Berkley Publishing

Master Class by Christina Dalcher (Berkley)

September 28, 2020

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

It is always wise to remember the past when talking about the future. History doesn’t always remain a distant memory. It often likes to rear its ugly head when you least expect it, begging you to pause and reevaluate.   

Christina Dalcher’s contemporary dystopian tale, Master Class incorporates contentious issues from the past and present into a fictional world where the unimaginable may not be far from the truth.  

You would think that over the past hundred-plus years, people would be free from discrimination, inclusivity would be the norm and inequality would be considered a term from “the olden days”. This is not the case in Dalcher’s latest novel. She vividly creates a present-day world designed to promote the elite…the creme de la creme. A cookie cutter society that breeds only the best. In Master Class, the educational system is tiered. Everyone has a quotient or “Q” score. Think of it similarly to an I.Q. You are either placed in a Silver, Green, or Yellow school. Silver is for the elite/high quotient students, Green is a step-down, and Yellow is the lowest. Students are tested monthly to ensure they are in the correct placement at all times. Slip up and you are swiftly brought down. Careful though, what goes down doesn’t always come back up. Silver is obviously your best bet. Green is acceptable, but a tough place to be in. It is like being in “purgatory”…you are incessantly waiting to see if you will elevate to the heavens above (Silver) or plummet to the fires of hell below (Yellow). Can you say… constant state of panic? Parents are regularly holding onto the edge of their seats the Monday after testing day. Which bus color will come and pick up their child? Silver, Green, or will the Yellow bus come collecting their child and their suitcase too.

In comes Elena Fairchild. Elena is a teacher at one of the Elite schools, a mom to two school-age girls, and married to Malcolm, one of the masterminds behind this educational system.  When one of their daughters does poorly on her monthly tests, she is demoted to a yellow school. Absolutely heartbroken that her daughter will now be sent away from her, Elena begins to question the “weeding out” process that she at one time helped dream up (hello Serena and Fred Waterford…AKA The Handmaid’s Tale). As she takes inventory of what is going on around her, she makes an appalling discovery about the end goal of this educational system and the fate of those who don’t make the cut.  

Elitism, class systems, abortion, and eugenics fill the pages of Dalcher’s story. Master Class may be a work of fiction set in a “make-believe” world, but let’s not forget that these are real issues that have held a place in the past and are still debated even today. Women having a baby over the age of 35 is unheard of in Master Class. Cranking out babies needs to happen early on to ensure they have the highest “Q” score. Did I mention that you can determine your baby’s “Q” potential before you give birth? Abortions are highly encouraged if scores are not up to snuff and the women in Dalcher’s world actually complain that manicures take longer then their abortions…as if!!!! Have a quotient score above a nine and the world is your oyster. Start dipping below and your prospects grow dim. So dim that your “kind” is not beneficial to society. Probably not worth investing much time, money, or resources into this “yellow” population. In fact, better to stop them in their tracks before more of “them” are born.  Can you say WILD? 

Eugenics-The study of how to arrange reproduction within a human population to increase the occurrence of heritable characteristics regarded as desirable~Oxford Languages

I absolutely LOVED Master Class. As a parent, I can honestly say I got the chills reading this.  There is most certainly a vibe in today’s parenting world to push your child to their maximum potential. Extra tutors, private schools, club sports, college advisors, you get the gist.  Whether its sports, AP classes, college admission, job opportunities, and EVEN PRE-SCHOOL for Pete’s sake, there is always a competition going on. Who makes the grade and who falls under the radar? Let’s face it…it’s hard to keep up with the Joneses. Is this book far fetched or is it a little too close to home? I’ll let you decide.  

How appropriate it feels to have read this book during this heated political climate that I am immersed in each day. While waiting to see who the next  Supreme Court Justice will be (R.I.P. RBG) and of course THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, Master Class is beyond thought-provoking.  Dalcher brilliantly embeds some of the most controversial topics of our time in her dystopian world. Her writing is edgie and downright eerie. Her book is a gripping read that absolutely warrants a conversation. I highly recommend reading this for a book club or with a group of friends.  I hope you enjoy this as much as I did.  It’s a page turner…that’s for sure!  Happy Reading!

Until Next time friend!

Your Biggest Fan,

Kelly

P.S.  For those of you who have been following me for the last two years, you know that I am an audiobook junkie. Master Class was incredible on audio. If you love listening to your books while out running errands or doing dreaded housework, I can’t urge you enough to join Libro.fm.  It is the exact same as the other big brand audio bookseller  (you know who I am talking about), but it supports YOUR LOCAL INDIE BOOKSTORE OF CHOICE. Click here to use my referral link!

Click on the pic below to purchase Master Class.

Wife After Wife by Olivia Hayfield (Berkley)

February 11, 2020

Dear Mr. Hemingway,

Do you remember Henry VIII? You know, the English King from the 1500s who was known for his six wives. Well, through the years, I have personally had a small obsession with him and his many wives. You can imagine how excited I was when I found out there was a fictional re-telling of his reign set in the 21st century. Wife After Wife by Olivia Hayfield, brings Henry VIII, his wives, and his entire court to life in today’s world. This is my absolute dream re-telling and I am so excited to share it with you.

As a Tudor enthusiast, Wife After Wife was a perfect read. Fans of the Henry VIII saga and his six wives will find this modern-day re-telling unique and entertaining. With Harry Rose of the Rose Corporation starring as Henry VIII, Ana Lyebon (designer) as Anne Boleyn, and Clare Barr (nurse) as Catherine Parr (just to name a few), the cast of characters resembled their historical equivalents with lots of pizzaz. Hayfield’s attention to detail was completely on point. Some of my favorites were the Rack Magazine (How brilliant is that for a name?), Charles Lisle (I love Charles Brandon), and of course the 21st-century glitz and galas.

Even though I know the tale of Henry VIII and his six wives inside and out (I named one of the chickens, Anne Boleyn), I still found this book exciting and fresh. Yes, I knew everyone’s fate in the story, but to see how it played out with a modern twist kept me on the edge of my seat. Hayfield’s book was charming, witty, and beyond clever. I hope she writes more stories similar to this one.

With that said, let’s review Henry VIII’s six wives.

Catharine of Aragon: Catharine was Henry’s first wife. She married his older brother Arthur first. She then married Henry after Arthur’s early death. Catharine was a devout Catholic who refused to have her marriage annulled, causing Henry many of his future problems. During her marriage to Henry, she failed to give him a son. Her only living child was a daughter named Mary. Mary went on to be the queen of England in 1553 until her death in1558. Her nickname was “Bloody Mary” from all of the Protestant heretics she burned at the stake (hundreds and hundreds).

Anne Boleyn: Anne Boleyn is my favorite of all the wives. Anne too failed to give Henry a living son. She gave birth to a daughter named Elizabeth. Anne was eventually charged with adultery, incest, witchcraft, and conspiracy against her husband, the King. She was sentenced to death by decapitation. Anne’s daughter went on to be the famous Queen Elizabeth, who reigned for 44 years. So much for having a male heir to sit on the throne…….#girlpower.

Jane Seymour: Jane married Henry the DAY AFTER Anne was executed. She was actually Anne’s second cousin. She was the only wife to give Henry a legitimate son. She, unfortunately, died two weeks after giving birth. Her son was Edward VI, the future king of England. Henry is buried with Jane.

Anne of Cleves: Henry’s fourth wife was more of a political strategy. Anne was essentially a “mail-ordered bride”. They never met before their betrothal. Henry was appalled at her appearance when meeting for the first time. The short of it is….they never consummated their marriage and their marriage was annulled within six months. Surprisingly, they went on to be good friends (she made it out alive).

Catharine Howard: Henry truly robbed the cradle with his fifth wife. Catharine was just a teen when she married this 50-year-old King. After a little less than two years of marriage, Catharine was accused of treason for her sexual past. She was executed in 1542……bye bye head once again.

Catherine (Katherine) Parr: Last but not least, Catherine Parr. Catherine married Henry in 1543, even though she was in love with Sir Thomas Seymour (Jane Seymour’s brother). After Henry died in 1547, she went on to marry Thomas. She died a year later following the birth of her daughter. She was 36 when she died.

Well, Mr. H. That is the briefest summary I could give on the six wives of Henry VIII. Before, during, and after his reign as King, is equivalent to the juiciest of soap operas. Definitely worth reading more on in my opinion.

I wish you the grandest day!

Your Biggest Fan,

Kelly

P.S. Instead of her head on the chopping block, Anne Boleyn was executed by a French swordsman. A classy way to go! FYI, Catharine Howard got the ax. Chop Chop!!!

Click here to purchase Wife After Wife by Olivia Hayfield.

Click here to purchase my favorite book on Anne Boleyn