A powerful dystopian novel about privilege, parenting, the judicial system, and womanhood. While this might be a hard read for some, I think it speaks to some important issues in our time, albeit a bit over the top and on the nose in some cases. Overall, I think it was a very good, entertaining read that I would definitely recommend.

The School for Good Mothers is absolutely chilling in the best possible way, especially since the first 50 pages or so could easily happen to anyone today. The story kept me flipping pages the whole way through, trying to get to the end. I did find the ending a little annoying, because I just personally dislike ambiguous endings, but I can certainly understand why Chan chose to end the book that way. On the whole, a fascinating examination of the modern day cult of “good” motherhood.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book in exchange for an honest review. I really wanted to like this book, and I enjoyed it for the most part. As others mentioned, the constant stereotypes got a bit much for me. I did enjoy the overall plot of the story, and it was just the right amount of dark for me.

This book was my favorite type of dystopian novel, one that errs so close to the current world you can't help but feel chilled at the likelihood of reality the author is presenting. The School for Good Mothers is a biting take on the standards mothers are held to (especially when compared to their male counterparts), and the lengths people go to hold them "accountable." What stuck with me the most was how convincingly Chan created a world where a woman's only identity was her role as a mother, a world we are not currently too far from. I was enthralled with this novel from start to finish, and highly appreciated the great lengths Chan went to create the world this book took place in. While I acknowledge that many reviewers thought the book dragged in the middle, I loved all the details that were provided to the reader. Highly recommended for anyone that loves Handmaid's Tale, or other dystopian novels.

In "The School for Good Mothers," we meet Frida, who is mom to young Harriet. The book opens up on the bad day that Frida has with Harriet, resulting in the police being called and CPS. What follows is the case against Frida which proceeds in the typical fashion until we get to the actual consequence. Frida is going to be sent to a school to train her how to be a good mother. And that's where the book takes an unusual and different turn from the typical book about parents losing custody.

I found this book fascinating! I could not put it down. I was eager to read it and find out what happened next. The book moves along at a great pace. You really felt for the mothers in this school and for young Harriet. Frida is a saint for what she put up with from her ex-husband. I wanted to smack Susanna across her face several times as well as the "teachers" at this school.

I can't decide how I feel about the ending. It leaves you hanging a little but at the same time, it is easy to imagine what happens next.

I look forward to reading more from this author! Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this book.

Helicopter parenting is put on trial in this subversive novel about a mother getting the blame for a moment’s lack of attention and her struggle to regain the right to parent her child in the eyes of society.

The title of Chan's novel sounds innocuous, not troubling at all. Still, it includes heavy and chilling threads of racism and sexism that currently run rampant in American life. In this novel, Frida Lui pays for having "a very bad day" with the revocation of her "motherhood, and she pays solely and unreasonably.
Chan is a skilled writer, drawing the reader into a " cruel dystopian world; in fact, the themes of the novel echo the work of Margaret Atwood. Chan is so engaging, though, that this novel is almost possible to put aside until it is finished. Thrilling and compelling!

I am a mother of three young children and this book is the stuff anxiety attacks are made of. Dystopian fiction with the grinding almost too real possibility of horror makes this novel so uncomfortable to read. I read through this book in two sittings making me feel absolutely ill nearly the entire time. This is sure to be a big hit with people who liked "The Push" and "Handmaids Tale". Thank you for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Anxiety!!! So much anxiety!! And I don't even have kids! I knew that this was going to be a heartpounder but I don't think that a book has had me so on edge for a while. It was an intriguing read but I do feel like I need to put some tape on my camera lenses.

** spoiler alert ** I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchanged for my honest review. I really, really liked this book. It also made me super, mega ill over the possibility of 1% of what happens in this book happening in real life. The book is set in a future where parents (mothers especially) are surveilled and held to a standard which no human could possibly ever reach. As a parent of many children, the thought of having my children taken away for a minor parenting infraction was enough to make me sick. It begs you to think about the standards for what actually makes a good parent. I enjoyed some of the sci-fi/futuristic elements and sincerely hope we never see them come to pass in our lifetime. Overall I really enjoyed this book and raced through it. It was a great read; made you think; made you feel for the characters (which were well-developed); and I enjoyed the ending (even if it is not the most fulfilling version of what you hoped would happen).

Wow. I experienced the full range of emotions while reading this heartbreaking story. This book left me literally breathless at times and I know I will think about it often

I have some mixed feelings about this book. What the main character did was bad and she deserved to be punished. The school, as a punishment is not a bad idea. However, I did not like the way the women were treated at the school. The poor dolls. The idea of a person being put on a registry was truly horrifying.

I also did not like that the men's school was not as harsh as the women's school.

As far as for the writing of the book I sometimes got confused as to how much time had passed. It sometimes felt that at least 4 months had passed and then I found it had only been a month or 2. I had a hard time following how far she was progressing in her sentence.

I was sad at the ending.

This book was heartbreaking and astonishing, and manages to be a successful page-turner, an exploration of motherhood, and an examination of the child welfare system all in one,

What a page turner! From the start to the finish, I looked forward to reading this book any chance I got. This book is a perfect representation of how far the system will go if we the people allow it to happen.

Reading this book as a mother of a young child was an emotional rollercoaster! I did not realize until about 1/3 of the way through the book that it was dystopian fiction or at least based in an alternate reality of sorts, and once that became clear, I started enjoying the book more.

Frida is the mother of Harriet, and Frida has a very bad day of mothering that sets in motion a series of events and state interventions. Harriet is removed from her care temporarily so that Frida can attend a new program for parents who have failed as parents in some way; the program is the School for Good Mothers, and over half of the book is Frida's year at this school.

This book tackles so many issues related to modern day motherhood, and as a mother myself it was difficult to read. I struggled to connect with the main character or have empathy for her; the action she takes that results in her child being removed from her home, while not violent, is so irresponsible and poorly justified.

However, as the book went along, I softened my stance on Frida, especially as the details of the school and the mothers' experiences there are told. Can mothering be taught? Is there a standard for good motherhood? Can and should the govt be in charge of parenting? The focus on selflessness mothering was very good. This book could lead to great book club discussions and debates The fact that Frida is Chinese American gives the book more depth and allows for more points of view.

When the book ended, I wanted more. I wanted to know what happened next and I had come to care about the characters, which is always a mark of a good story.

Scary story. No parent is perfect, we do as best we can. But parenting if far behind me these day! I do see what's going on around me and feel very badly for the parents these days. Everyone is so judgmental! It has to be hard. I actually can envision a day when something like this story will happen. A number of us older adults fear the day is coming. Mass surveillance is getting nearer, just as social isolation and loneliness is becoming the norm due to covid. Coupled with wanting parents to be perfect, it looks like a perfect storm is brewing that looks a lot like this story.

This was such a depressing book to read. The mother has her child get taken away , then spends mind-numbing months at a school for bad mothers. She starts to embrace all the cruel bs the school teaches, but ultimately is denied her child’s return. She then attempts to kidnap the girl. Or does she? The ending is very confusing. It wasn’t clear if she goes through withe kidnapping. Maybe ambiguity was the point, but the ending was not satisfying for this reader.

The School for Good Mothers was certainly a strange book to be reading on Mother's Day! The author has delivered a biting satire of mommy culture and created a dystopian world that is sure to give any mom chills. We have all had a bad day, and even though it's easy to judge Frida for for her irresponsible actions, it's also easy to feel her pain. The premise is compelling and horrific and shines a blistering light on societal inequities and the expectations we place on parents. This book was disturbing, well written and thought provoking. My only qualm lies in the pacing. The plot seemed to run thin through the middle of the book after the author's world and premise were firmly set. I then began to feel that I was being beat over the head with the books premise. . I wanted to say enough already, I get it! Perhaps I wouldn't have felt this way if I had felt more strongly about Frida. I empathized, I fretted for her well being, and became angry on her behalf. Ultimately though, I just didn't like her all that well so it was hard to hang with her through the long haul. Still, I did enjoy this book and applaud the author's creativity, keen perspective, and spot on commentary.

This is a really solid read. Really solid. I feel like I connected really well with this story since I have a toddler and struggled with PPD/PPA early on. While I never left my son at home like Frida did Harriet, I could connect with her reasons why. Feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, needing space to breathe.

The school is where things took a weird turn. A creepy turn. Incredibly inventive and stomach churning. Frida was very easy to empathize with. My heart breaks for her.

Perfect ending. Absolutely stunning.

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. That said, I really wanted to like this book. I really did! The behavioral school for mothers concept is interesting - but the execution was over the top for me. The constant usage of stereotypes, particularly about black women turned me off (as I am one myself). I know what the writer was trying to do, but she missed the mark for me. I found the book slightly stressful as well - perhaps it's not a book during the current stressful situation of the world! I slogged through but On the positive side, it could play out better as a movie.