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The School for Good Mothers
The School for Good Mothers: A Novel | Jessamine Chan
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 doesnt have a career worthy of her Chinese immigrant parents sacrifices. Whats worse is she cant persuade her husband, Gust, to give up his wellness-obsessed younger mistress. Only with their angelic daughter Harriet does Frida finally feel shes attained the perfection expected of her. Harriet may be all she has, but shes just enough. Until Frida has a horrible day. The state has its eyes on mothers like Fridaones 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 mothers devotion. Faced with the possibility of losing Harriet, Frida must prove that she can live up to the standards set for mothersthat 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 Chans mind. Liz Moore, New York Times bestselling author of Long Bright River
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cariashley
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Pickpick

Claustrophobic and enraging, and overall pretty well done. But man, is it bleak. A soft pick.

50 likes2 stack adds
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DyAnne
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Look. It‘s not my fault that there is a bookstore near the medical center. One deserves a treat for getting one‘s physical.

Megabooks Exactly! 6mo
8 likes1 comment
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shortsarahrose
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Was really close to the mall after lunch, so I ended up doing a little shopping. Definitely had to stop at Barnes and Noble! #bookhaul

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Acoleman
Pickpick

This book was very thought provoking. You can‘t fit love and mothering into a mold to make some one ‘good.‘ Also an interesting narrative on how women and men are treated so differently in the expectations of parenting.

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Christinak
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Holy crap this book is effing terrifying.
This is dystopian fiction but very plausible 👀

23 likes1 stack add
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Itchyfeetreader
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A tough one - Freda leaves her toddler alone for a few hours and ends up in a dystopian 1 year programme to retrain her and others into good motherhood. Some of this was really captivating and there is clearly a social commentary that I enjoyed BUT didn‘t feel the world was well built, how did they get there? Why was no one interested in where these women were? Does mean I hit my #jubilentjuly goal of daily reading !

Andrew65 Excellent 👏👏👏 8mo
38 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Jen2
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Pickpick

Great story but rage inducing!

Karisa 💯% 9mo
61 likes1 comment
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ashleyn
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Mehso-so

A women who leaves her daughter alone is given a one year sentence at a school that teaches mothers to be "good." Although Frida's time at the school felt a bit dragged out, it also allowed to see how ridiculous the whole concept is. My heart broke for Frida.

6/2023

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Cazxxx
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Panpan

This didn‘t work for me. I found the writing completely flat and it just didn‘t hold my interest at all. For the story it was trying to tell it completely lacked any emotion or depth. I‘ve read many great dystopians and this one just didn‘t stand up to any of them

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CBee
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Pickpick

This blew me away, but I wouldn‘t say that‘s a positive thing. Parallels to current society, what it means to be a “good mother,” the glaring differences between how the mothers and fathers were treated - all very unsettling, and a reminder that women are so often still considered “less than.” Sometimes downright scary to read, but I‘d still recommend it!

CBee #pantone2023 #peachpink #mochamousse @Clwojick I finished the challenge 👏🏻👏🏻 11mo
CBee This was my April #doublespin, @TheAromaofBooks 😊 11mo
Suet624 Super scary book. 11mo
CBee @Suet624 YES. And so heartbreaking. 11mo
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 11mo
76 likes5 comments
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jamield1911
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Pickpick

Apt for Mothers Day! ?
Frida loses custody of her Toddler after leaving her home alone and is sent to "school" to be taught how to be a "good mother".

It was an emotional and uncomfortable dystopian read. A mix of a modern-day Handmaid's Tale and Orange is the New Black. I think it would be a good book club choice as there's lots of themes to discuss. It also has you question if you are a "good mother". A rough read.

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BarbaraBB
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Mehso-so

I don‘t deal very well with books about perfect mothers or, in this case, about mothers teached to be perfect. Or what is supposed to be perfect. I guess I could have known but I needed a book to tick-off the #ReproductiveRights prompt of #Booked2023 (and yes I know it‘s a bit far fetched). Also the dystopian part of the book felt so lazily done. Nothing is dystopian in the book except for that stupid school.

(Pic: Vermeer exhibition 🥰)

squirrelbrain Great pic! Yes, I agree with your thoughts on the dystopian aspect of this book; it wasn‘t fleshed out at all. (Actually not ever mentioned) 13mo
Bookwormjillk Very cool! 13mo
See All 12 Comments
ChaoticMissAdventures I was scared this was going to be on the Women's Prize long list, because as a child free person nothing about the book sounds appealing. I think I would be in your camp about it. 13mo
Cinfhen Love the Vermeer and your review / I bailed on this book - I just wasn‘t feeling any of it 🤷🏼‍♀️ 13mo
Cortg It was ok for me but I gave it a pick because it made an excellent book club discussion 😀 13mo
LeahBergen Oh, lovely. I went to the Vermeer Centre when I was in Delft. 13mo
batsy Oh wow, that exhibition ? Great review, btw. "Good mother" discourse always sets me off, too. 13mo
BarbaraBB @LeahBergen You were in Delft? Cool! 13mo
BarbaraBB @batsy 28 of his 35 known paintings are here now, it is really fantastic. 13mo
Bookpearl I borrowed this from my favorite library and have had a difficult time getting in to it. 13mo
Lizpixie 🙌🎉 12mo
80 likes12 comments
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Lauren890
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2. Probably barely a pick for me. I liked a lot about this speculative fiction featuring a mother who made a poor decision while her daughter was in her care. I felt it dragged a bit about halfway through and I became less engaged. Overall a super interesting premise that was well developed. I wanted to love it, not just like it. I‘ll be interested in what she writes next.

BarbaraBB I am just reading this too! 13mo
Lauren890 @BarbaraBB It‘s a very interesting premise! I hope you enjoy it! 13mo
BarbaraBB I didn‘t very much unfortunately 🤷🏻‍♀️ 13mo
Lauren890 @BarbaraBB Bummer! 13mo
19 likes4 comments
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JillR
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Pickpick

Mothers who have committed transgressions are sent to a government run school where they will learn to be “good” and their every move will be watched. I love books with a dystopian/alternate reality vibe. This was gripping, I couldn‘t look away, it gave me all the rage and I sped through it, but it was also just so unremittingly sad I just can‘t get past that, the lack of any redeeming hope. I‘m not quite sure yet what to take away from it.

TrishB This has been on my tbr a while now! Need to get to. 13mo
BarbaraBB I‘ll be reading this soon too! 13mo
squirrelbrain Great review! 13mo
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JillR @trishb I found it a quick read, similar vibe perhaps to The Farm if you‘ve read that? 13mo
JillR @squirrelbrain thank you! 13mo
JillR @barbarabb I‘ll look out for your review, interested to see what you think when you get to it… 13mo
TrishB Yes I enjoyed The Farm 👍🏻 13mo
39 likes1 stack add7 comments
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Andrea313
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Seeing out the weekend with a glass of Gamay Noir and a title that's been on my #TBR for far too long! #CurrentlyReading

Karisa Ooh, that one is eerie. 13mo
Cathythoughts Looks good ! I see I already have it stacked. 13mo
34 likes1 stack add3 comments
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KristiAhlers
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Pickpick

This title was included on the #TimesMagazineTop100ReadsOf2022 and I reluctantly picked it up, to be honest. This story was so very good and terrifying at the same time. And yanks on your emotions while it's busy tying you up in knots. Totally understand now why it was not only a celebrity book pick but also included on the tagged book list.

64 likes1 stack add
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Clwojick
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For the past few months I‘ve been taking screenshots of all the reviews that‘ve intrigued me. They‘re all saved on my phone for whenever I need a little reading inspiration, but now I‘m thinking I might make it into a little reading challenge during one of @Andrew65 ‘s upcoming 9 day readathons. 💖

Tagging everyone who‘s reviews I‘ve saved so far! ☺️

Andrew65 What a great idea! 14mo
AlizaApp I love this idea! 14mo
AkashaVampie I screenshot litsy posts as well. Mine is usually cuz a cover stands out or something. 14mo
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Amabear Love this! 14mo
mrp27 Neat idea! 14mo
julieclair Such a great idea! I think I may shamelessly copy it. 😉 It never occurred to me to screenshot reviews. 14mo
Jess861 Love this! Such a neat idea! 14mo
OriginalCyn620 Good idea! I may have to steal it sometime! 🤣 14mo
ravenlee Could make a nice bingo board! 14mo
ericarobynreads ❤️❤️❤️ 14mo
Dragon Thanks 🙏 for the tag sounds fun 💚🐉 14mo
Eggs Great idea 💡!! 14mo
Julsmarshall I love that idea, thanks for the tag 😉 (edited) 14mo
rmaclean4 Thanks for the tag. Hope you love the books! 14mo
Klou What an awesome idea! Thanks for tagging me! 14mo
89 likes15 comments
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Cortg
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Off to a slow start this year. I should have finished Bono‘s book Surrender but the loan on the audiobook expired with under an hour to go and of course there‘s a lengthy holds line from the library 😩 I‘m 25% of the way through The Stand and I have 3 other books in progress. I‘m kinda all over the place right now but it‘ll come together, eventually!

29 likes1 stack add
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NovelNancyM
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Pickpick

This is a haunting book that I think will stay with me for a long time and one I'll recommend to many. I found it more chilling than The Handmaid's Tale in that it felt more realistic especially in our current era where women's rights are being winnowed away. This sheds a light on so much that's wrong in our society - from misogyny to racism. And I did not see the ending coming! An amazing debut novel.

52 likes3 stack adds
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AlizaApp
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Pickpick

A dystopian future in which the surveillance state separates parents from their children at the slightest perceived infraction. Mothers are judged more harshly than fathers, people of color more than White people, etc. An intriguing premise and very well-written!

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MysticFaerie
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Pickpick

4⭐️/5⭐️

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Evita
Mehso-so

3 out of 5

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Rachiiebookdragon
Pickpick

An intriguing read.

Read for reading challenges,

4/5

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currentlyreadinginCO
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Pickpick

This story really intrigued me. It provoked a lot of deep thoughts and was delightfully dark throughout.

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Caroline2
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Pickpick

I loved this book. Frida is a struggling single mother who has a very bad day and the state send her away for a year to teach her how to be a good mother. It‘s like The Handmaid‘s Tale meets One flew over the cuckoos nest. It is so immersive and scary and I still can‘t stop thinking about it. Loved it so much, I read it on my kindle but had to buy the hardback. (God bless Waterstones hardback sale).😉

TrishB Looking forward to getting to this one sometime soon! 1y
Cathythoughts Sounds interesting.. I‘m a bit afraid to read it , but I‘ll stack it and try it. 👍🏻 1y
NovelNancyM Hadn't thought about One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest until your review - so true!
14mo
112 likes4 stack adds3 comments
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Cortg
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Pickpick

This was a terrific book club discussion, but not really a terrific book! I both liked and disliked the story as well as the protagonist. Lots of emotions. It‘s a mix of The Handmaid‘s Tale and Orange is the New Black. I went through looking for #Pop23 readers. If you‘d prefer not to be tagged, let me know! #Pop23 ~ A book that‘s on a celebrity book-club list #ReaderHarder23 ~ social horror

squirrelbrain I had mixed feelings about this one too but I can see how it would make for a *great* book club discussion. 1y
BarbaraBB I am looking forward to this one too 1y
40 likes2 comments
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Donna1980
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Pickpick

My last book of 2022, reaching 45 for the year. The most I have read in years. Stepping away from my phone and spending more time reading has reminded me why it is my favourite thing to do. This book is an insightful view on a direction you can quite easily see modern society going. Whilst it is easy to judge the main character, the skill of the author encourages you to look at all sides. A little woolly in the middle but it finished strong. 3/5

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Blaire
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Pickpick

Lots of feelings about this one. A near future dystopia where CPS is in overdrive and sends mothers to a reeducation camp where they must learn to be good mothers to robot dolls before their children can be returned to them. Felt a bit long in the middle and sometimes a touch too over the top, but made me think and brought me to tears close to the end.

57 likes1 stack add
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Minervasbutler
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Pickpick

A moment of distraction and newly-separated mother Frida is adjudged unfit to be a mother without undergoing a program designed to turn bad mothers into good. Creepy and all-too-believable dystopia which raises some important questions, not least about the role of the state in parenting.

61 likes1 stack add
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Oryx
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Somehow I ended up in WH Smith and then these somehow got bought. Weird.

RowReads1 Weird how that happens 🤔 1y
Caroline2 Oh I‘m looking forward to reading both of these. They sound so good. 👍 1y
LeahBergen That‘s eerie! 😉 1y
See All 7 Comments
squirrelbrain Oh, such a shame, I‘m sorry that happened to you. 🤣 1y
BookwormM How bizarre 🤣🤣 1y
quietlycuriouskate It happens to the best of us! 1y
Cathythoughts Very odd 🤷🏼‍♀️ 1y
63 likes2 stack adds7 comments
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Suet624
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Pickpick

I didn‘t really want to read this one but it‘s on the long list of the #TOB23 and my library had it. Is another definition of dystopian “super creepy”. Because this book is that. A mother makes a mistake one day, one very bad day, and has to go to a school for a year to learn how to be a ‘good mother‘, knowing that she may lose her child if she‘s not perfect at the school. While the book could have been shorter, it packs some powerful messages.

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Suet624
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I appreciate that everyone getting their tires changed over to winter tires agreed to mute the volume so we could all read our books. #Vermonters

sarahbarnes I love this so much! 📖 1y
Suet624 @sarahbarnes i know. I was actually surprised that 7 people agreed to it. Also super happy that the tv station was on the cooking channel and not Fox. 🤪 1y
Librariana What a brilliant, happy little experience! (And much like you, glad you didn't have nonsense on the television to begin with!) 1y
See All 8 Comments
sarahbarnes Small victories! 😂 1y
AlaMich Yes, it‘s the worst when you‘re in a waiting room and you have to listen to whatever lame TV show is on. I don‘t get it, especially now that almost everyone has some kind of device. 1y
Bookzombie I love this! 🙂 1y
Ruthiella TVs are ubiquitous nowadays in waiting rooms-even the doctors office! It‘s hard to escape them. 1y
5feet.of.fury 😂😂 1y
57 likes8 comments
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squirrelbrain
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Pickpick


#tob

Frida leaves her daughter home alone for a couple of hours and gets sent to school to learn how to parent again.

I‘m giving this a soft pick as it was certainly a page-turner, although there was a lot I didn‘t like. It‘s billed as dystopia, which it is, and there was a lot that felt like it could really happen. However there was no set-up as to how this point had been reached, and everything else in the world, other than the school ⬇️

squirrelbrain …seemed just like today‘s world. It was also unrelentingly depressing and a bit repetitive in places. I‘m glad I read it though, and think it would make a great book club discussion. 1y
Megabooks I bailed on this. I thought it was a bit overwrought. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Great review though!! 1y
Megabooks Also I finally got the package to you and Henry in the mail this morning. 😁👍🏻 1y
See All 10 Comments
TrishB Interesting 👍🏻 have on the pile. 1y
squirrelbrain Ooh thank you! @Megabooks Yes, I do agree about the overwroughtness (probably not a real word! 🤣) The author did keep piling things on and on. 1y
BarbaraBB Your review still makes me want to read it! 1y
Ruthiella If it makes the shortlist, I will read it. But I also don‘t like it when the dystopian setting isn‘t explained. 1y
Cinfhen I bailed on this too @Megabooks and im hoping it doesn‘t make the shortlist because im not too keen to try again 1y
Oryx Was this on the summer camp list? I feel like maybe I voted for it. 1y
squirrelbrain Yes, you‘re right Emma @oryx, it was! I requested it on #netgalley at that time, just in case, as it did well in the voting but didn‘t quite make the final 6. 1y
80 likes10 comments
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Larkken
Bailedbailed

Oof, I just can‘t with all the mom-judgements and piling-on, even if it is done with satire in mind. I bumped this back onto my radar with all the end of year hype and the fact it made the #toblonglist but I felt like I was being buried in bad news and inescapable horridness while reading this. TOD 20%

Larkken Is there a term for when you go crazy/turn into a terrible person bc people keep treating or telling you you‘re crazy/- terrible person? Like reverse gaslighting? 1y
Megabooks I felt the same way about this when I bailed! 1y
Larkken @Megabooks apparently the last couple years have overly sensitized me to dystopian fiction 🙈 like, it‘s all just too possible or something haha and I just can‘t 1y
17 likes3 comments
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Avanders
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My attention span issue is getting me into a little bit of trouble… I wasn‘t able to finish Night of the Living Deed before I had to send it on… but I bought it so I can finish it anyway! I *am* enjoying it! And I‘m hoping to finish Wine & Roquefort before I have to send *that* one in… just a couple days!

But I‘m also happily reading the School (horrifying!), and I have the other 2 that I‘m waiting to get back to once my holds come up!

😳😳😳

julieclair The Night of the Living Deed arrived today, plus the wonderful surprise bonus (tagged)! ? Thank you! That one has been on my TBR for awhile. I'll pass it along to another Litten once I'm done. I'm sorry you didn't have time to finish "Deed" before you had to send it. I am embarrassed to admit that I have the last book from my Round 14 (!) LMPBC that I still haven't finished. I need to follow your example: buy a copy & return the original. ? 1y
Avanders @julieclair yay!! I‘m really enjoying it (the School book) - tho as I say, horrifying! Lol I don‘t know that it‘s the better example … I have too many books on my “finish” pile right now! What I *need* to do is focus… 🤔😁😘 1y
69 likes2 comments
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mjtwo
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Pickpick

15-21 Sep 22 (audiobook)
Another from the Obama list.
Frieda has a ‘bad day‘ and finds herself at the school for good mothers - a correctional facility for mothers, guilty of some minor and a few fairly major infractions.
This raises interesting questions: when should the state interfere in parenting issues, do we believe in redemption, how do you balance child protection and parental rights, are there double standards for fathers and mothers?

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MsLeah8417
Mehso-so

Not one of my favorites.

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Julsmarshall
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Pickpick

This was a strange book. A bit slow, confusing and disturbing but compelling and thought provoking too. Quite unlike anything I‘ve ever read.

62 likes1 stack add
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MicheleinPhilly
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MicheleinPhilly ACK!!!! How could I forget @squirrelbrain ??? 😱😱😱 My brain does not start fully functioning until 10 a.m. 2y
squirrelbrain Ha! Thanks for tagging me…I already have this as a #netgalley ARC…but clearly I‘m *way* overdue to read and review it. 😬 2y
TrishB Just brought 👍🏻 2y
BarbaraBB I want to read this one too!! 2y
Caroline2 Oh thanks for the heads up. 😁 2y
41 likes5 comments
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Floresj
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Pickpick

The novel begins with Frida leaving her 18 month old unattended for 2.5 hours. Do I approve? Absolutely not. Unfit parent or delirious decision? The rest of the novel explores “bad parents”, their reeducation in a dystopian school, and surveillance. Taking uncomfortable or believable reactions and skewing them just a little bit more, made this novel engrossing.

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cdreincarnate
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Pickpick

This book is ROUGH, but it serves a purpose and it‘s very well written. I felt like I was experiencing everything right along with the main character, and by the end I was almost crying.

Sleepswithbooks I love your mug!! 2y
cdreincarnate @Sleepswithbooks Thanks! It‘s one of my favorites ❤️ 2y
7 likes2 comments
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Karisa
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About 50% in. . . This book is such a head trip! Would make a great book club pick.😱

65 likes1 stack add
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reema
Bailedbailed

DNF. Great potential but I wanted to like it more than I did.

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ElleMNOpe
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Pickpick

A good dystopian focused on governmental intervention in parenting. The premise was interesting & well constructed with moments that made me cringe & others that had my hackles raised. A lot of great social commentary, including a focus on systemic racism. The pacing does drag a bit through the 2nd half & the ending felt a bit rushed, but there was a lot of intriguing writing & well considered content. A great debut & one that will stick with me.

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Jaimelire
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Pickpick

So much to reflect on after reading this book. How our society defines motherhood, how society‘s expectations of parenting differ for men and women, for different cultures and reflecting on the “perfect” mold we are often all expected to squeeze into even when it‘s not a good fit for many mothers.

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candc320
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Pickpick

This story is HEARTBREAKING! It is terrifying to think about how easily this could happen in the US given our current horror show of a country. Every mother at this school made mistakes - some pretty big - but the ridiculous lessons were so repetitive and devoid of emotion it was like they were trying to turn them into uncaring robots instead of give them any skills to actually be good mothers for their children. And the ending 😭. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

candc320 Oh and this was my #bookspin 😆! 2y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 2y
32 likes1 stack add2 comments
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LMJenkins
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Pickpick

I'm going to give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, but not because I loved it. I admire the story this author crafted and it upset me SO MUCH.

Full review: https://laurensreads.blogspot.com

thebluestocking Hey. I put your #lmpbc book in the mail today. 💙 2y
LMJenkins Thank you @thebluestocking - i‘m on vacation and lost track of things. Just sent @JamieArc an email begging forgiveness for not sending her book on time! 2y
28 likes2 comments