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ezismythical's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Kidnapping, and Colonisation
talonsontypewriters's review against another edition
- 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
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
crystalsparkles's review against another edition
- 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
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
sageysage's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, and Lesbophobia
savvylit's review against another edition
- 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
If the above summary of this work doesn't already suggest it, this is a very dark novel. Jessamine Chan crafts an all-too-believable police state that dictates "proper" motherhood. And, as in real life, mothers of color are treated much more harshly by the system. Though I am not a mother myself, it's not hard to see that the extremes of this novel are an extension of the very real pressures that our society imposes upon mothers.
Overall, The School for Good Mothers was an incredibly captivating novel that made me think a lot about motherhood, societal norms, and judgement (both legal and cultural). At first, I thought that the School portions of this story dragged. Upon reflection, though, I think that may have been the point - readers start to yearn for graduation day right alongside Frida. (When will she finally be deemed good?) Additionally, I also initially thought that this book was too rooted in the gender binary; there is not a single mention of non-cis motherhood. However, I think that rooting this story in the male/female, mother/father gender binary is part of what made this book even more terrifying. All of the State's rules for motherhood were extremely patriarchal. Obsessing over puritanical ideas of femininity and motherhood is just one more way that the State controls and oppresses its parents.
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
ginnypie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This was one of the most brutal, devastating, and bleak books i’ve ever reas. This is a dystopian novel about a CPS- funded boot camp/reeducation for parents who’ve been found to be negligent or abusive. The wardens of this school remind me of some of the more insane mommy bloggers that i’ve come across, with lots of obvious misinformation. The writing style is very matter or fact and i believe it was done intentionally to emphasize how hopeless Fridas situation is.
There’s also a camp for fathers and that camp is a lot more lenient than the mothers camp, which i believe directly reflects standards for motherhood v fatherhood and it just pissed me off.
Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Grief
sarwils's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Drug use, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Pregnancy
Minor: Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, and Alcohol
faduma's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, Gaslighting, and Classism
itsbumley's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Blood, Police brutality, Car accident, Abortion, and Sexual harassment
laurenren's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicide, and Forced institutionalization
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Cursing, Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Kidnapping