It even makes a certain amount of sense when put in those terms, and that’s one of the things that makes this such a fantastic story – it’s worryingly plausible. In this way, those children who are perhaps a little slower to learn for whatever reason are no longer subjected to the same pressure as the child prodigies, and the latter group isn’t held back by those who need more attention. Segmenting children in this way is not a new idea, but Dalcher takes it to extremes in this novel as children are assigned to a silver, green, or yellow school depending upon their Q – quotient – with regular testing to ensure that standards are maintained. In Q, it starts as a way of improving education and reducing overcrowding in schools, ensuring that all children are taught at the appropriate level for their abilities. I love dystopian fiction, and Christina Dalcher does these kinds of nightmarish scenarios brilliantly. It started with fear, and it ended with laws.
Instead, teachers can focus on the gifted.Įlena 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.īut what Elena discovers is far more terrifying than she ever imagined…
Now everyone must undergo routine tests for their quotient, Q, and any children who don’t measure up are placed into new government schools. A good thing, since the recent mandate that’s swept the country is all about perfection. Her daughters are exactly like her: beautiful, ambitious, and perfect. I absolutely loved Christina Dalcher’s debut novel, VOX, and was thrilled to receive a coveted proof of her second novel, Q.Įlena Fairchild is a teacher at one of the state’s new elite schools.
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