Reviews tagging 'Blood'

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

18 reviews

easta98's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful relaxing sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Self harm, and Suicide

Minor: Rape, Alcohol, Drug use, Blood, Addiction, Car accident, Death, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

daniellenelson's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Racism, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Vomit, Suicide, Blood, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Confinement, and Emotional abuse

happyhippielinds's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious 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

5.0

This was one of the most beautifully devastating books I have ever read.

Sure, there were a lot of turbo-horny Freaka moments and I've questioned my sanity several times while reading this, but it was hard not to root for Frida. I achieved levels of empathy I never thought possible - but I quickly found myself hoping Frida would earn back the right to the one thing that gave her life meaning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Child abuse, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Blood

kelisabeth's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Homophobia, Infertility, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Biphobia, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Suicide attempt

lastokes61's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

Frida Liu is an overworked,  exhausted, divorced Mom who has a very bad day. She leaves her 18 month old daughter alone for 2 hours, and gets caught. This reckless act causes her to lose custody of Harriett.  To regain custody Frida must attend a 12 month re-education program for mothers, where the mantra is " I am a bad mother, but I am learning to be good."  The "reform school" has the mothers under constant surveillance.  Their trainers are mostly childless women and the mothers are forced to bond with robot children and care for them under every conceivable situation.  The issues of race, gender imbalance in parenting, mental health, isolation, and the state dictating "perfect" parenting styles are all at play here. This is a very Orwellian.  So much to discuss about in this book. This is an intense and capivatiing debut novel. Definitely worth a read. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Racial slurs, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexism, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Grief, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abandonment, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Outing, Classism, Vomit, Self harm, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Body horror, Death, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

janienejulia's review against another edition

emotional sad medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Child abuse, Suicide, and Kidnapping

Moderate: Confinement, Death, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Racism, Sexism, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content

Minor: Alcohol, Blood, and Panic attacks/disorders

sarwils's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Drug use, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Miscarriage, Self harm, Pregnancy, Child death, Death, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Sexual content, Antisemitism, Violence, Blood, Alcohol, and Police brutality

laurenkimoto's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I wanted to love this book but I didn’t. 
Think if the Handmaids Tale, 1984, and Klara and the Sun had a book child. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Gaslighting, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Drug use, Infertility, Abandonment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, Self harm, Alcoholism, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mental illness, and Miscarriage

alyssancoon96's review against another edition

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? Yes

3.5

What does a very bad day cost you? The concept of the school in this book makes me want to scream- cry- throw up. Brutally written. Very good, but can't recommend it. Commentary on sexism and double standards in parenting. The fact that perfect is never good enough. The whole book made me mad and sad. I cried at the end. What would you do to be with your child?

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Blood, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence

Minor: Homophobia

ressicajicks's review

dark emotional mysterious sad fast-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Death, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Grief, Sexual content, Cancer, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide