Having loved VOX I was very excited to read and review Christina Dalcher's latest book - Q and today I'm on the Blogger Takeover (see all those taking part below). I very kindly received an ARC free of charge from the publisher. Pick up your copy from tomorrow.
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. Instead, teachers can focus on the gifted.
Elena tells herself it’s not about eugenics, not really, but when one of her daughters scores lower than expected and is taken away, she intentionally fails her own test to go with her.
But what Elena discovers is far more terrifying than she ever imagined…
My thoughts?
Dr Elena Fairchild teaches at the new Silver Elite School which has the best-of-the-best pupils in attendance. Her daughters are like her - beautiful, ambitious and perfect. It's all about perfection now. There are three tiers of schools - Silver, Green and for the educationally inept, Yellow.
Every month everyone, including the teachers have to pass their Q tests. If they fail, they drop down a tier. To drop to Yellow means you are banished, away from family and friends to schools in the plains of Kansas and a strict regime.
One day, Freddie, Elena and Malcolm's youngest daughter fails her test. El begs him to use his powers - he works at the Education department to stop his daughter being sent away from all that she knows and loves. He refuses and once again she wonders who the monster is that she married.. She's also regretting being so for the new regime that her and Malcolm were instrumental in designing.
Elena decides to fail her tests and engineers a way to get to the school Freddie is at. After a grueling journey she finds all is not well at all.... she also finds Alex, Malcolm's creepy friend there (he doesn't seem surprised to see her there either..) He's carrying out tests relating to selective breeding... Issues woven into the story include abortion, perfection, divorce, bullying, sadness, love and family as well as real life history. I found the story gripping and read it quickly in a couple of days. It's one of my favourite reads of 2020.
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