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nuhafariha 's review for:
The School for Good Mothers
by Jessamine Chan
Thank you to Simon&Schuster & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader's Copy!
Available January 2022.
Every mom has a very bad day. Some, though, get caught during their very bad day. In "The School For Good Mothers", Jessamine Chan paints a compelling and terrifying look at a near future. When Frida Liu gets contacted by CPS about leaving her infant daughter Harriet home for two and a half hours, she can hardly imagine the consequences. Soon, Frida is submerged into a world of motherese, artificial children and endless counseling. Chan takes our current ruthless CPS system to its logical conclusion, exploring the heartbreak the system causes on families and communities, especially in Brown & Black neighborhoods.
There was no point in this book where I was not clenching my teeth, tightening my fists and looking over to my own infant for reassurance. I loved how the author manages to capture the illogical approach of CPS, of trying to measure motherhood with austere rubrics, of trying to weigh out who is a "good mother" by society's standards. As a new mom myself, Frida was wholly relatable & watching her emotional turmoil definitely uncovered my own feelings towards motherhood in America. Most of all, I appreciated how the author subtly points out the lack of institutional, social and community support for newborn moms & the way systems that are supposed to help parents often do the opposite. A wonderful book!
Available January 2022.
Every mom has a very bad day. Some, though, get caught during their very bad day. In "The School For Good Mothers", Jessamine Chan paints a compelling and terrifying look at a near future. When Frida Liu gets contacted by CPS about leaving her infant daughter Harriet home for two and a half hours, she can hardly imagine the consequences. Soon, Frida is submerged into a world of motherese, artificial children and endless counseling. Chan takes our current ruthless CPS system to its logical conclusion, exploring the heartbreak the system causes on families and communities, especially in Brown & Black neighborhoods.
There was no point in this book where I was not clenching my teeth, tightening my fists and looking over to my own infant for reassurance. I loved how the author manages to capture the illogical approach of CPS, of trying to measure motherhood with austere rubrics, of trying to weigh out who is a "good mother" by society's standards. As a new mom myself, Frida was wholly relatable & watching her emotional turmoil definitely uncovered my own feelings towards motherhood in America. Most of all, I appreciated how the author subtly points out the lack of institutional, social and community support for newborn moms & the way systems that are supposed to help parents often do the opposite. A wonderful book!