The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

3.7 AVERAGE

missy_bee's profile picture

missy_bee's review against another edition

4.0
emotional medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
A dystopian horror that felt entirely too plausible. Through Frida’s predicament, author Jessamine Chan reveals our current society’s lack of support for parents and the unattainable expectations put on mothers specifically. There’s also some chilling consequences of mass surveillance and racism. The tensions and frustrations in this novel were very well done. However, while Frida’s lessons at the school served as natural drivers of the plot, I didn’t feel like there was enough build up to a climax. Perhaps that was intentional considering the results of Frida’s assessment. Nevertheless, it was still a highly engaging and terrifying read.

forevermayo's review against another edition

2.0
This book was disturbing in many ways. To think that society could ever let this happen is beyond belief. The only reason I finished it was to see the judge’s ruling. How disappointing! Putting Frida through everything that she went thru only to lose in the end was utterly ridiculous! I would not recommend this book to anyone unless you want to feel disheartened and depressed.
caturdays's profile picture

caturdays's review against another edition

5.0
emotional reflective sad fast-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

lizklebba's review against another edition

3.5
dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

ljimenez89's review against another edition

4.5
adventurous challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

eileenreads27's review against another edition

4.0
dark sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No

kellyrolls's review against another edition

3.0
3 1/2 stars

lampersands's review against another edition

2.5
dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

bananapants81's review against another edition

4.25
challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
What the fuckity fuck did I just read?  As far as dystopian novels go, this one took it to the max - not in the techie/Big Brother like way - but in the “not out of the realm of possibility” way. 

There is a lot to unpack here. 

Reading this book was an unpleasant feeling, which I think was the point…

kbehr's review against another edition

3.25
challenging dark emotional medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes