Had Promise, But... : The School for Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan

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Frida is a 39-year-old mother who had a "very bad day," she left her toddler alone for over two hours. The state places Harriet, her daughter, into the full custody of her father and his new girlfriend, a Pilates instructor. Frida is shipped off to a school for parents that need to learn to be better parents.

The mantra we hear again and again is "I am a bad mother, but I'm learning to be good." While at the school, the reader learns of the struggles of each mother. The reader observes how the women can be supportive or judgmental (catty, really) towards one another. The reader learns about how the system is more lenient towards fathers. What the reader doesn't know... Why does this system exist? What led to this society (a social worker state)? Should the reader feel empathy for Frida because there is a lot of self pity, and I mean a lot!

After reading this book, and I finished because I wanted to know the outcome, I thought the book had promise but it lacked delivery. The was due to the repetitive nature of the story, the emotional flatness, and as one other reviewer commented, the book would have benefitted from a first person narrative.

My overall rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Listened on Libby app (thank you public libraries!) and the narration was well done.


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