I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

I really enjoyed the multiple perspectives in this book. It was great to see how one event spirals and can affect so many people. There are quite a few funny moments, but it is an interesting take on private schools and a very conservative viewpoint.

Review published on Goodreads, 15 February 2020:

I enjoyed this novel about a posh high school and the MANY dramas that are simmering inside it. The flipped perspective of parents behaving badly, with their children being the ones to act reasonably and honorably, was interesting. Although I didn't find any of the adults (even Isobel) particularly likable, the characters were well-drawn, with complex personalities and hidden depths (good and bad). With short chapters, snappy prose, and plenty of tension to keep the plot moving, this is a fast, engrossing read. It's funny and poignant and brings up a lot of intriguing topics that would be fun to discuss in a book club. I can't say I loved MINOR DRAMAS AND OTHER CATASTROPHES, but I did enjoy it.

Kathleen West is a veteran teacher, so who better to write a book about education gone wrong than an author who has actually clocked time in the trenches? Perhaps that's why her novel Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes feels so real-to-life. As a former teacher myself, I too have experienced some of the headaches detailed in this engrossing novel, but thankfully not to the extent explored here. Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes is filled with helicopter parents and educators gone rogue, and will leave readers flabbergasted at the incredible lengths some people will go to be relevant.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes focuses on English educator Isobel Johnson and helicopter mama Julia Abbott, who want drastically different things for the students at Liston Heights, but fuel their agendas with the same fervor and passion. Isobel wants her students, who inarguably grew up in a world of power and privilege, to view life through a more varied lens. When she is accused of Anti-Americanism and pushing a liberal agenda, she finds her values and ethics challenged and her job on the line. Julia Abbott, on the other hand, would much prefer her kids tow the easy line in life, effectively buying her son a leading role in Liston's production of Ellis Island. When an overzealous Julia accidentally punches a student in the stomach upon learning that her son has been cast in the show, she finds her misdeed going viral and her life the subject of public scrutiny.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes follows both Isobel and Julia's crises to their explosive end. I found myself appalled multiple times at the characters' actions throughout this book, and despite Isobel and Julia both being highly unlikable people, I couldn't pull myself away from their drama. That's not to mention this novel's supporting cast - the overbearing parents of Liston Heights. Anyone who has ever worked as a teacher will be all too familiar with those parents who are more concerned with how their child's education looks on paper than the quality of instruction they are actually receiving. Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes dramatically demonstrates the effects that helicopter parenting has not only on a child and their family, but on the community as a whole.

Recommended to fans of Bruce Holsinger's The Gifted School and Liane Moriarty's Big Little Lies.

This was a one-day read last summer. The tales of privileged children and parents brought back memories of the affluent suburb where I attended high school. I enjoyed this story.

Wonderful! This book really hit home with me because I work in education - I've met parents like this! It illustrates very well the destruction and harm that can be caused by overly competitive parents. This should be required reading for all parents.

This book was very clearly written by a teacher -- she really knows what life is like in a modern high school -- overly involved parents, activist teachers and students, the stress of constant enrollment changes (reassignment/firing of staff), pressure on kids to get accepted in the "right" college, the pervasiveness of social media -- all of this book rings true. Just ask any teacher working in an upper middle class high school.

The two main characters are Julia (parent) and Isobel (teacher). Julia gave up a promising career to be a mom and has invested her whole adult life in her kids. This devotion is admirable until it backfires -- she accidently injures a student while celebrating her son being chosen for a key role in the annual musical. Then she criticizes a popular teacher for her innovative (Marxist? Liberal?) teaching strategies. Things snowball out of control from there. Isobel is teaching the approved curriculum (Gatsby, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc), but is determined to get her (mostly) white privileged students to look at literature from alternative perspectives. This doesn't seem to sit well with some parents. (By the way, I didn't miss the irony of the fact that the classes were reading The Crucible while these events were occurring.)

As a retired teacher, I could not put this book down. EVERY character was someone I recognized -- parents, students, teachers, and administrators. Yes, it's a (tiny) bit over the top, but (trust me!) it is very possible that this would happen in today's high schools. Although I would quibble a bit with the almost "too easy" resolutions, the ending also seemed plausible. If you want a peek inside what's happening at your child's high school, this might be the book for you.

One petty comment -- There is NO WAY a talented and skilled language arts teacher would say "Can I show you something?" as portrayed near the end of the book!! The proper grammar is "May I show you something?" GRRR

An comic and unsettling look at adult behavior in the name of motherhood. Julia is an over the-top helicopter parent .who wants the best for two children, but insists on relentlessly enmeshing herself in every waking moment of their lives. Isobel is a teacher at the prestigious school Julia's children attend, striving to give her students the best, well-rounded education. Told from multiple POVs, the story-line flowed seamlessly, making it easy to keep up with the differing perspectives. I loved this satirical and well-written debut!

FULL REVIEW ON FRESH FICTION
Just as captivating as Big Little Lies, MINOR DRAMAS AND OTHER CATASTROPHES by Kathleen West is snappy, nuanced, and fun. West’s look at helicopter parents, the teachers and school administrators they nitpick over, and the growing pains of adolescence all come together in a satisfying story. Julia and Isobel’s journeys are intrinsically linked throughout this book, and the results are hilarious, heartfelt, and sharply witty. It’s easy to understand where so many of the characters are coming from, but it’s also just as simple to pass judgment on them – similar to how they are doing to one another. As the story moves to its conclusion, a few more cringeworthy moments take place, making readers question if anyone has really changed over the course of the novel, but there are comeuppances on all sides, and all of the storylines come to smart conclusions. Fans of “suburban lit,” like that of Liane Moriarty and Maria Semple, will find much to love in MINOR DRAMAS AND OTHER CATASTROPHES by Katheleen West.

I absolutely loved this book! Having gone to private school myself, I totally understand the dynamics and Kathleen West’s Minor Drama and Other Catastrophes captures the essence of that sort of life perfectly. From the mothers who, though well-intentioned, are way too involved in their children’s lives, to the faculty who fear the wrath of the parents if they step out of line, to the administrators who will do anything to keep the school successful, even if it means lowering the quality of education—this book nailed it!

Julia is a mom to two high school kids. Her daughter is bright and engaged in school, and her son is a shy aspiring actor. Julia considers her position on the board for the high school drama program to be prestigious. And her son did work so hard all summer taking lessons so he might be cast in the spring play. It doesn’t hurt that Julia and her husband donated a brand new costume shop (even if she did have to track down size 11 sparkling shoes for the leading lady against her preferences). So on the day the cast list is to be posted, Julia can’t help but sneak in to view it right away. She’s just excited!

But when she accidentally punches the leading lady in the production during her victory celebration and it is caught on tape, Julia soon finds herself banished from the drama committee and shunned by the other moms.
This scene truly made me laugh! Julia is an interesting character. The more I learned about her, the more I understood her. She is a woman full of brains and ambition, who let her goals slip away when she became a mother. Now, she finds so much of her self-worth tied up in her children, that when they turn their anger on her she feels lost and betrayed. The book tells the story of Julia learning and growing.

The other main storyline in the book centers around Isobel—an English teacher who passionately makes it her mission to constantly push her students and colleagues beyond the approved curriculum, and to consider other voices and point of views in classic literature. Most student’s love Isobel, but the parents have a different take. Rather than appreciating the top quality education that Isobel provides, they worry that she pushes her agenda into their kids’ minds.

Meanwhile, a mommy facebook group begins to spiral out of control. What started as a way for parents to engage around their children’s school has quickly turned into the school gossip rag. And worse, someone seems to be sharing private information about the teachers that becomes fodder for angry parents.
Soon, Isobel herself is on the outs. And ironically enough, these two women who started as opposition may find one another to be the key to resolving their situations.

Funny, heat-warming, and full of fascinating characters—I loved this book!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for my copy. Opinions are my own.

I'm a sucker for a book that captures the emotional roller coaster of being upper middle class where characters are constantly falling prey to "catastrophes" completely of their own making. This was funny, honest, and had commentary on social issues of our time. Will gladly recommend.

A hilarious and honest look at over-zealous parents and elite schools. As a former high school teacher, I loved it, in particular the redemption of some characters.

I great book depicting the catastrophes of social media and helicopter parents! As they always say - don’t put anything out there that you wouldn’t want your mother to see!

Do mean girls ever grow up? I guess they do. They grow up and become mean parents, teachers, neighbors. This book was good

Pretty decent book

The last thing Julia expects when she sneaks into her children’s high school to see if her son has made the musical cast list is that video footage of her will go viral. Meanwhile, her daughter’s favourite teacher, Isobel, is creating waves with her progressive American Literature lessons, and a secret Facebook page set up for parents is rife with rumours and mud-raking.
This entertaining debut shines a light on schoolground politics and tells the story from the viewpoints of numerous characters including the pushy stage mother, the dedicated teacher and the kids caught in the middle. It offers a wryly humorous take on power struggles, social media abuse and helicopter parenting.

This book was entertaining but just wasn't for me. It was a little too much drama for me and was a bit too over the top. I appreciate being given the opportunity to read it.

Minor Dramas & Other Catastrophes held my interest from the beginning. I believe that high school teenagers will enjoy this book as well as adults. West keeps the tension building. It is amazing to see how powerful social media can be for good . . . and for bad.

This book was so fun and funny, and incredibly cringeworthy at times to think about these things happening to me or people around me in real life. Anybody who grew up in or has ever lived in a small community where everybody knows everybody will see a bit of their own lives in this book. Some of the characters were truly appalling — helicopter parenting is rough to witness, even when fictional! — but it definitely rang true at moments, even when it was difficult to read. All in all, an enjoyable read!

This definitely had its funny moments, but I just could not get invested in what were truly "minor" catastrophes...perhaps because reading it in the middle of a global pandemic put it into perspective.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

I ADORED this book! A friend from work recommended it and I am bowled over by the plot.

This is a story of a high school in a small upper class community. This is the story of a mom who oversteps her bounds and becomes increasingly judgmental and petty. This is the story of a teacher who thinks she's doing the right thing but has her own political agenda. This is the story of people trying to get ahead and bending the rules to get there.

Every rumor, event, and happening in this book is framed by social media--the posts, groups, and supposedly private comments. Embarrassing things are recorded and shared, baseless criticisms are aired publicly and as cruelly as possible, and identities are obscured. I am a mom who connects with other moms on social media and this book left me shook! I try not to belittle others and air private grievances online and BOY did this book remind me why that's important. I'm also reminded why it's important not to fight all my kid's battles for them, why it's important to sometimes let them struggle through and let the struggle strengthen them.

If you are a modern day parent, this is a must read.