Reviews tagging 'Homophobia'

The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

29 reviews

sakisreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional slow-paced

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

4.5

Oof, this was a very intense and upsetting book 😦 Definitely not a light bedtime read (which is what I treated it as, and regretted almost immediately afterwards 😂)!

Frida starts out by having her ‘very bad day’. Whilst taking care of her daughter Harriet, she forgets a document at work and leaves Harriet sleeping in the house. As a child naturally may, Harriet starts crying a bit during her sleep to which neighbours call the police on Frida.

Frida ends up at the ‘School for Good Mothers’ (which, as said beautifully by The Telegraph, is ‘The Handmaid’s Tale for the Squid Games generation’).

 

I was about to be disappointed by the ending, thinking Frida was going to let her termination of parental rights slide, so I let out a little gasp when she planned her getaway with Will as an unknowing accomplice! I’m not going to lie, I really revelled in that part 😳 What a twist!

I would highly recommend to anyone who enjoyed The Handmaid’s Tale and need a feminist text 🔥 So so interesting!

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Drug use, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Homophobia, and Physical abuse

mollygross's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-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

3.0

(mild spoilers) conflicted… the concept of the book was great, very unique and compelling but i found the pacing to be slow and repetitive. at times this reminded me of black mirror- creepy, dystopian, and shocking but really made me think and reflect on the truth it’s based on. 

this book dealt with a lot of heavy and important topics - racism, sexism, classism, & more + how they all affect families dealing with social workers and the system. unfortunately i really didn’t like the ending but i think that’s the point. overall i appreciated the concept and themes but found it slow and hard to get through at times.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicide

Moderate: Racism, Xenophobia, Homophobia, and Sexism

alliecat1915's review against another edition

dark emotional sad

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexism, Suicide, Biphobia, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Confinement, Grief, Homophobia, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Death, Forced institutionalization, and Lesbophobia

alliecrosson203's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Confinement, Infidelity, and Mental illness

Moderate: Abandonment and Addiction

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Homophobia, Drug abuse, Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Fire/Fire injury, and Drug use

isleoflinds's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Torture, Racism, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Sexual assault, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Self harm, Sexism, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Outing, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual content, Abandonment, Addiction, Biphobia, Child death, Alcohol, Drug use, Grief, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Confinement, and Domestic abuse

ynotlime's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-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

2.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Grief, and Abandonment

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Suicide, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Homophobia, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, Death, Confinement, Bullying, Body shaming, Stalking, Sexual content, Sexism, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Classism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Mental illness, Kidnapping, Violence, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Misogyny

alyssancoon'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

laynemandros's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Ableism, Child abuse, Classism, Confinement, Gaslighting, Grief, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Cursing, Emotional abuse, and Pregnancy

alexandreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-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

5.0

women rage

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Xenophobia, and Abandonment

agchalle's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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

4.25

This book was a little slow for me to start (listened to an audiobook), but once I got into it, I couldn't wait to see what happened next. This book really makes you think about the pressure of motherhood and what is expected/policed/punished.

I found Frieda's character to be complicated, but not unlovable. I was definitely rooting for her at the end. I think the author did a fantastic job impressing the intensity in Frieda's thoughts and expressing her anxieties throughout the book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, Abandonment, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide

Minor: Miscarriage, Homophobia, Child death, and Child abuse