Class
By Stephanie Land

I loved Ms. Land’s first book and the Netflix series based on the book. I was so excited to continue the story in Class. I read this some time ago and have struggled long and hard with my thoughts about this book. I was taught, however, that if you don’t have anything nice to say, perhaps it is best to just say nothing at all. So I am going to leave it at that.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you for the early release copy of this book. I intended to review for consideration for the Read.Talk.Grow podcast which then went on recording hiatus. I regret that I was unable to review and connect with you during your promotion period for this work.

Shelf Awareness: In Class, Stephanie Land offers a moving rumination on higher education, work, and motherhood--and how the experiences of each, and the striving for each, sit within the classist systems of the United States and its social safety net.

In her bestselling debut memoir, Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother's Will to Survive--which President Obama named a favorite book of 2019 and Netflix adapted to a miniseries--Land chronicled her experience as a single mother working to clean houses for what amounted to less than a living wage. In Class, she examines the subsequent chapter of her life, and her continued experiences of poverty and motherhood as she strives to earn her bachelor's degree and pursue work as a writer. She breaks down the constant judgment heaped upon her--and others--for daring to dream of a life beyond that of the "deserving poor," constantly proving her worthiness and value as a mother and as an individual via her dedication to work. Her experience navigating the complex, demoralizing systems of higher education and social safety net programs led her to the "sense that not only did work have the greatest value, but I, too, only had value if I was working." She equates her pursuit of higher education and dream of being a writer to the purchase of a "fresh-off-the-lot, overpriced car" that is "extravagant to the point of absurdity." These extravagant dreams, however, are never questioned when held by those with more wealth and opportunities: higher education, a meaningful career, the opportunity to grow a family. "Resilience as a virtue is assigned, especially to marginalized groups, when systemic structures have created countless invisible barriers to living what the privileged consider a normal life."

Who gets to write? Who gets to make art? Who gets to strive for a different way of being, living, doing, and who is expected to be grateful for whatever bits come their way? These questions form the crux of Land's incredible and heart-wrenching memoir in which she explores her experiences in higher education, work, and single motherhood. Class is as infuriating as it is inspiring, and it should be considered required reading for anyone with even a passing interest in narratives of wealth and work, the lived experience of prejudicial U.S. safety net systems, or social justice. --Kerry McHugh, freelance writer

Shelf Talker: The author of Maid returns with an incredible and heart-wrenching memoir that ruminates on higher education, class, and single motherhood.

Stephanie Land's MAID and now CLASS should be required reading. Land taught me so much in a few hundred pages that I didn't know because of my lucky circumstances. She writes in a way that is easily understandable and digestible for all to not only understand but also empathize with. I bought this one for several people in my life and we had an excellent talk about it - great for book clubs! Pick this one up. Thanks to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing an advance copy for review. I was excited to see this book after having read Maid. I was not disappointed. I appreciate Land's honesty and believe she is an inspiration to others.

Thank you to the publisher for this digital advanced reader copy. I was very excited for this follow up to the author's debut, "Maid," which I loved and devoured in a day! This memoir was much slower paced and felt more of a personal reflection of Land's experience and less of an indictment on the systems in our country that perpetuate poverty, which Maid did a great job of depicting. This also felt less cohesive than Maid which added to the slower pace. I would still recommend this if you loved Maid and don't mind a slower read, but I would not go into it with the same expectations. I did enjoy the ending & think she has great potential for a third book which I would still be excited to read.

This was a really interesting extension of Maid, with continued commentary and insight into getting by in America when the system has failed you. A readable, immersive voice, and interesting to see where the story picked up!

I read and loved Maid. I did not love Class. I thought it was fine, but there wasn't a lot of depth.

Class continues the author's journey as she graduates from college and becomes a writer. She is still struggling with poverty, and still has to balance her child and everything else. While she encounters different people and places, it still felt repetitive. I didn't feel the urgency of the situation I felt when reading her first book.

I know this book will have an audience and they will love it. And maybe if I hadn't been spoiled by her other book being so good, I would have appreciated this one more.

My thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book just wasn’t my cup of tea. This book follows Stephanie after her first book The Maid. We follow her as she faces struggles trying to go to college while being a single mom. This was a tough read because it’s bleak and really shows what people face on a daily basis. Some of the authors thoughts and decisions rubbed me the wrong way but not my place to judge. My main issue with this book was it felt very rushed. I think this has an audience that will really need this but isn’t for me. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this book for an honest review.

In her follow-up to Maid, Land describes just how frustrating navigating motherhood can be without the cultural capital afforded to those of different life circumstances. The constant tug of ambition and humility is relatable to all working parents.

It took me a while to actually review this book because I was looking for something good to say and I still can't really find it. I guess not every book is for everyone, but I found Land's second memoir whiny and selfish, and not in an "I know it's a memoir and it's about her" kind of way. I do thank Atria Books and NetGalley for the early access in exchange for my honest opinion. I just wished I'd liked it more. 2.5 stars

After "Maid" , this one seemed to fall a bit flat. It seemed like more of a whine-fest of the author thinking the world owes her everything since she was a single parent trying to go to college and raise a child. What I felt was focused on a bit too much in the book was her in college, and chasing guys, partying with guys, doing other things that I won't repeat here with guys (hey, good for her, but no need to brag so much in your book about it!), and VERY little mention or discussion of your child! Except to use them as an "excuse" as to why things were so hard for you. Sob, Sob. Sob. And then when you do talk about your child, you referred to them as "my kid". That's immature and annoying. You're the parent. Grow up and BE a parent.

I had a hard time with this one. I wanted more about Land's time in college and less about her relationships. I didn't always understand her choices which made it difficult for me to empathize. That being said, her writing is immersive and I'll be first in line for her next book.

I first learned about Stephanie Land from the Netflix show, and know how much shows are dramatized, I had to find the book. After reading "Maid", I knew I had to read this one as well. Such a great writer! I quite enjoyed this book.

Author Stephanie Land's previous book, "Maid", was her memoir of struggling as a single mother living below the poverty line. In this follow-up, "Class" , Land continues to share her story of fighting to access higher learning as a single mother living below the poverty line.

The beauty of memoirs is that they allow readers to access a life that is unlike their own lives. At their best, they make you more empathetic to the struggles of others and more aware of systemic injustices.

I most appreciated the parts of this book that addressed the struggles of poverty and education... student loans, child care, the high cost of copying essays to share with all of the author's peers in the classroom, etc etc.

In other sections, it was harder for me to sympathize. I had to keep reminding myself that poor people are allowed to make mistakes, too. They are allowed to pick abusive boyfriends just like rich people are. They are allowed to use birth control with a high failure rate just like middle class folks can. They are allowed to have unflattering opinions of their professors and friends and write about them in very public ways... I guess.

That being said, this author often comes across as an immature person who views herself as a near-constant victim of not only "the system", but also her family, boyfriends, friends, professors, judicial systems, etc. I *know* that this author has fought through circumstances I have never faced. And by her own account, she's come through those battles and is in a much better place now. I'm so glad for her. Just be aware that this book is not just a look at how hard it is for poor folks to get ahead via our higher education system. It also includes a significant side of relational drama.

My thanks to the author, publisher, and #NetGalley for an ARC of this book.

Book Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Class, is the follow up to Stephanie Land’s 2019 memoir, Maid. The book picks up where the mother/ daughter duo last left us. Now residents in the state of Montana, Stephanie is a senior attending the University of Montana while her daughter begins kindergarten. But reality soon sets in for the single mother when she begins to face one obstacle after the next. Will she be able to achieve her goal of higher education, or will living below the poverty line stand in her way?

As someone who struggled greatly to finance college, I found Stephanie’s personal account to be the most accurate portrayal of the education system I have ever read. Learning how much harder things were for her as single mother made this book even more inspiring. She is the definition of true grit!

Not only was this my first five star read of 2024, but it is a book that will stay with me forever. I was sad to see and hear harsh criticism of Land as a person. While I did not always agree with her choices, I could easily see how someone in her situation would feel the need to make them. I applaud Land for not only beating the odds, but thriving in a world that was designed to keep her down.

I highly recommend everyone pick up a copy of this book. In fact, I wholeheartedly believe Class should be required reading for ALL high schoolers in the United States. It would give students a modern take on the education, legal, and financial systems we currently have in place.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Atria Books, and Stephanie Land for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Having really enjoyed Maid, I was happy to receive an ARC of Land's follow-up novel Class. The takeaway for me was that there was a real lack of growth. There's a lack of self-awareness and honestly, she comes across as manipulative. IF you cannot be there for her and help her, she will drop you. There wasn't any reciprocity. And there were a lot of bad decisions one after another after another. Also, there's still inherent privilege here that's not being acknowledged or discussed.

I appreciate NetGalley and the publisher providing me the ARC for review.

This is a book I was looking forward to, and I was so excited to receive an eARC of it earlier this month! It was, as was the first one, a relatively quick read - I devoured it during my morning and afternoon commute, and was done in two days.

After reading it, though, I made the terrible mistake of going online to see what other reviewers were thinking - naively believing that most of us would have interpreted it in a similar way. I was sorely disappointed, when instead of five-star reviews - which this one is, by the way - I found quite a lot of negative comments, complaining, mostly, about the “graphic” sex scenes and Land’s “bad decision-making” skills.

Let me just start with the first point : the sex scenes. Honestly ? You’ve probably seen worse in your latest favorite TV show. Land doesn’t write very detailed, graphic sex scenes, no matter what some reviewers seem to have read (did we get the same eARC ? Were pages missing in mine?).

Yes, this is a book destined for an adult audience. Yes, it will talk about things that matter in an adult woman’s life - including, but not limited to, her relationships with others. Just because it’s a woman writing about it doesn’t make it inherently vulgar or useless in a story.

Secondly, on the topic of “bad” decision-making… Who are you to judge ?

Land’s difficulties with the world of academia are real, and show us the barriers between poor citizens and higher education. Those that would judge her for trying to achieve something bigger than what she originally had - trying to get into the MFA program, for example - seem to have no comprehension of the intrinsic dilemma of higher education for low-income individuals : in order to try and grab our “chance at a better life” through a college or university diploma, we must make unsound financial decisions, like getting an insurmountable amount of student loans, or quitting a full-time job to try and get some classes part-time in a semester.

Yet, if we do not try our very best and aim to change our situation by getting a post-secondary degree, we are seen as lazy, unwilling to work for better living conditions, and, ultimately, deserving of our situation.

This book asks us : Who has the right to go to college? Who has the right to have dreams and hopes for the future? Who has the right to want things for themselves?

Unfortunately, it seems some readers’ answers to those questions are, “not you. Not the way you’re doing it. Not those choices.”.

Land’s memoir shows us the reality of what she had to go through to get to where she is now, in all its complicated details and heartbreaking turns. Yes, she may have made choices you personally don’t agree with, or that don’t seem to make sense to you, and it might make you uncomfortable - that’s the point of reading this book. Don’t let your discomfort prevent you from feeling empathy.

This is a beautiful book that I believe will be eye-opening for a lot of people, and I wish it just as much success as the first one. It deserves it.

Class is a follow-up to the book Maid. If you are a fan of true stories, this will be a great read for you. I enjoyed learning more about Stephanie as she struggled to support herself and her daughter while she went to school. I look forward to more books by Stephanie Land. Thank you to NetGalley, One Signal publishers/Atria for the ARC. I am leaving this review and is my own opinion. #class, #stephanieland, #onesignalpublishers, #atria, #netgalley

This books that Land writes are great. They allow you to see the world from a place where you may never have thought to look. When you read this memoir, you can't help but feel emotionally attached to the characters and the story.