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A review by imbeni84
The Faculty Lounge: A Novel by Jennifer Mathieu
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Admittedly, I went into this one slightly skeptical. I've read a lot of books set in schools that make me wonder if the author has ever actually set foot in a school (especially YA novels set in high schools. No teenager talks like that. And there's not nearly that much drama.) I was refreshingly surprised.
Set in a present day Texas high school, The Faculty Lounge tells the story of a year in life of the Baldwin High School staff. Pretty much every event could have been pulled from my 14 years of teaching (except - thankfully - for the dead sub in the teacher's lounge). The characters felt real, painting teachers as we truly are: not martyrs, not saints - just people doing our best to impact the next generation. I saw pieces of myself in almost every character: the new teacher, optimistic and confused; the veterans who are just over all the nonsense; the counselor struggling with personal loss and simply trying to make it through the day; the teacher who's questioning if this is even what they want.
If anyone wants a realistic look into education in 2024, this is a good place to start. The vignettes provide insight into a variety of perspectives in modern education. What it lacks in plot it makes up for in character.
Admittedly, I went into this one slightly skeptical. I've read a lot of books set in schools that make me wonder if the author has ever actually set foot in a school (especially YA novels set in high schools. No teenager talks like that. And there's not nearly that much drama.) I was refreshingly surprised.
Set in a present day Texas high school, The Faculty Lounge tells the story of a year in life of the Baldwin High School staff. Pretty much every event could have been pulled from my 14 years of teaching (except - thankfully - for the dead sub in the teacher's lounge). The characters felt real, painting teachers as we truly are: not martyrs, not saints - just people doing our best to impact the next generation. I saw pieces of myself in almost every character: the new teacher, optimistic and confused; the veterans who are just over all the nonsense; the counselor struggling with personal loss and simply trying to make it through the day; the teacher who's questioning if this is even what they want.
If anyone wants a realistic look into education in 2024, this is a good place to start. The vignettes provide insight into a variety of perspectives in modern education. What it lacks in plot it makes up for in character.