This novel takes you inside the head of 26 year old Celeste Price. She's a stunningly beautiful eighth grade teacher. And she's a pedophile who preyed on two young boys in her classroom. Celeste is married to a cop (Ford). They are outwardly the perfect couple. Both too beautiful to be real. But this is a farce. The mere sight and smell of Ford makes Celeste sick. Her real interest lies with younger men....much younger...like 14 year old boys. Carefully planned with meticulous detail, Celeste slowly seduces her first victim (Jack).
I've never hated a main character more. Celeste is selfish beyond all words. Everything is about her...with no thought or feeling to anyone else. Even when she is finally caught. The worst part?? The ending....absolutely infuriating but unfortunately it is reality. A sad reminder to us all about the potential danger lurking around the corner.
I felt momentarily sick at giving this book 5 stars purely based on its subject matter. This book is not for the faint of heart. But the book did everything it was supposed to do. It evoked feelings of disgust, disbelief, hatred and heartbreak. We've all heard about women predators (Mary Kay Letourneau) so we know they exist. But women are supposed to have maternal instinct are they not? It's so much more difficult to believe a woman would be capable of such a crime. I applaud the author for having the courage to write a book that is sure to bring strong discussion....and strong opinion.
