The Abstinence Teacher (edit title)

• Rated 4 stars

“Ruth and Tim, the main characters, could have been distilled to compact clichés, but Perrotta’s mature voice and compassion for people of all shapes and sizes prevents that. Simultaneously, the storyline is a bold social commentary and an empathetic examination of the so-called “differences” that seemingly separate us. Whatever position the reader plays on the field of sexuality ed—abstinence dialogue, s/he will come away with an appreciation of how the larger debate wears away at the individual players. ”

• Rated 3 stars

“Read in 2008-2009. Ruth teaches an honest open high school sex eduction class. Tim is a member of an Evangelical Christian church and coach of Ruth's daughters soccer team. When the church forces a Christian based abstinence curriculum on the schools, Ruth struggles with the misinformation it conveys to her students. Tim struggles with his faith. Book presents both secular and religious sides without bias and lets the reader come to their own conclusions about religion and secular life. An undercurrent of sexual tension between the two characters is hinted at but the story never seems to find its way.

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• Rated 3 stars

“ This book reads like half a novel, literally. The conflict never really gets cooking and the book reaches the point where it starts to get interesting when it suddenly ends. Most frustrating is that it could have been half a great novel. It amazes me that an editor let this one get out into the world without telling Parrota that he was really onto something if he continued to explore the relationship between sex ed tacher Ruth Ramsey and born again christian Tim even further.

At the end of the novel the characters are well established and a conflict is brewing but the book never got up enough speed to have any revelations on any of the subjects it had so far tackled. ”

• Rated 4 stars

“The only thing that kept me from giving this book 5 stars was the ending. I can appreciate cliff-hanger endings but this one really just seemed to leave the story hastily unfinished.”

• Rated 3 stars

“I'm a huge fan of Perrotta's, and I was excited about getting to read "The Abstinence Teacher," but it just didn't get to me as much as "Joe College" and "Little Children." Still, he's a great story teller and his work is fantastic. ”

• Rated 4 stars

“I enjoyed this story but could easily see why it would alienate some readers. There isn't necessarily a lot of action, but I certainly enjoyed the main characters. Some have said they found certaon depictions as one-dimensional such as that of Pastor Dennis, but I think that people like hin do exist. Zealots to a certaon degree who see things in a very moralistic black and white.

The ending was a bit of a let down. It's one thing to be open-ended and another to set-up possibilities: (the soccer showdown, the possible romance between Ruth and Tim) and just let them hang.”

• Rated 5 stars

“I enjoyed this book. I can see where some would be offended by it. Having taught sex ed I know it can be a slippery slope.”

• Rated 1 stars

“absolutely terrible, poorly written, no depth to characters, plot is weak. An attack on evangelical Christians that doesn't work.”

• Rated 4 stars

“I enjoyed this book a lot. I thought it was a good story that was well told. I worry that some of the characters were a little narrowly drawn, (esp the minister) but the main characters were forced to examine their prejudices when faced with real world situations.”

• Rated 4 stars

“Great book.”