back in time as it were.
Yes, I do think he believed it, and honestly, I do too, the evidence supports that conclusion.
I think she will but in what way, time will only say.
Mo and Ebun attempt to get Aunty Bunmi’s money back. What do you make of the interaction and Mama G saying that one day Mo will need her help?
I think it is to upset them because she knows they would be against it. But ofc it could be for another reason as well. Perhaps she wants something to focus on and take care of. There is often more than one reason for doing the things we do. She defs is not giving the dog up. Not without a fight at least.
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1. Mama wata piqued my interest. It seems like there’ll be a bit of magic realism in this book!
2. I’m also wondering the same thing. Maybe they realized they can’t be together?
3. I doubt it
4. It’s like she’s removing her existence, and wants to pretend she never existed. It’s curious behaviour.
5. The child will have Mo’s traits.
6. Yes
7. I think it is, yess
8. Ebun will have a hard time with her daughter. She’s as good as her Aunt’s daughter. I can’t wait to see how this relationship unfolds.
9. She thinks she’s a reincarnation of Mo.
10. I’m on the fence, if it does not make sense I’ll question it, and probably won’t go through with it. The meaning given in the book is a beautiful one.
11. It’s nice to have background story in the story itself rather than it being narrated hurriedly.
12. He surely believed in it.
13. Yeah it will. I don’t think it’ll be a good way to be honest.
14. She probably knows about the curse
15. I thought she just wanted something that will belong to her no matter what. Dogs are loyal.
16. I think he just does not want to hurt her feelings. He can see how much she wants him back.
17. She seems stubborn, I don’t think so. -
1. Hinting at magical realism and significant events or people.
2. I think she loved him, and he hurt her; everyone loved him, hence Golden Boy.
3. Possibly.
4. People grieve in different ways.
5. A family resemblance or a possible twinge of fear?
6. Quite possibly a visitation?
7. Possibly, but I think it’s too early to tell.
8. A mother trying to assuage her grief and hoping for a second chance.
9. It’s starting to become annoying. It was traditional.
10. I’m indifferent to both names and traditions.
11. Love a dual timeline – it adds perspective.
12. If he didn’t believe it, then he was trying to be “rather safe than sorry”.
13. Aunties always play a part in people’s lives.
14. Typical conman shennigans.
15. Definitely to upset the parents, but she may have another reason.
16. He’s trying not to hurt her feelings.
17. We’ll find out. -
– The descriptors were brief but made you interested in what was to follow in the novel and excited to begin reading!
– Have no idea what could have happened and can’t wait to find out!
– Perhaps Tolu is involved, hard to say at this point. I think removing the paintings is one way of expressing grief.
– I think the resemblance to Mo is important as this book is about female legacy and family.
– I did think it was a dream, yes.
– I think the curse definitely played a role in Mo walking into the ocean but it’s hard to say more at this point in the novel.
– I think Aunty Bumi is grieving and that plays a role in her wanting to claim ownership of Ebun’s daughter. Her behaviours are justified when we consider the pain she dealing with.
– I am someone who loves traditions and upholding them.
– I think Enyii is a beautiful name.
– I think Part Two is going to create a great backstory to understanding Monife.
– I think to some extent he did believe in the curse, yes.
– I think Bunmi will become a central character in the novel and in their lives.
– I think that is foreshadowing later plot developments.
– I think Mo buys the dog to feel like she has in some way taken her own action. Perhaps also to stir tensions in the house.
– I’m not sure why Tolu lied, we don’t know enough about him yet.
– I think Mo will definitely find a way to keep the dog! -
1. We don’t get much on who Mami Wata is but Monife comparing herself to that of a mermaid holds a huge relevance regarding how the story progresses and how men (Golden Boy) falls prey to the siren but ultimately disappoints them.
It starts to set up this eerie feeling of magical elements.2. He could’ve possibly broken her heart/left her as we know that the Falodun women are cursed in regards to their love life.
3. I don’t think so?
4. Grievance has various different forms. Nobody’s coping skills are the same and if she believes that removing the photo’s will help lessen her pain then that is the best way for her to process her grief.
5. Yet again, I feel that this is a set up for the magical elements that will start to present itself. Whether it’s true reincarnation or a warning for the curse being passed down is still left to be determined.
6. I don’t think it was a dream. I think it was either the curse making itself known or Mo’s spirit of protection watching over Ebun’s daughter. The floor was also wet when she went over to her daughter suggesting some supernatural vibes.
7. It’s hard to say this early on but I think it could possibly be because of the curse. Could be that she was tired of falling victim like the rest of her family.
8. I think it’s her way of holding on to what she’s lost. Hoping that she’ll get a second chance at having her daughter back.
9. It’s extreme but yet again grievance is not linear. I think she was just incredibly desperate to cling on to the possibility of having something/someone that reminds her of her daughter.
10. I think traditions are important. It can be beautiful and bring you peace spiritually but I also don’t think it should be forced down onto generations.
I think Eniiyi is a wonderful name.11. I think it’s important that we get to see the story progress from before and after. It’s a gripping way of storytelling so that we can see how things came to be.
12. I think he believed in it.
13. I definitely think she’ll play an important role because of how attached she already is to Eniiyi.
14. I think it was a comical interaction but also had that underlying seriousness about what the future holds for these girls.
15. There’s definitely a bit of deviance but I also think it says something about Mo’s character. Maybe that she also feels a bit abandoned?
16. I don’t think he’s feeding her delusion. Maybe he’s just tired of the same conversations and trying to avoid his mother going on another rant?
17. I don’t think she’ll get rid of the dog.
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1) I loved the prologue and how the theme of magical realism was introduced. It adequately sets the tone for the rest of the book. The manner in which each character is introduced immediately piqued my interest and had me wanting to read and know more especially about Mami Wata.
2) No woman wishes pain on a man that hasn’t wronged her or harmed her first; so my assumption is that he either lied, cheated, left her for another woman, hurt her or broke her trust.
3) No I don’t think she was referring to him. I think he is just grieving and there’s no “right” way to grieve.
4) As a mother myself I will never judge how another chooses grieve the loss of their child (yes, I’m well aware this is fiction). If she finds it easier to grieve without constant reminders of her child then who are we to judge?!
5) I think it could be a multitude of things such as; the manifestation of her grief over losing Monife and she’s tired after giving birth and her mind is playing tricks on her; or the baby could possibly resemble Monife because they are first cousins or it could very well be reincarnation which a lot of cultures strongly believe in. A life taken and a life given and vice versa.
6) I don’t think it was a dream because how would there be water on the floor?
7) I loved that Mo explained it to her and she could then decided to believe in it or not. I definitely think the curse is the reason Mo walked into the water. I feel as though she may have been trying to break the curse.
8) I thought it was very weird but she is delusional and grieving.
9) She is definitely overstepping and if Ebun doesn’t set clear boundaries she’s going to constantly be fighting her aunt over rights to her daughter.
10) I follow tradition within reason. If I feel something doesn’t align with me then I won’t do it. I loved reading about the naming ceremony as Indians have this too but a slightly different version. I loved the name and its significance.
11) I love novels with dual/multiple timelines. It gives the reader valuable insight into who the characters were prior to their current timelines.
12) Yes, there would have been no reason for precautions if he didn’t believe in it.
13) Yes, she is portrayed as very stubborn woman who doesn’t like to be told what to do. She will definitely assert herself into the child’s life and overstep boundaries. But she is also very determined to break the curse albeit for her own reasons so time will tell.
14) It’s no secret that the woman of their family is cursed so; I think she knows that at some point and out of desperation that Mo will turn to her for help.
15) I think she did it for herself. Mo seems like the type of person who makes impulsive decisions and worries about the consequences later.
16) I think he has told her before that the father didn’t ask for her and his mother might have gotten emotional or upset so to try and keep the peace he lied. He is indeed giving her false hope that his father will come back.
17) No, I don’t think she will. She seems to already love it. She will keep it to spite her mother.
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I like the tease in the prologue, especially Mmami Wata and if she will have any impact in the story moving forward. I think Monife’s beauty is being compared to a mermaid and it’s ironic considering how she ended up passing away by walking into the ocean.
A huge possibility of an unsuccessful relationship that ended up breaking Monife’s heart. The boy might have proven how the curse is real to Monife.
I do not think so, the pain might have been from relationship that did not work out for Monife.
It’s grief and pain. She couldn’t come into terms with losing her daughter and the pictures were a constant reminder of Monife. Ebun had to go through a lot of family pictures while she was looking for Monife’s pictures which how this is also a common practice and custom of the family.
There could be a link between Ebun and Monife in the form of a child, a message of some sort from Monife to Ebun. Their bond was too strong like actual sisters.
A part of me really doubts how this could be a dream, I think it’s a message from Monife to Ebun, how Monife is acknowledging and welcoming Ebun’s daughter.
I don’t think the curse is the main reason but one of the contributing factors that led to Monife taking her life in the form that she did.
Totally uncalled for, I think this an act undermines Ebun and Ebun’s mother. There are resembles of Monife but she is wrong for claiming ownership of the child.
Definetely, her way of claiming the child it’s like she believes Mo came back to life in the form of Ebun’s child, a reincarnation of some sort.
A bit of both, I believe and follow tradition and its values while also not suppressing my own voice and personal values. I do not undermine traditional values. I love the name Eniiyi, it is beautiful, and I hope she will break this curse that has been terrorising the family.
The foundation of a good story is having a good backstory that will set up current events. I like how the author is taking us back down a memory lane for us to understand some of the events that are occurring even better.
Yes, you do not prepare for something that you believe it won’t happen.
Definitely, she’s very persistent and seems like someone who won’t stop at nothing to get what she wants which might spell bad news for Ebun and her daughter. Ebun will have a tough time pushing her away.
Mma G is a firm believer in the curse, and she is milking this family and making money while giving them an illusion that she’s helping them. She knows once Mo starts experiencing the effects of this curse, she will come back crawling to her for her help.
It’s a way of upsetting her parent, she knows her mother is not a fan of dogs, but she continued bringing a dog at home. She is upset at her mother for wasting money with Mama G’s herbs and this is her of getting back at her.
Tolu is just tormenting his mother, it is his way of mocking her and these rituals that Bummi is doing by being sarcastic.
I don’t think so, she might just hide it from her mother but not completely get rid of it.
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