Q

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What to expect

IN THIS WORLD, PERFECTION IS EVERYTHING

‘Terrifyingly plausible’ Louise Candlish
‘Devastating and brilliant’ Woman & Home
‘Thought-provoking’ Alice Feeney
‘Shocking . . . A powerful tale’ Cosmopolitan
‘Timely’ Kia Abdullah

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…

What readers are saying about Q

‘To everyone that loved Vox and wants to read another like it this is just for you!!’

‘I love Dalcher’s books, they grip me from the beginning and I find them impossible to put down’

‘I read this book in 24 hours! I loved it.’

‘An amazing read . . . thought provoking and made me eager to know what is coming next from this brilliant author.’

‘This book had me hooked from start to finish.

‘Both timely and chilling. Q is a thrilling read’

Critics Review

  • ‘It’s hard to tell if this book is truly a work of fiction or a horrific glance at reality’ Prima

    ‘Like all the best dystopian fiction, Q takes the reader just a pace or two beyond where we’re already at. This is a sharply written and terrifyingly plausible tale of an education system where less than perfect is a life-threatening condition… I devoured it in a single day.’ Louise Candlish

    ‘Shocking…a powerful tale exploring themes of survival and superficiality.’ Cosmopolitan

    ‘Christina Dalcher is fast becoming one of my favourite authors. It’s a master class in dark dystopian fiction, clever, thought-provoking, beautifully written, and terrifyingly believable.’ Alice Feeney

    ‘‘Powerful, devastating, shocking brilliant.’ Woman & Home

    ‘WHAT A BOOK. ‘Shockingly, terrifyingly real – Christina Dalcher has got another bestseller on her hands.’ Lisa Hall

    ‘Orwell meets Atwood in Christina Dalcher’s Q, a chilling look at how polite society can sleepwalk its way into horrifying atrocities. Timely, tense and frighteningly plausible, Q is an urgent clarion call against complacency.’ Kia Abdullah

    ‘Dalcher conjures an America informed by tragic elements of its past and present where science and humanity are both abused in ways that are all-too familiar and plausible. Her heroic women and tough yet elegant prose suggest Margaret Atwood updated for this moment.’ Michael D’Antonio

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