This week, I read “The Abstinence Teacher” by Tom Perrotta. It was one of the many books I received from my family for Christmas as well as one of the books on my TBR shelf that I had in mind for my “33 of 33” self-challenge. I was glad to have a moment to read it, though that meant I had fallen off the wagon that is “The Pillars of the Earth”. (That book is sooooooo long, good, but long.)
I had read Perrotta’s “Little Children” a few years ago and really enjoyed it. Well “The Abstinence Teacher” has a similar formula but on a completely different topic. The story is about a health/sex ed high school teacher who ends up in a morality and belief battle with her school district as well as the local soccer coach who is a recovering drug and alcohol addict and wishes he could find easier success with being a born-again Christian. The story is very suspenseful and the character development is wonderful but there were some things missing that would have cleared up some questions. Why did the teacher, Ruth, not believe in God and have such a huge problem with prayer after the Soccor game when it was led by Coach Tim? I also understand the the author likes to give us a glimpse into the character’s lives and we are to think that their lives are just continuing past the last page but I like things tied up in a nice bow when I have enjoyed a book and it’s characters so much. All in all I would recommend this book because of the thoughts it provokes about issues that are real in America’s society.
Planet Books 