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A review by kelseyr713
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
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
4.0
“A mother is a shark,” Ms. Russo says. “You’re always moving. Always learning. Always trying to better yourself.”
Absolutely relentless in examining the violence of the state against women, particularly women of color and those from immigrant families. I would not classify this as dystopian or sci-fi; probably speculative fiction. As angry and sad as this made me, it would only be worse for a parent/soon-to-be parent.
The New Yorker article “Where Is Your Mother?” by Rachel Aviv is among the cited works in the acknowledgments, and I was horrified to see how many of the small details were taken from real life incidents. Worth a read: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/02/where-is-your-mother
Absolutely relentless in examining the violence of the state against women, particularly women of color and those from immigrant families. I would not classify this as dystopian or sci-fi; probably speculative fiction. As angry and sad as this made me, it would only be worse for a parent/soon-to-be parent.
The New Yorker article “Where Is Your Mother?” by Rachel Aviv is among the cited works in the acknowledgments, and I was horrified to see how many of the small details were taken from real life incidents. Worth a read: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/12/02/where-is-your-mother
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Child abuse, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, and Sexism
Moderate: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, and Body horror
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, and Confinement