Collapsing Walls, Shattered Hopes

In 1959 Taichung, the Wang family's home literally crumbles, setting off a chain of misfortunes. Amidst the chaos, Yi-ping gives birth to her fourth daughter, Yili, only to be met with her husband's bitter disappointment. The number four, considered unlucky in Taiwanese culture, becomes a curse in the family's eyes. Tragedy piles upon tragedy: a blinding accident, a child's death, and the family's displacement. Yi-ping, young and powerless, is swept along by tradition and superstition, unable to protect her newborn from the storm of resentment brewing in her husband's heart. The collapse of their home foreshadows the emotional and physical upheaval that will define the family's fate for decades to come.

The Unlucky Fourth Daughter

Yili's arrival is seen as an omen, her existence blamed for the family's misfortunes. Yi-ping's husband, desperate for a son, views his fourth daughter as a curse, and the family's superstitions deepen her isolation. Despite her mother's love, Yili becomes a symbol of bad luck, her presence unwelcome in a household ruled by patriarchal values. Yi-ping, only twenty-one, is trapped by obedience and fear, unable to challenge her husband's authority. The cultural weight of the number four, and the longing for a male heir, set the stage for a devastating act that will haunt the family for generations.

Secrets Across Generations

In present-day Manhattan, Liv, Yi-ping's granddaughter, is paralyzed by trauma after a violent incident at work. Her beloved grandmother, Ah-Ma, calls from Taiwan with a shocking revelation: she saw her "fourth daughter" in a crowded market. Liv, skeptical and worried about Ah-Ma's mental state, learns that her grandmother's husband gave away a daughter decades ago. The family's silence about Yili's existence is rooted in pain and shame. Liv, struggling with her own fears, is drawn into the mystery, realizing that the wounds of the past still shape the present.

Trauma in Manhattan

Liv's life in New York is defined by anxiety and isolation after surviving a traumatic shooting at her restaurant job. She is unable to return to work, haunted by memories and guilt. Her grandmother's plea for help becomes a lifeline, offering purpose and a chance to reconnect with her heritage. Liv's relationship with her mother is distant, and the family's history is shrouded in secrets. The call to Taiwan is both a challenge and an opportunity for healing, as Liv contemplates leaving her self-imposed prison to help Ah-Ma find the missing daughter.

A Call from Taiwan

Ah-Ma's FaceTime call is urgent: she believes she saw Yili, her lost daughter, in a Taichung market. She asks Liv to come to Taiwan, hoping that modern technology and youthful resourcefulness can succeed where years of searching have failed. Liv, still reeling from trauma, is hesitant but moved by her grandmother's pain. The story of Yili's disappearance unfolds—given away as a toddler, her fate unknown. Liv's decision to travel to Taiwan marks the start of a quest that will force her to confront her own fears and the family's buried history.

The Search Begins

Arriving in Taiwan, Liv is overwhelmed by the sensory richness and the emotional weight of her mission. She is greeted by Ah-Ma, whose resilience and warmth anchor her in unfamiliar surroundings. Together, they retrace the steps of the past, visiting markets and neighborhoods, searching for clues. Liv's panic attacks threaten to derail her, but the support of her grandmother and a chance encounter with Simon, a compassionate psychotherapist, offer hope. The search for Yili becomes intertwined with Liv's journey to reclaim her own sense of self.

Lost and Found in Taichung

As Liv and Ah-Ma navigate Taichung's bustling streets and vibrant food stalls, they are joined by Simon, whose understanding of trauma helps Liv manage her anxiety. The city's flavors and traditions evoke memories of family and loss. Ah-Ma shares stories of her youth, her marriage, and the pain of losing Yili. The search leads them to old friends, social media, and DNA tests, each step revealing more about the family's history and the cultural forces that shaped their lives. The bond between grandmother and granddaughter deepens, sustained by shared meals and mutual determination.

Recipes for Healing

In Ah-Ma's kitchen, Liv rediscovers her passion for food and the healing power of tradition. Together, they cook the dishes of Liv's childhood, each recipe a link to the past and a gesture of hope for the future. Liv documents their culinary journey on social media, their story resonating with viewers around the world. The act of cooking becomes a form of therapy, helping Liv process her trauma and reconnect with her heritage. The kitchen is a sanctuary where grief, love, and resilience are kneaded into every meal.

The Weight of the Past

The search for Yili brings to light the darker chapters of the family's history: the abuses of patriarchal power, the scars of martial law, and the silent suffering of women. Ah-Ma's friendship with Ziyi, a human rights advocate, reveals the hidden struggles of Taiwanese women—domestic violence, lost children, and the fight for autonomy. Liv learns of the political and personal betrayals that shaped her family, including the role of her grandfather in the persecution of innocents. The past is not easily reconciled, but understanding it is essential for healing.

Night Markets and New Beginnings

Liv and Simon's relationship deepens as they explore Taiwan's night markets, sharing food and stories. The vibrant chaos of the markets mirrors Liv's internal journey from fear to hope. Simon's support helps Liv face her panic attacks, and their growing intimacy offers a glimpse of a future beyond trauma. The search for Yili gains momentum as DNA results and social media leads bring them closer to the truth. The night markets become a symbol of possibility—a place where old wounds can be soothed and new dreams can take root.

Unraveling Family Ties

The search leads to unexpected connections: Yili is discovered to be living under a new name, adopted into another family, her own history hidden even from herself. The revelation is met with resistance from those who fear reopening old wounds. Liv and Ah-Ma must navigate the complexities of identity, belonging, and forgiveness. The family's political and personal histories are intertwined, and the process of reunion is fraught with pain and uncertainty. Yet, the possibility of healing and understanding draws them forward.

The Truth About Yili

The truth of Yili's life emerges: adopted as a shim-pua (child bride) into a family marked by its own tragedies, she grows up unaware of her origins. Her adoptive family flees Taiwan after political persecution, and Yili is raised in America, her past a mystery. The reunion with Ah-Ma is both joyful and bittersweet, as decades of separation cannot be erased. Letters, journals, and conversations fill in the gaps, allowing mother and daughter to begin the work of forgiveness and connection. The family's story is one of survival, adaptation, and the enduring power of love.

Reunion and Reckoning

The long-awaited reunion between Ah-Ma and Yili is a moment of overwhelming emotion—grief, relief, and hope mingling in their embrace. The extended family gathers, bridging continents and generations. Old resentments and misunderstandings are confronted, and the truth of the past is acknowledged. The process is not easy; forgiveness is hard-won, and the scars of loss remain. Yet, the act of coming together, of sharing stories and meals, marks the beginning of a new chapter. The family's resilience is celebrated, and the possibility of healing becomes real.

Letters Across Time

A letter written by Yili as a child, never delivered to her birth mother, becomes a symbol of longing and hope. The letter expresses the universal desire for connection, belonging, and a mother's love. Its discovery and sharing bring closure to decades of searching and sorrow. The family's story, once fragmented and hidden, is now woven together through words, food, and shared experience. The letter is a testament to the enduring bonds of family, even in the face of separation and silence.

Forgiveness and Moving Forward

The family confronts the need for forgiveness—not only of each other, but of themselves. Ah-Ma forgives herself for not being able to protect Yili; Yili forgives the circumstances that shaped her life. Liv forgives herself for surviving trauma, and Simon supports her as she seeks professional help. The family's story is one of resilience, the ability to endure and adapt in the face of loss. The act of forgiveness is not a forgetting, but a choosing to move forward, to build new memories and relationships.

New Roots, New Dreams

Liv decides to stay in Taiwan, working with Ah-Ma on a cookbook and a television show that celebrates their family's story and Taiwanese cuisine. Simon, too, chooses to remain, taking a job in Taipei so they can nurture their relationship. The family's journey comes full circle: from loss and exile to reunion and renewal. The act of creating—whether through food, writing, or love—becomes a way to honor the past while embracing the future. The family's legacy is one of courage, creativity, and connection.

Love, Loss, and Legacy

The novel closes with reflections on the meaning of family, the power of memory, and the importance of telling one's story. The wounds of the past are not erased, but they are transformed through understanding, compassion, and the sharing of experience. The family's journey—from the collapse of a home in Taichung to a reunion in modern Taiwan—becomes a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. The legacy of love, loss, and hope is passed down through generations, ensuring that the story will be remembered and retold.

Characters

Liv (Livia Kuo)

Liv is a Taiwanese American chef living in New York, paralyzed by trauma after surviving a shooting at her restaurant job. Her close bond with her grandmother, Ah-Ma, draws her into the search for the family's missing fourth daughter, Yili. Liv's journey is both external and internal: she must confront her own fears, guilt, and sense of disconnection from her heritage. Through her time in Taiwan, Liv rediscovers her passion for food, reconnects with her roots, and learns the power of vulnerability and resilience. Her relationship with Simon becomes a catalyst for growth, and her role as a bridge between generations is central to the family's healing.

Yi-ping (Ah-Ma)

Yi-ping is the matriarch whose life is defined by loss, endurance, and hope. Forced by tradition and her husband's will to give up her fourth daughter, she spends decades searching for Yili, her grief shaping the family's silence. Yi-ping's resilience is matched by her warmth and wisdom; she is both a survivor of patriarchal oppression and a source of strength for her descendants. Her friendship with Ziyi reveals her capacity for empathy and activism. The reunion with Yili is the fulfillment of a lifelong quest, and her ability to forgive and move forward is a testament to her character.

Yili (Sue Huang)

Yili, given away as a toddler and renamed Sue, grows up unaware of her origins, adopted into a family marked by its own tragedies. Her life is shaped by displacement, secrecy, and the longing for connection. As an adult, she becomes a diplomat, a peacemaker, and a mother, her strengths forged in the crucible of loss. The discovery of her true identity is both a shock and a relief, allowing her to reconcile the fragments of her past. Yili's journey is one of self-discovery, forgiveness, and the embrace of a family she never knew she had.

Simon Huang

Simon is a Taiwanese American psychotherapist who meets Liv by chance in the airport. His calm, compassionate presence helps Liv manage her anxiety and begin to heal. Simon's own history is marked by loss—his best friend's suicide and the weight of cultural silence around mental health. His relationship with Liv is grounded in mutual respect, vulnerability, and a shared desire for connection. Simon's decision to stay in Taiwan for Liv is a testament to his commitment and the possibility of new beginnings.

Ziyi

Ziyi is Ah-Ma's closest friend in Taiwan, a woman whose life is marked by both suffering and activism. Enduring years of domestic abuse and political repression, Ziyi becomes a champion for women's rights, helping others escape violence and advocating for legal reform. Her friendship with Ah-Ma is a lifeline for both women, and her courage in the face of adversity is inspiring. Ziyi's story highlights the hidden struggles of Taiwanese women and the importance of solidarity and resistance.

Clare

Clare is Yili's adoptive sister and, unbeknownst to her for much of her life, her half-sister by blood. Raised in a family marked by political persecution and loss, Clare becomes a successful editor and the keeper of her family's secrets. Her journey is one of reconciliation—with her own identity, with her adoptive and biological families, and with the traumas of the past. Clare's role as a bridge between generations and cultures is central to the family's eventual healing.

Ang-Li

Ang-Li is Yili's adoptive father, a journalist whose life is upended by political persecution and personal betrayal. After his wife's execution, he flees Taiwan with his children, raising them in America with love and vigilance. Ang-Li's journals and letters provide crucial insight into the family's history, and his commitment to protecting his children shapes their futures. His story is one of sacrifice, endurance, and the quiet heroism of everyday life.

Po-wei (Liv's Grandfather)

Po-wei is the unseen force whose actions set the family's tragedy in motion. Driven by superstition, the desire for a male heir, and the pressures of his KMT family, he gives away his fourth daughter and later betrays an old friend, leading to further suffering. His legacy is one of pain and silence, but also of eventual remorse. The family's journey toward healing is, in part, a reckoning with his choices and their consequences.

Amy

Amy is Liv's closest friend and former colleague, a fellow chef whose own life is shaped by trauma and the search for meaning. Her decision to travel the world and eventually move to Vietnam reflects her desire for renewal and connection. Amy's unwavering support for Liv is a source of strength, and her presence in Taiwan during the family's reunion underscores the importance of chosen family and friendship.

Mei Mei

Mei Mei is Ah-Ma's favorite sister-in-law, a woman whose kindness and loyalty provide comfort during times of crisis. Her own struggles and resilience mirror those of the main characters, and her role in the family is one of quiet strength and solidarity.

Plot Devices

Dual Timelines and Interwoven Narratives

The novel employs a dual timeline structure, alternating between Yi-ping's past in martial law-era Taiwan and Liv's present-day journey. This interweaving allows the reader to experience the emotional resonance of generational trauma, the persistence of memory, and the slow unraveling of family secrets. The structure creates suspense and empathy, as revelations in one timeline illuminate and complicate the other.

Epistolary Elements and Journals

The use of letters, journals, and written recipes serves as a narrative bridge between characters separated by time, distance, and silence. These documents provide insight into motivations, regrets, and hopes, allowing characters to speak across generations. The discovery of Yili's childhood letter to her mother is a poignant plot device that encapsulates longing and closure.

Food as Memory and Healing

Food is a central motif, symbolizing heritage, love, and the possibility of healing. Recipes are passed down, adapted, and shared, becoming a language through which characters express care, grief, and hope. The act of cooking together is both a literal and figurative means of mending broken bonds and reclaiming identity.

Social Media and Modern Technology

The search for Yili is propelled by DNA testing, social media, and online communities, reflecting the ways in which technology can bridge gaps that tradition and silence have created. These devices allow for the convergence of past and present, enabling the family to find what was once thought lost forever.

Trauma and Recovery

Liv's struggle with PTSD and panic attacks is depicted with sensitivity and realism, using flashbacks, sensory triggers, and therapeutic interventions as narrative devices. Her journey toward healing parallels the family's collective process of confronting and integrating painful history.

Political and Cultural Backdrop

The novel's events are set against the backdrop of Taiwan's martial law era, the White Terror, and the complexities of KMT and pan-Green politics. These historical forces are not merely context but active agents in the characters' lives, influencing choices, relationships, and the very possibility of reunion.

Analysis

The Fourth Daughter is a deeply moving exploration of how personal and political histories intertwine, shaping the destinies of individuals and families across generations. At its heart, the novel is about the search for belonging—whether as a daughter, a mother, a survivor, or a creator. Through its dual timelines and rich cast of characters, the story examines the enduring scars of patriarchy, superstition, and political violence, while also celebrating the resilience and adaptability of women. Food, memory, and storytelling become acts of resistance and healing, allowing characters to reclaim agency and forge new paths. The novel's use of modern technology as a tool for reunion underscores the ways in which tradition and innovation can coexist, offering hope for reconciliation and renewal. Ultimately, The Fourth Daughter teaches that forgiveness is not the erasure of pain, but the willingness to move forward with compassion—for oneself and others. The legacy of love, loss, and hope endures, reminding us that even the most broken families can find their way home.

Last updated: October 23, 2025