Review: Tampa

Tampa by Alissa Nutting

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Ever read a book that left you really uncomfortable, not just because of the subject matter, but because you finished the book and didn't hate it? Welcome to Tampa.

The story is about a woman who teaches middle school and is also sexually attracted to young teenage boys. She gets a job in a school, identifies a target, and, in often graphic detail, we get the tale of their affair.

The book is compared to Lolita in a few places, which both inappropriately elevates this book as well as misunderstands the point. This is deeply topical in many regards, and the way it finishes is both unpredictable and entirely expected. That might be the worst part for me.

I can't recommend this because of the subject matter, but I still think it's relevant enough to be read by people who are looking for something a little more thought-provoking in its overall depravity. I'm not upset that I read this, as upsetting as the topic matter and book was, but it doesn't mean I was at all comfortable at the end of the day. Proceed with caution.



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