Wednesday Wishlist

Here is whats on my wishlist this week!

Teach Me by R.A. Nelson

Carolina, a high school senior, has never had a serious boyfriend. When her English teacher Mr. Mann shows interest in her, they begin an intense affair. Once Mr. Mann breaks off the relationship and marries another woman, Carolina becomes obsessed. Carolina's stalking escalates until she nearly destroys not only Mr. Mann and his new wife, but also her best friend Schuyler and herself. While student-teacher relationships are a reality and should be included in young adult fiction, this one is rather unrealistic and does a grave disservice to the moral implications of the affair and the aftermath for both for Carolina and Mr. Mann. While it is interesting to make Carolina such a gray character, the book never really explores Mr. Mann's role in causing her obsession. Carolina, by the end of the book, is a borderline raving lunatic, rather than the victim, albeit willing, of an authority figure. Her friend Schuyler helps her with her stalking and revenge, but one wonders what his motivations are for aiding Carolina in such blatantly illegal actions. Mr. Mann is portrayed as a victim of not only Carolina's stalking, but also of circumstances that, according to him, are beyond his control.

Why do I want it? This is another chance to look into why teachers sleep with students. It may not be a "real" story but it happens and I would like to think about what leads to this.