Reviews tagging 'Racism'

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

171 reviews

jillyclaire23's review

dark emotional informative reflective sad 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

4.0

I read chapters 1-9 of this book, skipped the middle section, then read the last chapter. Most of the middle was extremely triggering and hard to read. Otherwise, I loved this book. It sheds light on the very specific struggles of mothers who are targeted by Child Protective Services. Mothers, especially of color, are disproportionately policed and punished for being “bad” mothers in real life. Another thought experiment that draws heavily on reality (it’s based off a true story), the sci-fi element is such a cool touch on a subject so horrifying that it didn’t even need fictional embellishment. This novel shows us how much society criticizes and disciplines mothers for not fitting cultural and behavioral norms, and how so many power structures (having to do with race, class, gender, mental health/ability, etc) are exaggerated for mothers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Self harm, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

annieo15's review

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

5.0

For me, this book felt both too emotionally heavy to read in long stretches and incredibly difficult to put down. The plot is at times shocking, consistently heartbreaking, and a truly fascinating scrutiny of how society treats mothers.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, and Grief

Minor: Infidelity, Physical abuse, Racism, Suicide, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Classism

hate_crimed_at_chilis's review

challenging dark sad tense slow-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

3.75

This was soooo frustrating to read (I’m aware it’s on purpose). Well written but  it does take 70+ pages to reach the goddamn school. The first person perspective really draws you in and makes you think damn this bitch really hates herself. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

foxytroxy's review

adventurous challenging dark sad tense fast-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Abandonment

Moderate: Child abuse and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Miscarriage and Racism

eam006's review

challenging dark reflective sad medium-paced

• 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Moderate: Infidelity, Racism, and Sexual assault

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

ginnypie's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• 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. 

The way they abused these women and the dolls is a little too real to how mothers are treated in our general society. This book broke my heart every chapter and i am hopeful that this will give me a lot more patience and understanding when it comes to interacting or dealing with mothers. I don’t know if i can recommend anyone with kids read it because it’s genuinely so hard to read and Bleak but if you have the stomach for just pain please read it 

It briefly touches on how CPS treats black and brown mothers differently than white mothers and i wish it went deeper into it. 

I am just sad now. 

I think it was well written and the pacing was okay and if you want to feel bad read it but i need hope im my books and everything was just bleak 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Police brutality, and Grief

pich's review

challenging 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

3.0

i thought there would be more of a dystopian theme, but i think that’s not a bad thing with this book. it was a bit slow at first, and i wasn’t too fond of the pacing at times, but i think the end redeemed itself.

the scenes with the dolls made me so extremely uncomfortable, but that was the point. the dolls definitely symbolize something, as well as the actual kids, and i think the way they were written was really heartbreaking. the later scenes with harriet were so touching yet devastating. the fact that frida took harriet in the end was a very conflicting moment, seeing as all she wanted was to be a good mother, yet knew it would end badly for the both of them.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment

Moderate: Death, Racism, and Sexual content

Minor: Sexism

amachattie's review

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.0

This book made me angry in a way that few books have. The snowballing of a tiny mistake into the absolute destruction of a life was so carefully crafted, with no opportunity to decide that Frida somehow deserved her experiences. I don't know if the author is an abolitionist or not, but this novel felt like an extremely persuasive call for the destruction of the prison system/CPS/foster care/mental health care/the entire justice system/etc. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

beabates's review

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

I hated this book so so much.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Abandonment