Title: “Class”

Author: Stephanie Land

Genre: Memoir

Publication Date: November 7, 2023

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

“Class” is a memoir that shares the experiences of author Stephanie Land as a struggling single mother living in poverty. It is a follow up to the New York Times bestseller “Maid,” which became a limited series on Netflix. While this new memoir does shed light on the challenges faced by many women in similar situations, it is hard to fully empathize with Land due to the choices she makes throughout the book.

Throughout “Class,” the author repeatedly finds herself in difficult situations, often as a result of impulsive decisions and a lack of long-term planning. Her willingness to engage in risky behaviors, like accepting rides from strangers or dating men who offer little stability, raises questions about her judgment and priorities. It is very hard to feel sympathy for someone whose choices continuously seem to compound her struggles, rather than making her life better.

I often found the narrative self-indulgent and lacking in self-awareness. It felt like the author downplayed her own agency in the circumstances of her life, often choosing to blame her hardships on external forces instead of acknowledging her own role in shaping her fate. This lack of introspection made it difficult for me to fully connect with her and her story.

While the memoir does help readers learn more about the issues and inequalities that people face when living in poverty, the author’s own bad choices overshadow the broader social commentary. I found myself questioning whether the vast amounts of empathy she has been given for her situation is actually warranted, given what seems to be her failure to learn from her mistakes, or to take more proactive steps to improve life for herself and her daughter.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.