Three years ago I watched the mini-series Maid, then read the book it was based on by Stephanie Land. When I heard that she had written Class, to continue her story, I knew I had to read or listen to it. In Maid, Stephanie and her young daughter leave an abusive situation and she does what she has to do in order to survive and keep her daughter safe and healthy, thus becoming a maid. It is a sad story, but one where she is victorious with help from others along the way, but it is her strength that does it. I definitely recommend it if you haven't read it. Now she lets us know what happens next.

Stephanie and her daughter have moved to Missoula, Montana to complete her education and follow her dream of becoming a writer. Once again, she is faced with roadblocks and has to fight her ex-husband for support. This book shows how difficult it is for women to get ahead in life. You would think that in 2014 things might have been different, but the system set up to assist people who need social assistance seems to keep them where they are instead of helping them move on and make something of themselves. Is Stephanie perfect? Absolutely not, but she is working hard and doing what she can to make life better for herself and her daughter. Her ex is not easy to work with, cancelling plans, complaining to others about her to get sympathy, and lying to keep from paying support and alimony. I know there are two sides to every story, but this sounds true to me. This is a book that deals with Social and Economic Justice. As the blurb says "Class paints an intimate and heartbreaking portrait of motherhood as it converges and often conflicts with personal desire and professional ambition. Who has the right to create art? Who has the right to go to college? And what kind of work is valued in our culture?

I didn’t read Maid, but now it’s on my list!!

This memoir follows Stephanie while she was in school. But this doesn’t come easy as she is in her thirties and have a young daughter. She shares her experience of living on a barely there income, in a new city, in a challenging program and all the twists and curves that happen while on this place we call earth.

I loved my time at school, and I think that is because I had a much easier time than Stephanie did. I loved seeing her perspective and the way she pushed through to achieve her dreams, take care of her daughter and deal with things adults have to - that the average 18-22 year old student doesn’t have to. I literally couldn’t put this one down. It spoke to me and I felt the emotions that she writes through the pages. I do give this one 4/5 stars.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of Stephanie Land’s new book “Class”. This was a great continuation of Stephanie’s struggles as first, a single mom trying to make ends meet, and then her ultimate venture trying to attain her degree. Her determination (although sometimes lacking good judgement) was inspiring. Knowing all along what the outcome would eventually be, kept me interested. Solid 3

After enjoying both her first novel and the Netflix adaptation, I was excited to read Class.

I like how Stephanie shares her life so honestly and openly. Where may might be tempted by the opportunity for revisionist history, or giving themselves a little 'glow up', she stays steady. At times her decisions might feel frustrating, but each one led her to exactly where she is. I always enjoy the look into what it means to struggle, and just how to navigate the social supports put into place.

I watched the series "Maid" on Netflix and couldn't stop watching it. It fascinated me and broke my heart at the same time.

When I saw that she had written another memoir available for reading on Netgalley, I hoped to be approved so I could read it. Fortunately, I was approved. Thank you, Simon & Schuster, for providing me with an ARC of this book.

The memoir covers Stephanie's first year in Missoula and explores her experience at a secondary school. Her experience makes it clear that single parents face various challenges with a young child at home. The current system in the US sets up all kinds of barriers and challenges for mothers with young children to access education, even with grants and loans.

Her writing style is easy to read, direct, and very captivating. Her manner is a bit gruff, which may not appeal to some, but the memoir is interesting and insightful.

I essentially grew up with a single mother navigating the balance of parenthood and work, and it was very challenging for my mom, who had significant childcare support from my grandmother.

Stephanie's message is important and clear, and hopefully, more voices can come forward, and more changes can be implemented to lower the barriers to education for single parents and those wanting to further their education.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I read it in a day, so that's a good sign. I appreciate the realness--Stephanie Land isn't afraid to share her story in a way that includes the not-so-perfect moments.

As posted to GoodReads

Class is an intimate and mesmerizing memoir of a single mom’s journey to forge a better life for her small family.

I was not part of the millions that read Stephanie’s debut memoir, or watched the resulting Netflix series. It was on my list, I just didn’t get around to it. I think because I knew how close to home some of the content would feel. When I heard about her new release, I knew it was time. I’m so glad I picked it up. While hard to read at times, Class is certainly worth it.

I love memoirs. Well, some memoirs. I don’t really have an interest in celebrity or famous people’s stories. I enjoy ones about “ordinary” people, living their lives. I’m always blown away by the authors of memoirs. To me, it takes a lot of courage to put your life and experience out there like that. Stephanie is no exception. Her raw honesty really struck me.

In Class, Stephanie challenges us to examine what we know about poverty and privilege through the lens of her experiences. She grinds up against the comfortable stories we tell ourselves about the social safety net and the way we treat people living under the poverty line. She makes us rethink our assumptions about grit, resilience, and determination, those hallmarks of success privileged people like to talk about.

Higher education is often touted as the way out of poverty, but we don’t always think through or even understand all the barriers we put in the way for folks living under the poverty line, or as single parents, to achieve that. Through Stephanie’s story, we get an active demonstration of all those barriers at work. While many of us take our degrees for granted, Stephanie reminds us of the true cost carried by many.

Yes, this book is heavy. You should be prepared to be heartbroken alongside Stephanie many times. You will be challenged in your assumptions and you will have to rethink some things you probably believe. For those of us with similar experiences to Stephanie’s, you will be reminded of times you may want to forget, and feel seen at the same time. But there are also moments of breathtaking beauty and hope.

Class is an absolute must read for anyone that loves memoirs, or wants to understand more about the systems that keep people poor. It’s going on my top reads of 2023.

Class follows the journey of Stephanie and her daughter Emilia in Montana, continuing from the previous book, Maid. In Class, Stephanie is now in college, and Emilia is in kindergarten. The narrative explores Stephanie’s challenges in balancing work, school, and motherhood amidst poverty. The story delves into the struggles of navigating a lack of family support, barriers from government programs, and communication with her child’s father, who was also her abuser. Despite these hardships, the memoir showcases Stephanie’s remarkable resilience and vulnerability, making it a compelling tale of overcoming adversities.

I enjoyed reading this second novel by Stephanie Land. I have nothing but admiration for Land and her journey. I enjoyed the way the memoir was written, giving us so much incite into the hardships of living as a single low-income parent while trying to gain education and a writing career. I look forward to reading more of Land’s work.

✵𝖬𝖺𝗇𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗄𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖭𝖾𝗍𝗀𝖺𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖲𝗂𝗆𝗈𝗇＆𝖲𝖼𝗁𝗎𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗂𝖿𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖠𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝖱𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋’𝗌 𝖢𝗈𝗉𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗍 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝖾𝗐．✵

Thank you, Net Galley, for the ARC to review this memoir. I am glad I did not read the other reviews before I read this book. I did read Maid long before it became a Netflix series. It was gripping, and it was clear the narrator jumped off the page.
Class made me struggle to empathize with the MC about getting an MFA while single parenting and barely existing on food stamps. The MC's lifestyle choices were not something I could relate to. However, as the narrator told the story with blatant honesty, I felt for the writer. It felt like I read the writer's diaries of this part of their life. That must not have been easy to do as her kids age. Thank you, Stephanie, for letting the readers in.

I have read and really enjoyed the author's previous memoir so I was excited to continue her story in this book. The reviews are coming back with mixed ratings and I get it. This book is complicated. The author is not perfect which makes for a challenging read. This woman is very honest in the choices and consequences she faced. But what I see other reviewers ignore is our own privilege. It's easy to be judgey from a place of financial and food security. Poverty is a complicated experience and the author does not shy away from those aspects.

I would recommend this memoir to readers looking to put themselves in the shoes of someone who has experienced poverty as a single mom.

Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

This is going to be an IT book of 2023, I loved her first book and this was even better. I loved the way she tells a story, her writing is relatable and brilliant. Mad love for this one!