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A review by meganmikaelian
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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
5.0
This book was infuriating and captivating and I couldn’t put it down even if I wanted to. Jessamine Chan described Frida’s every thought and feeling with such remarkable clarity. Everything she felt, I felt along with her thanks to the author’s incredible storytelling.
Frieda’s experiences as a woman and a mother were both unique and universal. Almost every character outside of the mothers spent the entire book gaslighting Frieda into believing she was wrong or bad or too much or too little. The frustration was palpable and the villains and flaws in the system were so accurately portrayed that it was scary.
The author never condones Frieda’s actions or tries to paint her “crime” as insignificant, but she does offer a broader perspective for the reader to take into consideration. The book touches on themes of racism, misogyny, big government and dystopian politics in a not-so-distant future among others and handles each one with grace and thoughtfulness.
Frieda’s experiences as a woman and a mother were both unique and universal. Almost every character outside of the mothers spent the entire book gaslighting Frieda into believing she was wrong or bad or too much or too little. The frustration was palpable and the villains and flaws in the system were so accurately portrayed that it was scary.
The author never condones Frieda’s actions or tries to paint her “crime” as insignificant, but she does offer a broader perspective for the reader to take into consideration. The book touches on themes of racism, misogyny, big government and dystopian politics in a not-so-distant future among others and handles each one with grace and thoughtfulness.