Reviews

The Faculty Lounge: A Novel by Jennifer Mathieu

lottiebrooks's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

I adored this novel, told in a cohesive collection of short stories for each teacher. It begins with an elderly substitute passing away in a teacher’s lounge, with his last wish being to have his ashes scattered in the school parking lot.

Preorder this for all teachers in your life, or any fans of Abbott Elementary! 

mctmama's review

challenging emotional funny informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Faculty Lounge stars with a substitute teacher dying on a couch in the Teacher's lounge. The deceased was a former teacher at Baldwin High, and returned when he was in his eighties to sub. Teaching was a vocation for him, and his only son asked that his ashes be scattered on the grounds of Baldwin High. When the principal complies with this request, ashes blow into the President of the PTA and some chaos ensues. Each chapter features a different faculty member and how they are coping with the death of the substitute, as well as the changes in the educational system in Texas. Parts are the book are funny, and many are touching. I really enjoyed this! Thank you Netgalley for the advance reader copy.

starkymalarkey's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.75

laurenscholle's review against another edition

4.0

Currently get my M.Ed and this book just felt so warm. I loved reading about all of the teachers and seeing how they interact because it felt genuine. This is definitely a slim plot book, but I enjoyed that. I felt immersed in each chapter because it read like a mini biography of each teacher and their relationship with the school. Also, I'm not typically a fan of emails or texts being use in a book, but Mathieu made good use of them and it added to the plot. The way they were formatted was easy to follow (even on a Kindle).

emilychau's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

bethreadsandnaps's review against another edition

4.5

4.5 stars

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from Jennifer Mathieu's THE FACULTY LOUNGE (publishes July 23, 2024), as I've never read one of the author's novels. It turns out that I was quite taken with this novel. At the opening, the reader learns that the former teacher and now substitute teacher Mr. Lehrer passed away in the faculty lounge at the age of 82. It might seem a little odd that they let the body languish there for the rest of the day, but after all the students would see if he was taken out of the third-floor faculty lounge while school was in session.

As the centerpiece of the story, we learn about Mr. Lehrer, the teacher who found him, and the other educators, including the current principal, who crossed paths with him over the years. I was happy to see that the custodian who had a friendship with Mr. Lehrer was also included in a chapter. Mr. Lehrer sounded like a great man and teacher.  I have a fondness for novels that span decades, and in the vignettes/character studies, we do get the opportunity to go back in time to see Mr. Lehrer's first year teaching in the 1960s as well as other educators' first years. 

This novel has a lot of heart, tenderness, and apt descriptions of being an educator with a mix of contemporary and enduring education issues: lockdowns, book banning, mandatory meetings, emails being replied to instead of forwarded, state testing, work romances, and more. While this novel lacks a bit on the plot front (sometimes a bit too zany - the ashes incident, for instance), the characters have a lot of depth, and you hope for the best for each of them.  

I truly enjoyed this gem of a novel, and I need to check out Jennifer Mathieu's backlist. 

michelle7916's review

challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This book is extremely well written. I enjoyed the characters and thought they were developed in a way that made them feel real and relatable. While there are some very heavy topics and themes in the story I felt that there were all handled with respect and grace. 

My only complaint with this book is that at times it became highly political and while I understand that there are lots of politics involved in the school system and that these topics should absolutely be talked about for me reading is an escape from real life. 

Overall I think this was an enjoyable read that I would gladly recommend, I was just not the targeted audience for this story. 

Thank you to Netgally, PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, and Jennifer Mathieu for the ARC and for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review. 

katcarp's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.0

 The Faculty Lounge by Jennifer Mathieu was an enjoyable read the kept me interested throughout the novel. I loved how each chapter followed a new character and let the reader onto new information about the school and what was going on. Each staff member had great character development even though they mostly only had one chapter each. I look forward to seeing what Jennifer Mathieu writes next. 

mcmorrdog's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective relaxing sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

vixen13's review against another edition

So much prose. Not enough plot. The style of a different character every chapter is not for me.