A Book A Week

"There's so much to read, but all I do is end up watching Netflix and play Candy Crush. I feel like I'm wasting my life."

Tom Perrotta has become well known for his comedic and insightful depictions of modern suburbia. I was intrigued by the timeless themes of his novel The Abstinence Teacher. While I felt the novel suffered a bit from being so rooted in the the time period it was written, there was no denying Perrotta's innate ability to depict the intricacies and moral conflicts of everyday life. Naturally, I was eager to read his latest novel Mrs. Fletcher, and Perrotta did not disappoint.

Eve Fletcher is at a crossroads in her life. Her husband left her for another woman over ten years ago, and now her only child Brendan is heading off to college. In a flash, Eve is left home alone with only her job as the director of a senior center and worries about her son to occupy her time. She has a choice on her hands. Eve can either wallow in her own self pity or make an attempt to form a more meaningful life. Fortunately for us, Eve chooses the latter. She enrolls in a continuing education class at the local community college. The course is taught by a transgender professor who seeks to challenge traditional definitions of gender and gender roles in society.

One night, Eve receives an anonymous text that reads, "You are my MILF!" Shocked at first, Eve pays little mind to the crude message. But she can't stop thinking about it. She's in her late forties and looks pretty good for her age. While her sex life has been essentially non-existent since her divorce, she sees no reason why she wouldn't be desirable to someone. Curious, she does an online search and is quickly thrust into the world of online pornography. She can't stop watching it! Empowered by a new found sexual confidence and eager to explore her deepest desires,  Eve sets out to reclaim her life and carve out a new path for herself.

While Eve is off finding herself, her son Brendan faces his new life as a college student. His roommate is pretty cool and there seems to be a plethora of booze and girls for his choosing. But all that glitters may not be gold. His classes are tough and he is struggling to make genuine connections with his peers. Then a beautiful feminist student comes along and rocks his world. He's immediately drawn to her, but his chauvinistic views on women and sex may prevent him from forming any meaningful relationship. This portion of the novel is even more timely when considering all of the stories of sexual misconduct that are currently filling the news.

Mrs. Fletcher is a stunning portrait of sex and enlightenment in the modern American suburbia.  As chapters alternate between Eve and Brendan, Perrotta brilliantly crafts a narrative of multigenerational self-discovery. He doesn't hold back in his descriptions of the sexual situations that the characters encounter, but the novel is never crude for crudeness's sake. While Brendan is the product of a generation desensitized to the complexities of sex, Eve suffers from the opposite. She is finding empowerment in the discovery of different sexual possibilities. Beyond the obvious themes, Perrotta also explores the inevitability of aging, the precariousness of a work/life balance, and the power of diversity. As humorous as it is insightful, Mrs. Fletcher is a enthralling novel that is easily one of my favorites this year.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2017, 47)

Ruth Ramsey is the Sex Ed teacher at a local high school. She firmly believes that providing kids with a strong knowledge of safe sex practices will result in them coming to mature decisions. Knowledge is power, after all. When the local evangelical church The Tabernacle begins to intervene in the school curriculum, Ruth decides to take a stand. The church is pushing abstinence only education that has been proven not to work. Ruth finds herself facing the decision to follow her values or tow the line and teach something she does not believe in. 

Tim Mason has been saved. Before joining The Tabernacle, he was a drug addict who abandoned his wife and daughter to get his fix. Since finding religion, he's remarried, joined the church band, and coaches his daughters soccer team. Life is pretty good. When the soccer team pulls off an upset to make their way to the league championships, Tim spontaneously bows his head to offer a prayer with the girls. This seemly innocent gesture turns to controversy when another parent, Ruth Ramsey, takes objection to Tim "pushing his religion" on her daughter.

The Abstinence Teacher sees Tom Perrotta explore spirituality, sexuality, and the balance between the two in a family drama that both entertains and inspires. While the novel is rooted firmly in the "modern time" of its publication year (2007), it manages to be surprisingly relevant to discussions that are happening today. It is interesting that 10 years later, we are still debating the ideals of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. Perrotta's writing is, at times, vibrant and compelling. Other times he grows a bit heavy handed, especially when proclaiming the novel's moral takeaways. Despite some shortcomings, The Abstinence Teacher focuses on topics that continue to be worthy of discussion and debate. It won't stand as one of my favorite reads this year, but it did inspire me to reflect on our current political climate.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2017, 41)