Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

53 reviews

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

phillippa123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Abandonment

rai's review

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Suicide, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Abandonment

cartermon4's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I was so frustrated throughout the book, but it definitely hints at real world inequalities and insane expectations for mothers.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Drug use, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Xenophobia, Vomit, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident

kezharri's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Really enjoyed the concept but feel the ending was confusing and a little anti climatic

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Sexism, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Pregnancy

talonsontypewriters's review against another edition

challenging 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

4.5

jesus fucking christ

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Alcoholism, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Car accident, Lesbophobia, and Fire/Fire injury

libswagmenter's review

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.5

I am furious at everyone who told me to read this book, including Barack Obama. This was 300 pages of a mother's worst nightmare (maybe like top 5 worst nightmares.) I will give her this, it was a well-written horror, and I hated it very much.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide

Minor: Child death, Racism, Sexual assault, and Violence

crystalsparkles's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

5.0

Highly recommend checking out the trigger warnings first and only read if you can truly handle them.  This book is soooo good.  The story had me raging, and bawling, frustrated by injustice and hopeful… It is devastating. There were times when I didn’t know if I could finish the story, because it almost hits too hard. Especially in the global political climate, who’s to say this is too far of a stretch for North America sometime in the nearish future.  It will surely make you question your own parenting.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Abandonment

Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Hate crime, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Car accident, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Cultural appropriation, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Cancer, Pedophilia, and Kidnapping

bookdragonkatie's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense slow-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

4.0

Infuriating. An extremely well-written and well-crafted novel, but absolutely infuriating and heart-wrenching. Check TW/CW before picking this one up; it is not a book I would recommend to just anyone, but I do think those who enjoy dystopian novels, particularly those novels that feel real or that they *could* see happening in the near future, will enjoy this read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Addiction, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail