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nicoleisalwaysreading 's review for:
The School for Good Mothers
by Jessamine Chan
challenging
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I want to say that my opinion may very well be refined by the smart perspectives offered by my book club beloveds, and I'm not a mom, so that could also make my experience different, but as of right now, I am pretty frustrated with this book.
I do not believe a book is successful if every one of my critiques feels like it has to be followed with "but maybe that was the point." It was very hard to get to know Frida as a character - by the end, I didn't know if I could trust her as a reliable narrator. but maybe that was commentary on how society views and reduces mothers . I hated the way race was described and used. The author is a woman of color, but it felt like she (and by extension, Frida) was aware of any critiques that may come down on one (racialized) version of motherhood, so she had to constantly reference other women of color, either in their own asides or in Frida's observations and experiences of anti-Asian racism. It just made all the side characters come off as cariactures. but maybe that was the point .
Overall, I am sad to say that while this idea had great potential, it all felt half-baked. The ending was tragic and obviously Frida was doomed by the narrative, but it failed to elicit emotions in me that felt genuine and specific to this story, and not just the narratives of motherhood I am already familiar with.
I do not believe a book is successful if every one of my critiques feels like it has to be followed with "but maybe that was the point." It was very hard to get to know Frida as a character - by the end, I didn't know if I could trust her as a reliable narrator. but maybe that was commentary on how society views and reduces mothers . I hated the way race was described and used. The author is a woman of color, but it felt like she (and by extension, Frida) was aware of any critiques that may come down on one (racialized) version of motherhood, so she had to constantly reference other women of color, either in their own asides or in Frida's observations and experiences of anti-Asian racism. It just made all the side characters come off as cariactures. but maybe that was the point .
Overall, I am sad to say that while this idea had great potential, it all felt half-baked. The ending was tragic and obviously Frida was doomed by the narrative, but it failed to elicit emotions in me that felt genuine and specific to this story, and not just the narratives of motherhood I am already familiar with.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Confinement, Self harm, Abandonment