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A review by elliemayxox
Q by Christina Dalcher
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Once again, Dalcher has wrote such a thought provoking, anger inducing, heart wrenching book.
This dystopian novel follows Elena Fairchild in one of the governments elite schools for high children with high 'Q' scores as she witnesses the advantages first hand. But when her daughter scores lower than expected, she's taken away. Elena follows her to her new home, a government institution.
Its complicated whether to say there's a diverse cast of characters. The portion of the book before Freddie goes on the yellow bus, is very white and middle to upper class seeming. Then after Elena gets to the yellow school you start to see glimpses of a more diverse class. It really adds to the narrative thought as it emphasizes to the reader how the policies in the book are white washing and ableist etc.
Elena as a character really developed through this book. At the beginning she essentially is very blind to the reality of the policies in place and the privilege that she has. It makes it all the more ironic when we find out some of the origins of the policies and how it seems like Malcolm has took ideas without credit; this really adds to the juxtaposition between Malcolm and Elena.
Something else I loved about this book, and other books Dalcher has wrote, is how she shows how easily a dystopian society can take place. The references to eugenics and the Holocaust, how it was never suppose to happen again. I also want to add how cleverly the Grandmothers story is in there, how it could be her story, or someone else's she passing along. The whole idea of knowledge is power, which is an interesting statement in of itself considering the context of the narrative.
The only thing that cheapened the ending for me was the reappearance of a particular character at the end. While, yes, it creates this bittersweet moment, it simply seems a bit farfetched and unnecessary personally. But I'm sure it could melt the hearts of some readers and add a bit of happiness to a kind of depressing ending.
This dystopian novel follows Elena Fairchild in one of the governments elite schools for high children with high 'Q' scores as she witnesses the advantages first hand. But when her daughter scores lower than expected, she's taken away. Elena follows her to her new home, a government institution.
Its complicated whether to say there's a diverse cast of characters. The portion of the book before Freddie goes on the yellow bus, is very white and middle to upper class seeming. Then after Elena gets to the yellow school you start to see glimpses of a more diverse class. It really adds to the narrative thought as it emphasizes to the reader how the policies in the book are white washing and ableist etc.
Elena as a character really developed through this book. At the beginning she essentially is very blind to the reality of the policies in place and the privilege that she has. It makes it all the more ironic when we find out some of the origins of the policies and how it seems like Malcolm has took ideas without credit; this really adds to the juxtaposition between Malcolm and Elena.
Something else I loved about this book, and other books Dalcher has wrote, is how she shows how easily a dystopian society can take place. The references to eugenics and the Holocaust, how it was never suppose to happen again. I also want to add how cleverly the Grandmothers story is in there, how it could be her story, or someone else's she passing along. The whole idea of knowledge is power, which is an interesting statement in of itself considering the context of the narrative.
The only thing that cheapened the ending for me was the reappearance of a particular character at the end. While, yes, it creates this bittersweet moment, it simply seems a bit farfetched and unnecessary personally. But I'm sure it could melt the hearts of some readers and add a bit of happiness to a kind of depressing ending.