A review by onucfs
The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

2.5

I had to suspend my disbelief too much. You're telling me that CPS is effective? That a father is put on a year-long detention because his son fell out of a tree? You're telling me the government is willing to fund the "rehabilitation" of someone who had a sink filled with dirty dishes? I guess it's making a point about how people are really tough on mothers, but I don't know if showing it like this is believable. I was also a little confused at the way Frida and Tucker were framed as selfish - it's better for kids to grow up in two-parent households so why couldn't they make Frida roleplay that?

Halfway through, it got repetitive as well: Frida works through a class, has a terrible call with Harriet, gets a poor grade. Repeat.

I heard reviewers calling this book average but decided to give it a chance because the premise sounded interesting. I'm disappointed - good premise, but I don't think the execution was great. I feel like my main gripe with the book was that it was kinda shallow in its commentary. Don't get me wrong, it does cover a good range of topics - sexism, racism, generational trauma, some gender essentialism - but a deep dive just was not there.