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A review by dr_dr_olshakes
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I struggled with this one, and not because of the harrowing subject matter. I wanted to follow the author down their exploration of motherhood, judgement, oppression, and systemic racism. However, the absolute cartoonish evil of the School required such a suspension of disbelief that it was almost comical at times. I suppose it was meant to be satirical, but this book is so far from a black comedy in every other aspect that it makes the extreme antics of the School laughable. I honestly almost DNFed when the group leads/scientists started slapping the dolls in the face. Or when the scientists all went around and said they don't even have children. Or when the changing of the blue liquid was so invasive and the scientists ignored it. Or when the book abandons nuance and it turns out all the fathers are treated so much better. Like I said, cartoonishly evil, especially for an extremely serious book.
I also want to call attention to how this book handles race. In some aspects, great! It's so rare to read a book that doesn't exist on the black/white dichotomy and acknowledges that POC groups can also stereotype and be prejudiced against other POC groups. It's approach to whiteness and Asian-American dynamics was well done. But...the author's own stereotyping was incredibly off-putting. Are we really, actually, really going to have a Black mom with six kids by six different fathers?? Are we really going to have aggressive and confrontational black women?? Are all the Latina mothers really going to care if their dolls speak Spanish? Are we really going to have the main defining trait of the Latina moms just be their language?? Honestly a bit shocking that the six kid thing was allowed to go to print.
On a more personal critique, that I acknowledge was almost certainly intentional, I didn't like Frida and especially Frida's inability to acknowledge that abandonment is abuse, pinching is physical abuse, and that her treatment of Susannah was in fact horrible and misdirected and harmful to her child. Truly, truly did not like that. I'm not saying that getting sent to CPS Supermax Prison is the correct answer, but I'm glad someone called in a wellness check for Harriet because Frida's treatment of her seemed like it was on a quick downward spiral. Good lord.
I also want to call attention to how this book handles race. In some aspects, great! It's so rare to read a book that doesn't exist on the black/white dichotomy and acknowledges that POC groups can also stereotype and be prejudiced against other POC groups. It's approach to whiteness and Asian-American dynamics was well done. But...the author's own stereotyping was incredibly off-putting. Are we really, actually, really going to have a Black mom with six kids by six different fathers?? Are we really going to have aggressive and confrontational black women?? Are all the Latina mothers really going to care if their dolls speak Spanish? Are we really going to have the main defining trait of the Latina moms just be their language?? Honestly a bit shocking that the six kid thing was allowed to go to print.
On a more personal critique, that I acknowledge was almost certainly intentional, I didn't like Frida and especially Frida's inability to acknowledge that abandonment is abuse, pinching is physical abuse, and that her treatment of Susannah was in fact horrible and misdirected and harmful to her child. Truly, truly did not like that. I'm not saying that getting sent to CPS Supermax Prison is the correct answer, but I'm glad someone called in a wellness check for Harriet because Frida's treatment of her seemed like it was on a quick downward spiral. Good lord.