Reviews tagging 'Suicidal thoughts'

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

336 reviews

cowrie123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This isn’t an easy read—it’s a visceral and infuriating experience that will haunt your thoughts long after you finish. This dystopian satire dives into the relentless criticism and self-doubt mothers face, exploring the impossible standard of “perfect” motherhood. I wanted to throw the book at the wall more than once! A must-read for anyone ready to confront these harsh, unspoken truths.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Suicide

nmuels's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

 I think I would have enjoyed this book more if the world were not actively falling apart around us. Mayhaps the weeks leading up to an election are not the best time to read a dystopian sci-fi surrounding women's rights and reproductive freedoms, etc.

That said, the writing and the storytelling are great. The content is just "oof". And I don't know that I'd recommend this book to any mothers or folks trying to become mothers. Yike. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Suicide, and Abandonment

Minor: Violence and Xenophobia

nezi's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The saddest thing I’ve read in quite some time.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Moderate: Child abuse, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Abandonment

Minor: Death, Racism, Self harm, Violence, and Kidnapping

_fallinglight_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book is the future Republicans want.

I'm never going to be a mom and still reading this both unsettled and infuriated me!! Took me such a long time to get through it bc I literally wanted to jump some of these characters lmao Also, Gust is a frickin sociopath and he should be in daddy jail bc fůck that guy.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Child abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racism, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment

perfectcupoftea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage

rewatchrereadrewind's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

msemeniuk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol

billiejb's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

*terrible timing for me to read this book, left me feeling far too raw and hurt and I cannot tell if I didn’t like it because of my life at present or if it was just too yuck for me even in a good moment. I honestly would not recommend this book to anyone without HUGE warnings. 
*writing was easy to read but not overly descriptive, some moments where she tired and others that she seemed to pass over quickly so a bit inconsistent for me. 
*the fucked up nearness to potential reality was confusing and scary in a good way, could see it being fleshed out a bit into a black mirror type mini series. 
*whilst horrible to read I can tell it is going to be a great book club conversation book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts

ezismythical's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This is a REALLY rough read. It is definitely worth it, but hard as hell.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Colonisation

geohawk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mental illness, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Kidnapping

Minor: Addiction and Rape

Institutional abuse is an ongoing theme in the book.