Q by Christina Dalcher is a dystopian novel that explores the consequences of a society where people are ranked by their intelligence quotient (IQ). The protagonist, Elena, is a former teacher who struggles to protect her family from the oppressive regime that segregates and discriminates against those with low IQ scores. The novel is a gripping and thought-provoking read that raises important questions about the value of human life, the role of education, and the dangers of totalitarianism. Dalcher's writing style is clear and engaging, and she creates realistic and sympathetic characters that readers can relate to. Q is a book that will challenge and inspire you to think critically about the world we live in.

I am still not quite sure what I think or feel about this book. I felt like we got a long way, for it to be over so quickly! There was so much build up and then Elena does what she does and it's kinda over, basically, I felt the ending was very rushed.

I do have to say I loved Oma, Elena's grandma, as she was the strength for Elena and the family as they had to "deal" with Freddie being shipped off to a yellow school in this terrifying and awful school system. It was enlightening, only after I read my notes, that she was German, and the way Madeline was described is almost the epitome of what Hilter strived for with blonde and blue eyes perfection. This book almost felt like it was trying to create a perfect world with these 'evil' people in power and the perfect regime that they fight for.

The schooling and Q system was just horrifying, how these children were objected to this system, how it was a love child of Elena and Malcolm, and how it showed what one parent would do to fight a system (despite creating it)

I did find it an intense read as you really couldn't imagine how to live in the situation of the class system, the exclusion of certain demographics, orientation, and capabilities, all farmed off somewhere else so you don't have to see them, only the perfect left behind.

It does make you wonder what you would do in the same situation and how far you would go to protect your children. But it is also terrifying because it is something you could actually see happening if the extremists have their way. The ending too, well it's just plain sad. I was gutted.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

This is a dystopian novel which is a new genre to me.
This is an intriguing novel which is disturbing and interesting in equal measure

This was a very interesting premise but I don't think it met my expectations. The majority of the book is quite repetitive and although it highlights the major issues of the Q system, you don't really see it in full action until Elena gets to the school which is about 70% in! Up until this point it was quite a slow read and then everything happens in a rush to the end. I enjoyed the plot, I just think it was a little too slow until the explosive ending.

This is the first book by the author I had read. So I think I should read Vox next.

Interesting storyline and characters that were well developed.

It was a good read with important subjects covered. .

A chilling, all-too-realistic tale of what happens when you start trying to categorise people by a very narrow definition of what makes someone valuable and useful to society. While the Holocaust was referenced throughout, it really didn't need to be - the parallels were clear and given recent historical events, it was all too scarily obvious how this could happen in real life with very little difficulty.

A must read for everyone.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

I expected more from the author and didn't enjoy this as much as the previous novel Vox. However it was an okay read. Just not a stand out for me.

Another powerful dystopian world, highly disturbing and close to the bone.

Vox was terrifying. A world too close to our own, as dark as you can get, and impossible to forget. On the basis of that, I was always prepared to read Dalcher's next without knowing anything about it. And she clearly has a head full of black thoughts about our society and where we are heading. Another dystopian world awaits readers, one in which genetic screening through to a child's education determines and separates their potential, their Q (Quotient) score. Similar to an IQ, young people are segregated and judged based on their number, which are tested regularly.

Nobody will not see the parallels between this civilisation and their own - standardised testing, , teaching to the test, the class system of the private and grammar schools. Elena Fairchild works in one of the most elite schools, catering to those with the highest Q scores, given the most money and resources and whose students are destined for the highest positions and satisfying, privileged lives.

Her eldest daughter breezes through her lessons and every test, apple of her Department for Education executive father's eye. Their youngest though, has always found herself close to moving down a Q category, and one month the inevitable happens. The immediate consequences of this causes friction within Elena and between her and Malcolm.

We follow Elena's realisations as she sees the system she has been a part of for so long for what it is for so many. As a mother, her instincts trump any loyalties elsewhere and readers are taken along with her as she delves into just what her society decrees is permissible for those deemed intellectually subservient.

Vox may have the edge on Q (also called Master Class) slightly, but it's a wakeup call nevertheless in a system based on test scores alone. Elena proves herself the fiercest and bravest of mothers, and her world is one just a shade away from our own, too easy to picture.

Elena's voice comes across powerfully in the Audible version, it's a perfect book for listening to. Her narration makes this immediate and gripping. Malcolm, and the history of their relationship that Elena gradually shares with us are both intriguing, dark and enlightening. How their marriage fares with the trajectory of their daughters is shocking. And seeing the past brings its own illumination.

Dalcher is a new generation's Atwood, with an instinct for mirroring the contemporary world in a dystopian-esque reflection. I can't wait to see what she holds up to our faces next.

With thanks to Nudge Books for providing a sample Audible copy.

I wanted to really enjoy this book, but just found it too unbelievable. I understand it's a dystopian book but some of the aspects of this story just meant I didn't find myself caring all that much about it.

In the end I found it a bit of a disappointment.

This was another book that I was keen to read after reading Dalcher’s brilliant debut Vox. And this did not disappoint.

I really like Dalcher’s imagination and she does a great job of creating dystopian worlds, particularly where women and are the main voice or the main ‘victim’ of this dystopian society.

I will admit, some parts of this dragged a bit but in general this was a tense ride as you follow teacher Elena who’s struggling with the way her society views and treats its ‘unsavoury’ types. There were also comparisons with the Nazi regime with first hand experience from Elena’s gran. But this wasn’t a fluffy ride - this society is brutal in its treatment of those who it views as unsavoury. A chilling world indeed!

Thanks to NetGalley, the team at HQ and the author for the opportunity to read this review copy.

I had to DNF this book as I could not get into the story at all. This is a real shame as I really enjoyed Christina Dalcher's other book.

Compelling. Unique. Twisty. I adored the premise here and loved the follow through. Really memorable.

I don't normally read dystopia but I quite enjoyed Vox and was interested to see what the follow.uo book was like.

I'm afraid this wasn't for me.
The premise is really interesting and there are some great ideas but for some reason I just didn't connect with the characters and found myself skimming through some of it.

The ideas about education - over testing, pressure on young people and the way that some education systems uphold political idealsnis an interesting and relevant one and I can see why some people have really enjoyed the book.

Thank you Netgalley for my copy

Q gives a world where social standing is determined by an individual's Q scores. For children this means if your Q score is too low you are shipped off to a federal boarding school. This is exactly what happens to the daughter of teacher, Elena Fairchild leading her to question the very institution she works in.

I tried to read this book when I first got an arc back in 2020 but struggled to get into it due to being in our first Covid lockdown. I just was not it the right place to be reading dystopian future that touched on dreadful events of the past.

Although I was interested to see how this book came together unfortunately I do not think it is one that will stay with me. Still look forward to reading more from Christina Dalcher though.

Q is set in the near future - or even an alternative ‘Now’. To say that this made me feel supremely uncomfortable would be an understatement. I kept picking it up, reading a bit, and then putting it down - until I got to the last half of the book where I basically inhaled it.

As a parent and a teacher, I found this novel really disturbing. The author has taken where we are now in our education system, and ramped it up to its most exaggerated end point. And it still didn’t seem completely over the top.

In Q’s reality, children are divided up in to their academic ability and put into one of three tiered schools - Silver, Green or Yellow. It’s a relatively new system, and for teacher Elena Fairchild, it’s a dream to teach in a top tier school, where the children are all motivated and high achieving. But when Elena’s youngest daughter is demoted from a Green to a Yellow school, Elena’s loyalty to the education system starts to disintegrate. And when her husband, who works in a senior position in the education department, refuses to save his daughter from being sent hundreds of miles away to a Yellow State boarding school, Elena decides to act.

Ooh, how I loved this. Yes, it’s uncomfortable reading. Yes, it has Eugenics written large all over it (And Elena’s grandmother even warns her and tells her about her youth under the Nazi regime). And yes, it’s uncomfortably close to reality.
But it was a gripping read with a satisfying end. I would recommend it!

Loved Vox and was really looking forward to reading this one. However the story lost me and I did not find it gripping or very interesting. Disappointing

3.5 stars

This book had a little bit of everything: family drama, dystopia, a historical element & a dual timeline. All the elements came together to weave an interesting story of an elitist society, motherhood and the lengths people will go to to protect what they love.

Q shines a light on the past actions of the Nazis & the lesser known ideals & experiments that were being trialed in America. Elena, our main character, is feisty but flawed, our bad guys are hateful & their actions disturbing.

This read like a movie with punchy, short set scenes rather than vast descriptions which helped move the story along at a quick pace.

Ok, I ADORE Christina Dalcher’s books! I read Vox over two years ago and loved it!! And I also loved this one so much, the idea was so interesting to me and so insightful about how easy something like this (and a repeat of history) actually is to happen! A very scary, almost-reality that really calls a lot into question!

I loved the main character, her slow admittance to herself that she played an unknowingly big part in the way life was. I really wanted the book to keep going, but I just flew through the ending!!

It did take me some time to get into it but it truly shocked me! But I definitely recommend both this book and Vox, and seriously can’t wait to get my hands on Femlandia in October 2021!!

Thank you so much to HQ for the NetGalley copy 😍

This dystopian narrative is thought-provoking, disturbing, terrifying and… a little bit dull in places. The concepts that Dalcher explores in her fictional tale are fascinating, but I do not feel it was as gripping as it could have been.

In this novel, we are witness to a society that strives for perfection. A ‘Q’ score is based on test results which then has an impact on education and, for adults, their place in society. Dalcher makes it quickly evident that perfection is becoming harder and harder to achieve – a perfection determined by the Government – as testing is harder and the elusive, brilliant score, is more of a myth than a reality. It’s unsurprising then that Elena’s youngest daughter, Freddie, suffers from anxiety at only 9 years old – the pressures of the monthly testing bringing her down in what should be such a carefree time of life.

Pressure and reputation is a theme in this novel. The importance of portraying an intelligent, secure family is important to Elena’s husband, Malcolm, who is more interested in the stark statistics, rather than connecting with his wife and children. It’s a harrowing depiction of society because it is something that we can recognise in our own way of living. With the desire to be liked and accepted, the significance that social media has in our lives, Dalcher demonstrates that actually, the world that Elena lives in is not too dissimilar to our own.

The novel provides a background to why society is so obsessed with these ‘Q’ scores. I found this element really interesting. Even more so, were the parallels made to real, historical events. This added to the chilling atmosphere of the story and it was intensified as Elena finds out more about future plans for ensuring a brilliant society. Whilst I struggled to connect with Elena’s parents and grandmother, it turns out that these scenes were more important than I initially realised; Dalcher is demonstrating how history does eventually repeat itself, despite claims that mankind has “learnt their lesson”.

The premise behind this story of state control is brilliantly shocking and you cannot help but draw comparisons to how we live today. Furthermore, the shady, secretive way that the Government behaves in order to control the population is something we have all seen before in history. Although this is a work of fiction, it feels like Dalcher is giving readers a warning of what might happen – without us realising. This definitely adds power to the story.

Yet, despite this, I did find the novel was not as gripping as I had hoped. The narrative did not progress forwards as I had anticipated and lacked the energy and drive that Elena displays in her determination to be reunited with her daughter. I thought there were scenes where not much happened and I think this lessened the pace and my overall enjoyment of the story. A dystopian narrative such as this, with such a shocking topic, needs a delivery that has more punch than I think was achieved in this writing. I liked that so much background information was provided – both in terms of social developments and Elena’s past – as I find that books of a similar genre tend to gloss over this. However, it did not allow me to fully connect with Elena’s journey. Despite sympathising with her, I just wanted her to get to Freddie and there to be more of a happy ever after.

And a happy ever after is questionable in this story. But justifiably so. It’s a harrowing read that raises many questions, with horrific parallels to modern history. Whilst I wasn’t fully absorbed by the narrative, I thought it was superbly written and would delight many fans of this genre. I think this haunting story will stick with me for a while.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.