num_pages: 336
description: An alternate cover edition of ISBN 9781982156121 can be found here.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 Frida  ones 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 mothers  that 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.
language: English
title: The School for Good Mothers
publisher: Simon & Schuster