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Q
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Elena Fairchild is a teacher at one of the state’s new elite schools. Her daughters are exactly like her: beautiful, ambitious, and perfect. A good thing, since the recent mandate that’s swept the country is all about perfection.
Now everyone must undergo routine tests for their quotient, Q, and any children who don’t measure up are placed into new government schools. Inst ...more
Now everyone must undergo routine tests for their quotient, Q, and any children who don’t measure up are placed into new government schools. Inst ...more
Kindle Edition, 384 pages
Published
April 30th 2020
by HQ
(first published April 21st 2020)
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I NEED A DRINK RIGHT NOW! I’m suffocating!!! Wooww! What kind of crazy roller coaster I climbed into!!!
I confess! I love horror movies! I can handle zombies, serial killers, vampires, shapeshifters, werewolves, bloody teen slashers, anything dark, vomiting kind of disgusting, irritating, nerve bending, even I can tolerate to watch Fox news for five minutes or predatory animals’ adventures on National Geographic Wild! I have high pain tolerance. But this book FROZE MY BLOOD, BLEW MY MIND AND TER ...more
I confess! I love horror movies! I can handle zombies, serial killers, vampires, shapeshifters, werewolves, bloody teen slashers, anything dark, vomiting kind of disgusting, irritating, nerve bending, even I can tolerate to watch Fox news for five minutes or predatory animals’ adventures on National Geographic Wild! I have high pain tolerance. But this book FROZE MY BLOOD, BLEW MY MIND AND TER ...more
Oct 17, 2019
Miranda Reads
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
published2020,
received-to-review
Elena Fairchild is a teacher at an exclusive "Silver" school - where the best of the best students go.
I have too strong a survival instinct. Always have.
The new educational system (Silver schools for the smartest, Green for the middle and Yellow for the bottom-tier students) has been in place for a while now.
Elena somewhat supported it but...has had her doubts for a while now but her husband is a staunch supporter. He's partly responsible for the new tiered system for education in ...more
Thank you to #GoodreadGiveaways, Berkley Publishing Group and Christina Dalcher for the ARC!
4 Stars
Prepare to be terrified!
Can you imagine a time when the future of every child is categorized based on a person’s Q (Quotient) Score? Score high and the world is your oyster, score low and boom… your descent happens instantaneously like you’re on the Tower of Terror!
Growing up, Elena never imagined that the plans she and Malcolm Fairchild outlined would become the framework for our government. If ...more
4 Stars
Prepare to be terrified!
Can you imagine a time when the future of every child is categorized based on a person’s Q (Quotient) Score? Score high and the world is your oyster, score low and boom… your descent happens instantaneously like you’re on the Tower of Terror!
Growing up, Elena never imagined that the plans she and Malcolm Fairchild outlined would become the framework for our government. If ...more
Jan 12, 2020
Kaceey
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
buddy-read,
arc-from-publisher
3.75*
An insightful, thought-provoking dystopian thriller.
Christina Dalcher became a household name with her release of the highly controversial book Vox! It lit the world of dystopian book readers on fire. Now she’s back with her newest offering that will once again have everyone buzzing!
So…how would you feel about living in a world where everyone is perfect? And I do mean everyone! You will be defined and judged purely by your Q score.
Everyone fortunate enough to have a Q over nine will enjoy ...more
An insightful, thought-provoking dystopian thriller.
Christina Dalcher became a household name with her release of the highly controversial book Vox! It lit the world of dystopian book readers on fire. Now she’s back with her newest offering that will once again have everyone buzzing!
So…how would you feel about living in a world where everyone is perfect? And I do mean everyone! You will be defined and judged purely by your Q score.
Everyone fortunate enough to have a Q over nine will enjoy ...more
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
4.5 Stars!!!
“It started with fear, and it ended with laws”
Elena Fairchild has a very busy morning. She has nine alarms set to make sure that her daughters don’t miss their school bus.
The first Friday of every month every person of school or working age is given a test that will calculate or recalculate their "Quotient" or "Q". Today is the second testing day of the school year. Elena's daughter, Anne is very confident and h ...more
Eye rollingly lame.
For a dystopia to work it needs to either be so far from possible that it's basically fantasy or close enough to possible to be believable. This one failed both ways, although it was supposed to be some sort of cautionary tale of what could happen. Plus, there was such a corniness to it all. I mean, come on, they were taking people's children away and sending them to "farms"? So, they recommended that you have a last great day with them before they have to go. Take them to do ...more
For a dystopia to work it needs to either be so far from possible that it's basically fantasy or close enough to possible to be believable. This one failed both ways, although it was supposed to be some sort of cautionary tale of what could happen. Plus, there was such a corniness to it all. I mean, come on, they were taking people's children away and sending them to "farms"? So, they recommended that you have a last great day with them before they have to go. Take them to do ...more
Terrifying and thought-provoking. Christina Dalcher has once again written a disturbing and way too realistic tale. Imagine a world where a person’s worth is measured by a single score a quotient or Q. Your queue is determined by your intelligence, your families status, and your financial standing. Have a high Q, as a child you will attend an elite silver school and received the best education followed by the most desired career opportunities have a low Q, as a child you will be shipped off to a
...more
I don’t often read science fiction. But I can really appreciate a well done dystopian book that has a premise taken from the current state of affairs. Master Class proposes a world where a child’s future is totally based on a standardized measurement, their Quotient. This score acts as a caste system, determining education and job possibilities. It doesn’t take into account other strengths, such as artistic ability. Or even the concept that a person might be a genius in one area but not all. Or
...more
3.5 A shameful and part of America's history rears its ugly head and is taken to extremes. Although this is not something I learned from history textbooks, I have read many books about this since I was out of school. It is the best future and now everything is monitored by Q scores. Scores which measure ones IQ, but also includes other socioeconomic indicators, family members performance, and the positions they hold in the work force.
A creepy read that insidiously leads to a family, a family tha ...more
A creepy read that insidiously leads to a family, a family tha ...more
4.5 thought-provoking stars! ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
I really enjoyed the edgy dystopian novel Vox written by Dalcher two years ago. Master Class also visits an uncertain future time.
Oh my goodness, this book. Even the synopsis wigged me out. In the near future, every child’s potential is measured through a standardized test, referred to as their quotient (Q). If you score well, you attend a top tier school, which means more opportunities. If you don’t meet the cutoff, you are destined for a federal schoo ...more
I really enjoyed the edgy dystopian novel Vox written by Dalcher two years ago. Master Class also visits an uncertain future time.
Oh my goodness, this book. Even the synopsis wigged me out. In the near future, every child’s potential is measured through a standardized test, referred to as their quotient (Q). If you score well, you attend a top tier school, which means more opportunities. If you don’t meet the cutoff, you are destined for a federal schoo ...more
Apr 27, 2020
Brenda ~Traveling Sisters Book Reviews
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
3.5 stars
Master Class explores what happens when the government divides people up by measuring their quotient (Q). The idea is to improve society by putting the focus on more "promising" children. I loved the premise of the story here, and it certainly got me thinking about some things; however, I would have liked there to have been more grey areas to the story to provoke the thoughts I wanted to have.
There are always two sides to everyone's story, and our main character here, Elena, seems lik ...more
Master Class explores what happens when the government divides people up by measuring their quotient (Q). The idea is to improve society by putting the focus on more "promising" children. I loved the premise of the story here, and it certainly got me thinking about some things; however, I would have liked there to have been more grey areas to the story to provoke the thoughts I wanted to have.
There are always two sides to everyone's story, and our main character here, Elena, seems lik ...more
It took a long time for me to get Vox, another novel by Christina Dalcher out of my head when reading this. It just felt all too similar in terms of characters and themes. However by the end I was able to recognise it as it's own novel but still didn't fall in love with it.
...more
Jul 07, 2020
Dannii Elle
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
science-fiction-sagacity,
adult-books-read
Q determines everything. You gain Q with academic success and can potentially lose it in every other area of your life. Lateness, illness, and disorderly behaviour are just three such examples. Q segregates the 'elite' into their own schools and affects future potential housing areas, job roles, and even where and when you can shop for your groceries. Families become reliant on each other following the rules to safeguard their own Q and so an infallible system is created, which keeps the populat
...more
I received an uncorrected proof copy of Q (titled Master Class in the US), in exchange for an honest review.
And honest I shall be...
This is the second book written by Christina Dalcher. I read her first book, VOX, last year and unfortunately I really didn't enjoy it. My spoiler-filled, and equally loathsome, review for that can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was initially going to pass on reading this because of my bad experience with VOX, but I was interested to see ho ...more
And honest I shall be...
This is the second book written by Christina Dalcher. I read her first book, VOX, last year and unfortunately I really didn't enjoy it. My spoiler-filled, and equally loathsome, review for that can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I was initially going to pass on reading this because of my bad experience with VOX, but I was interested to see ho ...more
Aug 24, 2020
Mackenzie - PhDiva Books
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
dystopian
Master Class is without a doubt one of the most thought-provoking, socially terrifying books I have read. Not by overt horror but through the way she crafts a society that by the end of the book doesn’t seem so far off from our own. Absolutely gripping and brilliant!
I love a good dystopian fiction novel on occasion, but I’m picky about them. If you are the type of reader who tends to find that they aren’t a good fit for you, give Master Class by Christina Dalcher a try because I can almost guara ...more
I love a good dystopian fiction novel on occasion, but I’m picky about them. If you are the type of reader who tends to find that they aren’t a good fit for you, give Master Class by Christina Dalcher a try because I can almost guara ...more
Thought-provoking, conceivable, and engrossing!
MASTER CLASS by CHRISTINA DALCHER is a terrifying, dark, creepy, and captivating dystopian thriller that was both shocking and haunting to read. The concepts that were addressed here in this book were extremely well done and felt so real to read.
I’ve read a few books now about the eugenics movement so while I was slightly familiar with this, the underlying truth to the story is what actually held my attention and scared the bejesus out of me. The h ...more
MASTER CLASS by CHRISTINA DALCHER is a terrifying, dark, creepy, and captivating dystopian thriller that was both shocking and haunting to read. The concepts that were addressed here in this book were extremely well done and felt so real to read.
I’ve read a few books now about the eugenics movement so while I was slightly familiar with this, the underlying truth to the story is what actually held my attention and scared the bejesus out of me. The h ...more
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I am quite happy to announce I am part of the Blogger Takeover for Q by Christina Dalcher. Many thanks to Izzy and the HQ Team, for sending me an ARC copy of this book!
Elena is a teacher at one of the most prestigious schools in America. Her daughters are just like her: ambitious, smart, beautiful and perfect.
Elena is happily married to Malcolm, who is the man that is in charge in the new tier system in the country. Every month, every ...more
I am quite happy to announce I am part of the Blogger Takeover for Q by Christina Dalcher. Many thanks to Izzy and the HQ Team, for sending me an ARC copy of this book!
Elena is a teacher at one of the most prestigious schools in America. Her daughters are just like her: ambitious, smart, beautiful and perfect.
Elena is happily married to Malcolm, who is the man that is in charge in the new tier system in the country. Every month, every ...more
Apr 30, 2020
Suzanne Leopold (Suzy Approved Book Reviews)
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Elena Fairchild is a teacher in a futuristic world where her own children are in the school system. Her husband Malcolm works for the department of education and is instrumental in overseeing change. The current system uses a standard measurement to evaluate the potential of students called the Quotient (Q). It is a standardized test score where each student's progress is calculated and measured. Those achieving high Q’s attend top tier schools with rewarding futures, and those with the lowest t
...more
Book Reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
For many years I have loved dystopian books. I love reading about how the authors’ idea of a futuristic, government-controlled world would look and whilst there are some vast differences between dystopian books there is always one similarity, the rich, clever, and good get the best in society, the poor, not so well educated, and those that are not perfect, get the worst there is to offer. In Q this is certainly brought to the forefront.
Everyone has to un ...more
For many years I have loved dystopian books. I love reading about how the authors’ idea of a futuristic, government-controlled world would look and whilst there are some vast differences between dystopian books there is always one similarity, the rich, clever, and good get the best in society, the poor, not so well educated, and those that are not perfect, get the worst there is to offer. In Q this is certainly brought to the forefront.
Everyone has to un ...more
In society we are already being judged by our race, religion, class and colour, but imagine a world where you are also judged on you’re IQ. The high achievers have the best jobs and even get a special checkout at the supermarket!!
Elena is a teacher at an elite school, pupils are tested monthly and depending on their results can be moved to different schools. Elena believes in the system until her daughter Freddie fails her tests. For Freddie and for all the others who fail, there are boarding sc ...more
Elena is a teacher at an elite school, pupils are tested monthly and depending on their results can be moved to different schools. Elena believes in the system until her daughter Freddie fails her tests. For Freddie and for all the others who fail, there are boarding sc ...more
May 31, 2020
Susan
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
domestic-thriller,
dystopian
Q up Weltschmerz
What if your child was taken away from you because of an academic test performance?
Elena, the first person narrator of Master Class faces this scenario.
With schools encountering added challenges and budget constraints how do you educate children with so many individual circumstances and learning abilities? How does everyone receive the best schooling possible?
In this book, they don’t.
Assigned individual Q scores, students undergo monthly testing, tabulation, and re-configuring. ...more
What if your child was taken away from you because of an academic test performance?
Elena, the first person narrator of Master Class faces this scenario.
With schools encountering added challenges and budget constraints how do you educate children with so many individual circumstances and learning abilities? How does everyone receive the best schooling possible?
In this book, they don’t.
Assigned individual Q scores, students undergo monthly testing, tabulation, and re-configuring. ...more
Waste of time if you read Vox. If you haven’t read that one, this one is marginally better, the last 30% anyway. But this book is still bad. It’s a derivative of the author’s earlier book. Only the premise changed. It’s still a 40 something female scientist with a powerful husband. It’s still a mostly oblivious teenager and younger daughter who the main character bonds with. It’s still the same upper middle-class neighborhood and neighbors. Even scenes from the previous book are ripped off here.
...more
Mar 30, 2020
Bookphenomena (Micky)
rated it
it was ok
Shelves:
pback-owned,
pback-arc,
silly-silly-plot,
arc-read,
2020-read,
dystopian,
plot-faded,
character-meh
It is truly crushing when a book you have anticipated ends up being a disappointment. I really enjoyed Vox, the previous release from this author and I liked her brand of contemporary dystopia; close to current society.
Q started off well, with a family situation, two successful parents and two high-achieving children. However, the mask fell off and a hideous under layer was revealed. This was a story about IQ above every other facet of a person and it drilled down to emotive and polarising topic ...more
Q started off well, with a family situation, two successful parents and two high-achieving children. However, the mask fell off and a hideous under layer was revealed. This was a story about IQ above every other facet of a person and it drilled down to emotive and polarising topic ...more
I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately it wasn't for me.
I really liked the concept. Although mainly fictional it is partly based on true life, which is very scary.
However, I just don't think it was executed that well
I really struggled with the writing style. It wasn't easy to read or that engaging.
It took a long time for anything to happen. The first 150 pages were quite a chore to get through.
It's been marketed as a thriller. Personally I wouldn't say it's a thriller, it's more ...more
I really liked the concept. Although mainly fictional it is partly based on true life, which is very scary.
However, I just don't think it was executed that well
I really struggled with the writing style. It wasn't easy to read or that engaging.
It took a long time for anything to happen. The first 150 pages were quite a chore to get through.
It's been marketed as a thriller. Personally I wouldn't say it's a thriller, it's more ...more
This is story is set in a dystopian future where a persons IQ determines every aspect of their life. Students are regularly tested and depending on their results moved into different schools. If someone continues to fail the tests they are sent to a state school away from their family.
A chilling look at a world where a persons contribution to society is the ultimate goal.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
A chilling look at a world where a persons contribution to society is the ultimate goal.
Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Q is intriguing
Q is scary
Q is very well written
But wasn’t for me
A 100% dystopian thriller, Q is about everyones Q rating, basically your intelligence level and exam pass level that affects schooling, employment and everything in life
Elena is a teacher in the prestigious ‘Silver’ schools and has 1 daughter with a very good Q level and 1 who fails to get the required grade and gets moved to a ‘Yellow’ school, these schools are in cheaper areas, sometimes thousands of miles away and new rules mean ...more
Q is scary
Q is very well written
But wasn’t for me
A 100% dystopian thriller, Q is about everyones Q rating, basically your intelligence level and exam pass level that affects schooling, employment and everything in life
Elena is a teacher in the prestigious ‘Silver’ schools and has 1 daughter with a very good Q level and 1 who fails to get the required grade and gets moved to a ‘Yellow’ school, these schools are in cheaper areas, sometimes thousands of miles away and new rules mean ...more
Apr 17, 2020
Cortney LaScola - The Bookworm Myrtle Beach
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
giveaways-arcs
3.5 rounded up
Christina Dalcher has a way of writing that makes the implausible seem plausible.
While I enjoyed her first book Vox more, I still thought Master Class was really good... and that ending!
Christina Dalcher has a way of writing that makes the implausible seem plausible.
While I enjoyed her first book Vox more, I still thought Master Class was really good... and that ending!
Apr 27, 2020
Scarlett Readz and Runz....Through Novel Time & Distance
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Whoa! I loved this terrifying and engrossing read!
Rtf.
Rtf.
This really was a thought-provoking read.
It plays with the concept of a class system fed by a person's IQ in this instance it’s named Q.
This number is where you are placed in society.
Your privileges and choices heavily reliant on this and it can be affected just by taking a sick day or arriving late for work.
This then takes us even further down the rabbit hole enabling prenatal screening for pregnant mothers thus encouraging selective breeding and even a force that governs suitable parenting mea ...more
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Readers also enjoyed
Christina Dalcher earned her doctorate in theoretical linguistics from Georgetown University. She specialized in the phonetics of sound change in Italian and British dialects and taught at universities in the United States, England, and the United Arab Emirates.
Her short stories and flash fiction appear in over one hundred journals worldwide. Recognitions include first prize in the Bath Flash Fict ...more
Her short stories and flash fiction appear in over one hundred journals worldwide. Recognitions include first prize in the Bath Flash Fict ...more
Articles featuring this book
"Oh, we are living a dystopian reality!" You've heard it, you may have even said it. But despite what's happening in the world—or maybe because...
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“Patriotism doesn't require turning a blind eye to the darker chapters of our country's history; if anything, the opposite.”
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“You have to, honey,” I said. “Everyone has to take the tests.” “Why?” Why? I tried to think of an answer that would calm her. “So they know where to put people.” And then, “You’ve always done fine.”
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