TL;DR REVIEW:

The School for Good Mothers is a wild ride of a novel. It’s not comfortable, but it’s extremely effective and absolutely does what it meant to do. I was so impressed.

For you if: You’re okay with books that aren’t always FUN to read, when it’s worth it.

FULL REVIEW:

“A mother can handle anything. A mother is always patient. A mother is always kind. A mother is always giving. A mother never falls apart. A mother is the buffer between her child and the cruel world.”

First, big thanks to Simon & Schuster for the electronic advanced copy of this book! What a way to start the year. This book is an absolutely wild ride.

The story is about a woman named Frida, a struggling single mom of a toddler who makes a terrible decision that costs her custody. In order to earn her daughter back, she must agree to an experimental new CPS program. It’s hard to say much more than that without giving things away, but suffice to say that the whole thing has a feeling of dystopia that’s just far enough inside the realm of possibility to be disturbing.

It’s been a long time since I read a book that stirred me up so much. I could have thrown it at the wall. There were several side characters that I desperately wanted to punch. Think like, Umbridge-level rage and frustration. That alone is an impressive feat. And yet the greatest triumph of the book, I think, is Frida as a character. She’s both sympathetic and unsympathetic. She forces us to confront our own ideas of what a mother should be, as we both recognize the absurdity of the standards she’s being held to and decide how we feel about the past decisions she’s made.

This book is a masterful look at the conflicting and absurd societal pressures and expectations of motherhood. If you can push your way through an uncomfortable book for the sake of the craft and impact of the story, pick it up.



CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNINGS:
Suicidal thoughts; Self-harm and suicide (off screen); Child abuse/abandonment; Child custody battle; Infidelity

The School for Good Mothers was difficult for me to get through. It was well-written but a disturbing concept. Frida Liu leaves her young daughter home alone and is sentenced to one year in a prison for mothers who have committed a variety of crimes against their children. As a mom, I just couldn't imagine any of the events in the book being acceptable. I read an interview with the author in which she spoke about the satire in the novel. I had to focus on that while reading because what the mothers went through was so awful. She took elements of our society and views on "good mothers" and took them so far over what is acceptable. I finished the book a week ago and am still processing it. This would be my worst nightmare as a parent. While this book is disturbing, it does make you think. Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

Based in a not-so-far-away future, Frida, a sleep-deprived single mother with post-partum depression and a poor support system, has a "bad day" and leaves her toddler home alone in an exersaucer for 2 hours. After a concerned neighbor calls and a welfare check happens, the child is taken into custody and Frida is determined unfit to be a mother and sent to a new government program called "The School for Good Mothers" so that she can learn the skills needed to be a worthy parent.

This book was hard to digest, it made me uncomfortable and I'll be gathering my thoughts for a while. The whole time I was reading all I could think about was the long-lasting emotional and physical trauma that each character was going through at the hands of the "system" and those in power. As someone who works with teens who have varying levels of CPS involvement in their home lives, it was heartbreaking to think of the impact this program would have on Harriet's future, as well as her mom's

Most prominently this book critiques the unrealistically perfect standards that we put on mothers. But it also examines both race and class disparities and the stressors that come along with them. At the end of the day, many of the mothers in the "school" would have benefitted from a stronger support system from the get-go rather than a fascist system that waits for them to make a mistake and uproots their whole entire lives.

At the end of the day, this was a great debut that could have used a little bit more development to make it more of a page-turner. The pacing of the book was slower and more repetitive than I thought it needed to be, I would have loved for it to have seen more character development across the board. That being said, this is an amazing book for discussions and I look forward to hearing other people's thoughts.

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC of The School for Good Mothers in exchange for an honest review.

CW: child abuse, suicidal thoughts, abandonment, emotional abuse, forced institutionalization, suicide, racism, torture, miscarriage, kidnapping

This book absolutely sucked me in and didn’t let me go until I was finished.

After a very bad day complete with a horrible lapse in judgement, Frida’s daughter is taken away from her. Now, Frida must report to a new kind of parental reformation school. A school to “cure” bad mothers and make them good again. If Frida completes the program and passes then she may get her daughter back. If she fails or drops out then she forfeits her parental rights.

Drawing comparisons to The Handmaid’s Tale I was immediately interested. This book is equal parts terrifying and enraging. I was so angry for Frida and all of the other “bad” mothers while I read this book. The psychological punishments and unfair discrepancies between the treatment of bad mothers vs bad fathers was hard to read. Chan’s commentary on the scrutiny and judgement mothers face is spot on.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Jessamine Chan & NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Review: A School For Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan.

The story takes place in our reality as changes to how child protective services works within our society are being made more punitive, permanent & unforgiving. Frida, who after leaving her young child alone for 2 hours is reported & sentenced to a year in a place called The School for Good Mothers for the chance to be reunited with her daughter.

The book did a great job exploring the topic of motherhood through the lens of imperfect mothers. The mothers were messy, but not without humanity—exploring topics like mental health, socioeconomic issues, & race. Chan does a good job highlighting which mothers punitive correction policies might impact most - largely mothers of color. It left me reflecting on restorative vs. punitive justice systems in our society, & the the inclination towards punishment over healing.

Something I found particularly well done was how Chan wove in Frida’s Chinese heritage and how continued separation not only negatively impacts her daughters development, but would also strip her bi-racial daughter of not just her mother but her Chinese heritage as well.

There were also some very interesting (& scary) technology topics covered in this new system that Chan created. I found the topic of using technology to interpret emotions like care, love, remorse particularly startling because its not hard to imagine. What is starling is that as we become more technically advanced, just because we can use technology to interpret emotion doesn’t necessarily mean we should. It left me thinking about the ethics of how tech is used by people, systems & institutions & the impact it may have long term.

Overall, I feel that this book is a worthwhile read for everyone. I found Chan’s writing style to be gripping & her ability to evoke the messy complicated emotions that come up in the story was stunning.

Thanks to Net Galley for a free ARC of this book. This was a bizarre story but a compelling read nonetheless. I couldn’t relate to Frida’s decisions at the beginning of the story. Her emotions, for sure, but not her actions. However, I was rooting for her by the end of the story and I could see her character development even though I wouldn’t have done the same things.

I do feel like there were portions of the story that could be improved. The men in the story felt more like plot devices than fully fleshed out characters. I wanted more details about how the school came to be, what happened after the story, and so on, but that’s probably more of a preference than a necessity to the story.

Overall a weird but good read that I’ll probably still be thinking about days later.

I could not put this book down--one of my favorite novels I've read this year and sure to be on my 2022 favorites list when it's published. I feel so fortunate to have been able to read an early copy and be able to recommend everyone pre-order this novel now!!!! A brilliant and inventive world that takes the crux of real issues and examines them in the magical realm; characters I loved and loathed in equal measure, crying at their struggles and fates; incredible writing--all make this book one not to be missed.

I absolutely loved the concept of this dystopian book set in the near future where mothers who are caught doing things that almost all mothers have done at one point during parenthood are sentenced to a year at a school to learn to be better mothers. The consequences of not doing well at the school are dire. The beginning and end were the strongest for me. At times when the main character was at the school, I felt like it was a chore to read. I think it was because there were so many characters to keep track of and possibly in an effort to fully define each mother without relying on stereotypes, there were a lot of details about the characters. But this would make an excellent book club book that I'm sure would bring out many stories of parenting fails that in this near future would have every book club member being sent to the school.

Wild, weird, and well-written. I had to stay up late to find out the end! Good for fans of “Bunny” by Mona Awad. The school is so well-imagined and every scene is tight and sharp.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan. In exchange I offer my honest review.
This book is now available for purchase.

I was intrigued by the publisher’s blurb and the dystopian vibes and comparisons to Margaret Atwood’s HandMaid Tale. I was looking forward to this debut and started reading the book right away. Sadly, I quickly lost interest (disjointed storytelling, exasperating character actions, poor editing). I set aside the book but never felt the desire to pick it back up. I recently tried again, but unfortunately I did not finish at the 30 % mark.

My apologies for not reading to the end. So many books, so little time and disappointingly, this was just not the right book for me.

There's been a lot of pre-publication buzz about this title - with comparisons being drawn with 1984 and THE HANDMAID'S TALE. This strong debut certainly does fit in with thematically with those in that dystopian vein as Frida's story unfolds. After what she euphemizes as her very bad day, Frida finds her custody of her young daughter revoked. Her best chance to become a part of her daughter's life once more is to complete a new yearlong program that is designed to teach parents how to be good.

This is a darkly compelling read. The curriculum at the school - with tests, and the stories of the other parents all combines to have the reader sharing in the pervading heartsickness shared by all of these characters. The diverse cast all comes to life (even the creepy non-human elements of the cast). In many ways this is a horror novel - all the scarier because some of the attitudes expressed here feel all too real.

This book is sure to incite plenty of lively discussion amongst its readers. I will admit that the year does drag a bit long at times - the time passes, but the various tortures of the lessons gets a bit repetitive in the middle. Frida herself - though she makes plenty of mistakes - is a largely sympathetic character. I think Chan makes a bold choice in making her crime condemnable, but also relatable considering the fog of stress and sleep-deprivation. Her struggles as being the only Asian woman in the program adds another layer and fits in with the story well. The differences between the program for mothers and fathers also adds a lot. This feels like a book designed to get people talking and I am definitely looking forward to seeing what Chan will write next. I wish that there had been a bit more to the ending - I think it will only add to the discussion. This is a strong debut, for sure!

This book. Wow.

Arresting. Terrifying. Almost…quiet? The prose is spare and almost clinical, but the emotions, of being held accountable in the worst way you can imagine for your very worst moment as a parent, are impossible to turn away from.

I have three young kids, and so the idea of the unrealistic and contradictory standards to which we hold mothers in our culture hits right on the target. While I’m not generally too worries about what others think about my parenting, this slightly twisted universe that is all too easy to imagine and too close to real, doesn’t seem that many steps removed from the public condemnation that awaits even the most benign of parenting choices.

This book has so many content warnings…so many. Suicide, self-harm, child injury and death, child abandonment, etc etc etc. Please please if you’re concerned but interested in the book, please DM me.

I know this sounds like a dark book, and honestly it is. I kept reading for the glimmer that I wanted. That there’s some magic way out. I sobbed at 95% of the way through. And I can’t stop thinking about it. I think I recommend it? It’s not an easy read. It builds dread in the quietest way, and sticks with you. But I’m glad I read it.

Thanks to @simonbooks for the advanced copy and opportunity to read and review.

This debut novel by Jassamine Chan was frightening, all too real, petrifying, horrific, and enthralling. All of this rolled into this very quickly read, could NOT PUT DOWN book! Poor Frida never deserved what she got! All for a stupid misjudgment of one moment's thought. As I read this book, I was constantly fidgeting, it made me sooooo uncomfortable and angry. It would not surprise me if places like this "prison" were real in America today!

This is an incredible story to read. I give it 25 stars out of 5!! It is thoroughly engrossing and heartbreaking at the same time. I thank NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Publishing for the galley, in lieu of this very honest review. BRAVO to the author...IT"S INCREDIBLE TO READ!!!

Disturbing but Riveting

In a near future America, there is an exactness of who is a good mother and anyone not meeting this characterization will be cloistered for retraining.

Frida Liu, a divorced co-parenting Chinese America mother, has had an awfully bad day, when she leaves her 18-month daughter, Harriet, alone at home for two hours while she runs out for a coffee and stops at her office to answer a couple of emails. Meanwhile, Harriet strapped in an ExerSaucer wakes up from her nap screaming, neighbors call the police, and Harriet is removed from the home.

Frida finds she is now required to attend the newly implemented Government-run rehabilitation boarding school for “bad mother” for a year. At the school, the “bad mothers” will be retrained on how to be a “good mother” on robot children. Frida will need to pass all the training modules to be considered for having her parental rights restated at the end of the year.

While I certainly agreed Frida committed an act that required intervention and correction, I would say kudos to Chan writing skills in how the story reveals the complexities of her story exploring the expectations of mothers and the systems, or rather the lack of systems for supporting mothers.

This book also served to illustrate what looks like an equitable solution in reality works is often strife with colorism, sexism, and classism with goals often unattainable except for the economically privileged.

I often myself thinking of what Voltaire once said, “Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.”

This compelling and heart-wrenching tale with Hand Maiden vibes and horror aspects makes for a quick read and deserves to be a screen series.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

On one hand, I struggled a lot with feeling like the book was unrealistic - from the very beginning with the social worker and court system, to the entire school experience and, ultimately, the ending. BUT, I kept reminding myself that it really isn’t meant to be “realistic” as much as dystopian & a social commentary/warning. I tend to like my books relatable, and this one was not. It is very dark in some places, and there is definitely a science fiction(ish) element. Still, I’m confident that even the things I didn’t like were intentional, and there is no denying that the book is well-written and interesting.

It also gave me a lot to think about re: technology, the justice system, gender, and the messages mothers are fed in society.

I haven’t read/watched The Handmaid’s Tale (I know!), but I suspect this would sound familiar to its fans. It reminded me of an adult (and it is definitely *adult*) version of The Grace Year. I recommend it, but don’t be like me and go in expecting something different.

Overall, ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

This book was rough for me. Well written but at times a little hard to follow. Couldn’t speed read will stay with me. Solid 4

Ooh, boy. I struggled with this one. At first, I thought it was a biting look at what child protection could be one, but then it went off the rails and I had to give up on it. It’s well written, just not for me.

ARC from publisher via NetGalley but the opinions are my own.

Interesting approach and subject matter for a novel. Unfortunately about 1/3 of the book just was so heavy and too depressing to enjoy. A mother has a "bad day" abandons her toddler for a few hours and is reported to the authorities. Because of bad decisions child services have made they have a new approach. Send the "bad" Mothers to school (more like prison, reformatory etc) if they pass they can have their child returned to them, if not, they forever give up their right to their child. The Mothers are given "programmed children" designed to look like their child. This is horrifying to me and unfortunately the time in the "school" just goes on and on. Premise is so good, just too depressing and horrifying to think of the possibilities.

The premise for this book is intriguing. It feels like a cross between dystopian classics, such as The Handmaid’s Tale and 1984.
The story is that a new mother is at her wit’s end trying to balance her screaming baby, her married life, and her job. One “very bad day” she makes the risky and unfortunate decision to put her child in her bouncy seat and leave her at home while she goes out for coffee and to run by work to grab something she needs. A few minutes turns into hours and when she returns, she finds that a neighbor has reported her to the authorities. Her daughter is taken away from her and then she is sent to a school (think prison or institution setting) where there is a program to reform bad parents (mostly mothers). She is required to spend a year there and it is not easy. Upon arrival at the school, each parent is given “a replacement child” that is a doll/AI designed to appear similar to their own children. These are dolls who are needing to be taught everything a baby/toddler would need to learn, with the mothers having to know how to respond when things don’t go easily.
The idea for this book is solid, but the execution made me not really care about the characters or what happens to them. There are definitely things that I liked about the story, the relationships, the tragic or successful things that occur, all good aspects of this book. But ultimately, I was not as invested in the characters as I wanted to be.
Interesting and probably perfect for some readers.
#TheSchoolforGoodMothers #NetGalley #SimonandSchuster

I loved Jessamine Chan's <i>The School for Good Mothers</i> but it is one of the most stressful books I've ever read! To the point that I had to put it down quite a few times and go do something else because some of the scenes are so uncomfortable. The protagonist (Frida) is both sympathetic at times and highly unlikable. She makes a terrible error in judgment that is horrible yet understandable given the situation she finds herself in. After the CPS in Philadelphia makes several high-profile errors, the state begins a new and unforgiving approach to dealing with parents who have endangered their children. They must spend a year repenting and relearning how to be good mothers. Frida and the rest of the first class of the school must day-by-day, unit-by-unit learn how to stop being bad mothers.

What I loved most about this book was how it's dystopian yet still seems eerily possible today. Chan pokes the reader a lot throughout this book; there are moments where everyone--the reader, the writer and the characters know how obscene the situations are, yet we all have to go along for the ride.

Thank you, NetGalley the ARC of this book.