The School for Good Mothers
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The School for Good Mothers marks the 2022 literary debut of American author Jessamine Chan and was released by Simon & Schuster. The narrative centers on Frida, a woman who is confined to an experimental institution designed to reform mothers charged with minor parenting violations.
Writing and composition
Chan initiated the writing process in 2014, drawing from her own concerns regarding motherhood. The storyline was shaped by influential pieces from The New Yorker, including an article by Rachel Aviv about family court systems and another by Margaret Talbot addressing initiatives to reduce the "word gap" in Providence, Rhode Island. The book includes a diverse ensemble of characters; Chan highlighted the difficulty in crafting unique and fully realized identities for the mothers residing in the facility. Portions of the plot are set in Philadelphia, where she previously lived before moving to Chicago amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The manuscript underwent revisions through collaboration between Chan and her literary agent, Kaffel Simonoff, prior to submission to publishers.
Critical reception
Molly Young, writing for The New York Times Book Review, praised the novel, remarking that it "evokes" the works of Kazuo Ishiguro and Philip K. Dick, while stressing that "[...] Chan’s novel stands out as distinctly original rather than a mere blend of influences."
Due to its themes, The School for Good Mothers has drawn comparisons to Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale. Chan expressed excitement about these parallels, calling them "more thrilling than [she] ever imagined."
The book was included on the longlist for the 2023 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction.
Adaptation
Actress and producer Jessica Chastain, through her production company Freckle Films, secured rights to transform the novel into a television series. The project is set to be directed by Jude Weng.