Welcome to Litsy!

In this taut and explosive debut novel, one lapse in judgement lands a young mother in a government reform program where custody of her child hangs in the balance. Frida Liu is struggling. She doesn�t have a career worthy of her Chinese immigrant parents� sacrifices. What�s worse is she can�t persuade her husband, Gust, to give up his wellness-obsessed younger mistress. Only with their angelic daughter Harriet does Frida finally feel she�s attained the perfection expected of her. Harriet may be all she has, but she�s just enough. Until Frida has a horrible day. The state has its eyes on mothers like Frida�one�s who check their phones while their kids are on the playground; who let their children walk home alone; in other words, mothers who only have one lapse of judgement. Now, a host of government officials will determine if Frida is a candidate for a Big Brother-like institution that measures the success or failure of a mother�s devotion. Faced with the possibility of losing Harriet, Frida must prove that she can live up to the standards set for mothers�that she can learn to be good. This propulsive, witty page-turner explores the perils of �perfect� upper-middle-class parenting, the violence enacted upon women by the state and each other, and the boundless love a mother has for her daughter. �The School for Good Mothers is haunting and unforgettable, and I'm in awe of Jessamine Chan�s mind.� �Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River