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cheskams's review against another edition
4.75
My only criticism is how slow the beginning of the story is. I felt it took up too large of a chunk of the entire story.
Graphic: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Misogyny
Moderate: Suicide and Child death
libswagmenter's review against another edition
- 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
Moderate: Suicide
Minor: Sexual assault, Child death, Racism, and Violence
lordmomo17's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Xenophobia, and Forced institutionalization
katiearcher's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
In this dystopian story, Frida has a bad day and loses custody of her 18month old daughter. In hopes of earning back her custody she is sentenced to one year in the school for good mothers. What’s scary about this book is that if our government could get away with this, I believe they would. While some might believe Frida’s time at the school is too exaggerated or unrealistic, I think it perfectly depicts the unrealistic expectations placed on mothers. It’s a system designed for failure, because no one can ever be a “perfect” mother.
I think the author does a wonderful job entrenching us in Frida’s pov, her anxiety, helplessness, and agonizing hope. I took some points off for the ending and some (imo) gratuitous sexual portions.
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Self harm, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Child death, and Suicide
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, and Chronic illness
jess_eliza's review
- 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
3.75
Graphic: Self harm, Abandonment, Suicide, Cursing, Child abuse, Death, Child death, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Racism, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Confinement
Minor: Alcohol and Lesbophobia
natspat98's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Classism, Racism, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Confinement, Violence, and Toxic relationship
nessreadsalot's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Sexual content, Kidnapping, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Child death, Child abuse, Abandonment, Racial slurs, and Self harm
msbarnesela's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Confinement, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Abandonment, Death, Self harm, Pregnancy, Suicide, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Child death, and Infidelity
betsygrace's review
- 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
5.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Suicide, Addiction, Stalking, Abandonment, Classism, Colonisation, Confinement, Racial slurs, Blood, Cancer, Child abuse, Death, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Sexual content, and Child death
clovetra's review against another edition
- 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
fully i was reading this getting ready to give this 3 stars. literally the last chapter alone made this 4 stars.
im rarely a book crier but GOD the ending got me
this was so sad and for what
ngl i kind of didn't like frida? idk if i was supposed to like her or not. but by the end i defo was more. neutral. like she kind of was girlbossing too hard for me to hate her ngl
i'll be honest, it took a bit too long to get to the school part of this story. like we all know going into this book that she's going to the school. i get that it was necessary, but maybe pacing it with flashbacks would've been better? i don't know. it felt like a bit of a slog because i knew all efforts were in vain
also frida is so dumb my god. girlie really was trying to not get harriet back in that god damn school
i really enjoyed the commentary of expectations of motherhood vs fatherhood. it felt very relevant and was handled nicely.
all the characters were a bit insufferable, but i will say i did become interested in them. meryl had me in a chokehold by the end.
this book was quite depressing, don't read this if you're a mother my god. if i had a kid and read this i would actually want to be like margaret.
Graphic: Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Self harm, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Racism, Pedophilia, Child death, and Misogyny
Minor: Vomit