Status
Available
Call number
Genres
Publication
Ecco (2014), Paperback, 272 pages
Description
In Alissa Nutting's novel Tampa, Celeste Price, a smoldering 26-year-old middle-school teacher in Florida, unrepentantly recounts her elaborate and sociopathically determined seduction of a 14-year-old student. Celeste has chosen and lured the charmingly modest Jack Patrick into her web. Jack is enthralled and in awe of his eighth-grade teacher, and, most importantly, willing to accept Celeste's terms for a secret relationship-car rides after dark, rendezvous at Jack's house while his single father works the late shift, and body-slamming erotic encounters in Celeste's empty classroom. In slaking her sexual thirst, Celeste Price is remorseless and deviously free of hesitation, a monstress of pure motivation. She deceives everyone, is close to no one, and cares little for anything but her pleasure. Tampa is a sexually explicit, virtuosically satirical, American Psycho-esque rendering of a monstrously misplaced but undesirable desire. Laced with black humor and crackling sexualized prose, Alissa Nutting's Tampa is a grand, seriocomic examination of the want behind student / teacher affairs and a scorching literary debut.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member poetontheone
Alissa Nutting's Tampa will draw obvious comparisons to Nabokov's Lolita solely because of their similar subject matter, but Tampa is a very different novel. Lolita is marked by high modernist language; lush, playful, and tricky. This is a novel marked by the cool sparsity of our contemporary
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postmodernism. Celeste Price is a sociopath, a calculating personality that aims to manipulate everyone around her to her greatest benefit. The psychological depth of her character is formed by Nutting's tight prose, and it is a highlight of the novel. The most disturbing thing about the novel though is how deeply it is entrenched in superficial American materialism. Celeste's beauty and status blind everyone to her damaging obsessions and her cruel manipulations. Until they do not, but what that requires is shocking. This novel was surprisingly well crafted and handled a touchy subject matter with precision. Part suspense and part cultural satire that gives an unnerving portrait of a sexual predator. I want to read Nutting's first book, a collection of short stories, and see what other themes she explores. Show Less
LibraryThing member edachille
Every character in this book is despicable.
The subject matter is repulsive and “icky.”
I felt like I had to take a shower every time I put the book down.
I LOVED EVERY PAGE OF IT.
The subject matter is repulsive and “icky.”
I felt like I had to take a shower every time I put the book down.
I LOVED EVERY PAGE OF IT.
LibraryThing member AlisonY
OK. First things first. This is not a book to buy grandma for Christmas. If this was a Channel 4 TV programme it would be preceded with a voiceover saying "warning - the following programme contains adult themes of a strong sexual nature and of explicit nudity". If you own this book and have
There is a lot of sex in the novel, and I mean a lot. Like on practically every page for the first third of the book especially, and this was before the main character had even got her hooks into one of the students.
This, coupled with the front cover which my husband told me assuredly was a picture of a vagina (to which I retorted that it was merely an innocent buttonhole and to keep his dirty thoughts to himself) meant that I found this book rather embarrassing to read on my public transport work commute. The more I opened up the book to hide the cover, the more I displayed paragraphs of copious shagging to whoever might happen to be glancing over my shoulder. It felt like there was a flashing arrow over my head with the words "depraved middle-aged woman reading dirty book alert" emblazoned on it.
It's a book that means to shock, mostly as the sex offender in question is a hot young woman and not some lecherous old man (not sure why Harvey Weinstein sprang to mind there). Celeste is a married teacher whose libido is off the scale, and unfortunately it is young 14 year old boy students who push her buttons, so to speak.
For the first third of the book I thought it was very OTT on the graphic sexual content, and the protagonist preying on young teenagers was a very unsettling context. However, unlike 50 Shades of Grey which is all sex and no writing talent, Nutting is a good writer, and once the storyline properly gets going it becomes a gripping and witty read. The reader never becomes sympathetic to Celeste and her deviant ways, but her extreme sexual predator nature makes for some very funny scenes. There's also a great minor character - a fellow teacher - who's akin to Melissa McCarthy's Megan character from the film Bridesmaids, and she adds a lot of humour.
It's an unsettling book, and Nutting purposely does that to you as a reader. You're happily reading away one minute and then feel decidedly uncomfortable the next for enjoying a book that has a sexual deviant who preys on young people at its core. She also pushes some interesting questions within the book. If the sexes were reversed we'd be in no doubt that the (male) teacher was a disgusting paedophile, but when it's a hot young female teacher and pubescent sex-obsessed boys who are willing accomplices does it still feel like clear cut abuse?
This is most certainly not a book for everyone, and on that basis I would not recommend that you all rush out to your local bookshop to pick up a copy. Having said that, it's a good read.
4 stars - shocking yet funny and unlike anything you'll have read before. Now to pick up something suitably straight-laced to redeem my reputation on the bus...
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teenage boys in the house I would find a sturdy safe to lock it away in.There is a lot of sex in the novel, and I mean a lot. Like on practically every page for the first third of the book especially, and this was before the main character had even got her hooks into one of the students.
This, coupled with the front cover which my husband told me assuredly was a picture of a vagina (to which I retorted that it was merely an innocent buttonhole and to keep his dirty thoughts to himself) meant that I found this book rather embarrassing to read on my public transport work commute. The more I opened up the book to hide the cover, the more I displayed paragraphs of copious shagging to whoever might happen to be glancing over my shoulder. It felt like there was a flashing arrow over my head with the words "depraved middle-aged woman reading dirty book alert" emblazoned on it.
It's a book that means to shock, mostly as the sex offender in question is a hot young woman and not some lecherous old man (not sure why Harvey Weinstein sprang to mind there). Celeste is a married teacher whose libido is off the scale, and unfortunately it is young 14 year old boy students who push her buttons, so to speak.
For the first third of the book I thought it was very OTT on the graphic sexual content, and the protagonist preying on young teenagers was a very unsettling context. However, unlike 50 Shades of Grey which is all sex and no writing talent, Nutting is a good writer, and once the storyline properly gets going it becomes a gripping and witty read. The reader never becomes sympathetic to Celeste and her deviant ways, but her extreme sexual predator nature makes for some very funny scenes. There's also a great minor character - a fellow teacher - who's akin to Melissa McCarthy's Megan character from the film Bridesmaids, and she adds a lot of humour.
It's an unsettling book, and Nutting purposely does that to you as a reader. You're happily reading away one minute and then feel decidedly uncomfortable the next for enjoying a book that has a sexual deviant who preys on young people at its core. She also pushes some interesting questions within the book. If the sexes were reversed we'd be in no doubt that the (male) teacher was a disgusting paedophile, but when it's a hot young female teacher and pubescent sex-obsessed boys who are willing accomplices does it still feel like clear cut abuse?
This is most certainly not a book for everyone, and on that basis I would not recommend that you all rush out to your local bookshop to pick up a copy. Having said that, it's a good read.
4 stars - shocking yet funny and unlike anything you'll have read before. Now to pick up something suitably straight-laced to redeem my reputation on the bus...
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
First and foremost, in the publisher’s own words Alissa Nutting’s debut novel, Tampa, is a serio-comedy. It is meant to be sexually explicit, reminiscent of American Psycho in the character’s psychology, and satirical about desire. It is not for the easily disturbed or sexually timid. The
That being said, Tampa is an absolutely brilliant novel and will rank among the top books of the year. Celeste truly is every single foul word and clinical label one could throw at her, and yet Ms. Nutting creates a character that is ever so slightly sympathetic in her depravity. Jack, for all his youth, is not quite the innocent he appears to be, and the ticking time bomb that is their relationship is a fascinating study of power and sex.
Celeste is a psychiatrist’s dream case because she displays such a wide variety of mental disorders and addictions. She is all about power and sex. She is the type of person who feels that the world owes her everything because she is beautiful. She uses her outward appearance to hide her thoughts and present the world with a model front – polite, helpful, and sincere. When that fails, she uses sex to manipulate others. She is psychopathic in the truest sense – charming, manipulative, capable, highly organized, remorseless, and disregarding of the laws and the rights of others. She is also highly sexualized, given over to pleasuring herself for hours on end and still ravenous for more. She is psychopathy, narcissism, and sexual addiction all rolled up in one package.
However, her mental disorders also create a sense of the true sadness behind her situation. She knows her predatory nature, her seduction and use of teenage boys, as well as her behaviors surrounding anything having to do with achieving her goals is so very wrong. She even acknowledges this in her recognition that she absolutely cannot have children, not only for narcissistic reasons but also because of the fear of having a boy and ultimately walking down a path of taboo behavior even she does not want to contemplate. It is the only time she ever hints that she cannot control her urges and in fact is helpless when they become too much for her. It is this comment which elicits the hint of sympathy, for if she is truly psychopathic and beset by multiple personality disorders and mental illnesses, her behavior to some extent is not her fault. She is quite frankly very ill.
This smattering of sympathy is just that though – very tiny and only because she does recognize her harmful actions. However, as she does nothing about them other than to gratify them, the compassion is fleeting. She is ill but seeks no help. She makes no excuses and seeks every opportunity to rid herself of annoying obstacles to the fulfillment of her desires. Again, she is an absolutely fascinating character that is simultaneously revolting and intriguing.
As mesmerizing as Celeste is, her boys are equally interesting. Their involvement with Celeste generates an entirely new path of discussion. One can easily see their manipulation at her hands but surprisingly, one can also see where their physical existence reduces her power. At several points, Jack’s demands/pleas/desires force Celeste to abandon her immediate plans to avoid disrupting the entire arrangement. Her obsession with fulfilling her sexual needs places the power firmly in Jack’s hands, and it is enthralling to watch him realize this fact. Even better, this is something Jack’s eventual replacement understands almost immediately, and it ultimately leads to her downfall. The dynamics of the situations in which Celeste places herself are disturbing and yet captivating because they are so nuanced.
Tampa is like the proverbial train wreck. It does not bear watching and yet one’s eyes remain glued to the carnage like a junkie waiting for his next fix. Psychologically, it is one of the best books published. Ms. Nutting explores the pathology of a pedophile and her victims with a detailed exactness that is frightening in its explicitness and yet utterly absorbing. Everything about Celeste is appalling except for that one small modicum of pity when one considers how truly sick she is, while the boys garner both pity and a bit of fear once they realize their own abilities for manipulation. It is a shocking and utterly unforgettable story, and it is no wonder the book world is all abuzz about this breathtaking story.
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subject matter is one of society’s largest taboos, and the main character is a narcissistic psychopath.That being said, Tampa is an absolutely brilliant novel and will rank among the top books of the year. Celeste truly is every single foul word and clinical label one could throw at her, and yet Ms. Nutting creates a character that is ever so slightly sympathetic in her depravity. Jack, for all his youth, is not quite the innocent he appears to be, and the ticking time bomb that is their relationship is a fascinating study of power and sex.
Celeste is a psychiatrist’s dream case because she displays such a wide variety of mental disorders and addictions. She is all about power and sex. She is the type of person who feels that the world owes her everything because she is beautiful. She uses her outward appearance to hide her thoughts and present the world with a model front – polite, helpful, and sincere. When that fails, she uses sex to manipulate others. She is psychopathic in the truest sense – charming, manipulative, capable, highly organized, remorseless, and disregarding of the laws and the rights of others. She is also highly sexualized, given over to pleasuring herself for hours on end and still ravenous for more. She is psychopathy, narcissism, and sexual addiction all rolled up in one package.
However, her mental disorders also create a sense of the true sadness behind her situation. She knows her predatory nature, her seduction and use of teenage boys, as well as her behaviors surrounding anything having to do with achieving her goals is so very wrong. She even acknowledges this in her recognition that she absolutely cannot have children, not only for narcissistic reasons but also because of the fear of having a boy and ultimately walking down a path of taboo behavior even she does not want to contemplate. It is the only time she ever hints that she cannot control her urges and in fact is helpless when they become too much for her. It is this comment which elicits the hint of sympathy, for if she is truly psychopathic and beset by multiple personality disorders and mental illnesses, her behavior to some extent is not her fault. She is quite frankly very ill.
This smattering of sympathy is just that though – very tiny and only because she does recognize her harmful actions. However, as she does nothing about them other than to gratify them, the compassion is fleeting. She is ill but seeks no help. She makes no excuses and seeks every opportunity to rid herself of annoying obstacles to the fulfillment of her desires. Again, she is an absolutely fascinating character that is simultaneously revolting and intriguing.
As mesmerizing as Celeste is, her boys are equally interesting. Their involvement with Celeste generates an entirely new path of discussion. One can easily see their manipulation at her hands but surprisingly, one can also see where their physical existence reduces her power. At several points, Jack’s demands/pleas/desires force Celeste to abandon her immediate plans to avoid disrupting the entire arrangement. Her obsession with fulfilling her sexual needs places the power firmly in Jack’s hands, and it is enthralling to watch him realize this fact. Even better, this is something Jack’s eventual replacement understands almost immediately, and it ultimately leads to her downfall. The dynamics of the situations in which Celeste places herself are disturbing and yet captivating because they are so nuanced.
Tampa is like the proverbial train wreck. It does not bear watching and yet one’s eyes remain glued to the carnage like a junkie waiting for his next fix. Psychologically, it is one of the best books published. Ms. Nutting explores the pathology of a pedophile and her victims with a detailed exactness that is frightening in its explicitness and yet utterly absorbing. Everything about Celeste is appalling except for that one small modicum of pity when one considers how truly sick she is, while the boys garner both pity and a bit of fear once they realize their own abilities for manipulation. It is a shocking and utterly unforgettable story, and it is no wonder the book world is all abuzz about this breathtaking story.
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LibraryThing member msf59
Celeste Price is twenty six. She is blonde and gorgeous. She is married to a hunky cop and teaches eighth grade. She is also a sociopath and a predator, with a penchant for adolescent boys.
The novel is told from Celeste’s perspective and it’s not a pretty place. Feverish, calculating and
This is comedy at it’s darkest pitch. The sex is graphic and relentless, mirroring the main character’s twisted mind. Obviously this book is not for everyone, especially the prudish or faint of heart, so beware, but the author pulls no punches here and the novel has a lot to say about how society looks at women, especially very attractive ones.
A cautious recommendation.
The novel is told from Celeste’s perspective and it’s not a pretty place. Feverish, calculating and
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dripping with sexual obsession. It’s like a mash-up between Lolita/ American Psycho, although her character makes Humbert Humbert, look like Mr. Rogers.This is comedy at it’s darkest pitch. The sex is graphic and relentless, mirroring the main character’s twisted mind. Obviously this book is not for everyone, especially the prudish or faint of heart, so beware, but the author pulls no punches here and the novel has a lot to say about how society looks at women, especially very attractive ones.
A cautious recommendation.
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LibraryThing member RidgewayGirl
Let me just start out by saying that Alissa Nutting doesn't care if you're uncomfortable. There's not a page of this novel that doesn't make somebody unhappy. Celeste Price is a twenty-six year old middle school English teacher. She's also a pedophile, relentlessly fantasizing about boys and then
Tampa is told from Celeste's point of view. It's an unpleasant place to be. She's a consummate manipulator of everyone from her victims to her husband to her co-workers. She knows how to use her youth and beauty to distract people. She's also deeply insecure as her ability to lure victims is entirely based on her youth and beauty.
Nutting is doing some interesting work here. She's written a compelling, compulsively readable novel about something terrible. She makes the reader look at what Celeste is doing and the excuses she makes, even as she confronts the reader with how differently we would regard the same narrative from a middle-aged man.
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using her position to prey on them. Like Humbert Humbert, she's full of rationalizations about her behavior; unlike him, she's devoid of the cultural wrappings that served to make what he did palatable. She's perfectly aware of the potentially devastating consequences to herself if she is unmasked and utterly unconcerned about the effects on the boys she manipulates. Tampa is told from Celeste's point of view. It's an unpleasant place to be. She's a consummate manipulator of everyone from her victims to her husband to her co-workers. She knows how to use her youth and beauty to distract people. She's also deeply insecure as her ability to lure victims is entirely based on her youth and beauty.
Nutting is doing some interesting work here. She's written a compelling, compulsively readable novel about something terrible. She makes the reader look at what Celeste is doing and the excuses she makes, even as she confronts the reader with how differently we would regard the same narrative from a middle-aged man.
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LibraryThing member shelleyraec
Inspired by the case of Debra Lafave, with whom Alissa Nutting attended high school, Tampa exposes the secret sexual obsession of twenty eight year old high school English teacher, Celeste Price.
It is the beginning of the school year and as each class files in, Celeste studies the male students
Written in the first person, Nutting exposes Celeste as a narcissistic sociopath, with a sexual preference for young teenage boys. Driven by her insatiable desire she pursues Jack not for their mutual enjoyment, nor to forge an emotional connection, but to satisfy her all consuming lust. As a sociopath Celeste cares for no-one “Why did anyone pretend human relationships have value?” but is aware her proclivities would invite censure and so is careful to manage situations in order to allow herself some freedom. She drugs her husband, a police officer, to avoid his suspicion and his libido, drives Jack hours out of town for sex in her car, remains in an isolated classroom because it has a lock on the door.
Tampa is explicit, shockingly so, but not erotic from my perspective. If anything I felt slightly ill and my mind shied from any attempt to visualise the interactions between Celeste and Jack. It helps that Celeste is so emotionally detached, while Jack is lamenting it will be four years before he can marry Celeste, she is already, in part, considering her exit options for when his attractiveness to her wanes.
Nutting has said she wrote Tampa in part to expose the double standard society applies to the sexual proclivities of gender. Women responsible for the seduction of teenage boys consistently receive lighter sentences, and less censure, than men who prey on girls. Similarly girls are treated as vulnerable victims, cruelly exploited, while boys are generally viewed as less so.
“I was bikini clad, lounging on the hood of a spots car, my blond hair fanned back in the wind. “If you were a teenage male”, the commentator began, pointing a leering finger back at the photo [of Celeste], “would you call a sexual experience with her abuse?”
Though the issue is raised directly only briefly during Celeste’s trial, the story itself addresses the ideas in subtle ways. Buck, for example, doesn’t find anything remiss with Celeste giving his son personal attention outside of school hours, whereas a male teacher paying the same attention to a female student would immediately raise suspicion.
Tampa is described as satirical but I think this is where the novel falls down for me. I think there is too much truth in Celeste’s warped perceptions, though many readers may choose to comfort themselves with the idea that women like Celeste do not exist, even though we would all agree men like her do. In the same way the purported humourous elements escape me.
Tampa is a confronting read but also absorbing in its raw and unflinching portrayal of a disturbed mind. I admire Nutting for her bravery in stimulating discussion about the way in which we view female sexual predators, and their victims and I hope that message is not lost on readers, and the media, in amongst the sensationalism.
It is the beginning of the school year and as each class files in, Celeste studies the male students
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carefully, looking for a boy, ‘undeniably male but not man’. It is fourteen year old Jack Patrick, with “[s]omething in his chin-length blond hair, in the diminutive leanness of his chest’ that captures her attention and whom she sets out to seduce.Written in the first person, Nutting exposes Celeste as a narcissistic sociopath, with a sexual preference for young teenage boys. Driven by her insatiable desire she pursues Jack not for their mutual enjoyment, nor to forge an emotional connection, but to satisfy her all consuming lust. As a sociopath Celeste cares for no-one “Why did anyone pretend human relationships have value?” but is aware her proclivities would invite censure and so is careful to manage situations in order to allow herself some freedom. She drugs her husband, a police officer, to avoid his suspicion and his libido, drives Jack hours out of town for sex in her car, remains in an isolated classroom because it has a lock on the door.
Tampa is explicit, shockingly so, but not erotic from my perspective. If anything I felt slightly ill and my mind shied from any attempt to visualise the interactions between Celeste and Jack. It helps that Celeste is so emotionally detached, while Jack is lamenting it will be four years before he can marry Celeste, she is already, in part, considering her exit options for when his attractiveness to her wanes.
Nutting has said she wrote Tampa in part to expose the double standard society applies to the sexual proclivities of gender. Women responsible for the seduction of teenage boys consistently receive lighter sentences, and less censure, than men who prey on girls. Similarly girls are treated as vulnerable victims, cruelly exploited, while boys are generally viewed as less so.
“I was bikini clad, lounging on the hood of a spots car, my blond hair fanned back in the wind. “If you were a teenage male”, the commentator began, pointing a leering finger back at the photo [of Celeste], “would you call a sexual experience with her abuse?”
Though the issue is raised directly only briefly during Celeste’s trial, the story itself addresses the ideas in subtle ways. Buck, for example, doesn’t find anything remiss with Celeste giving his son personal attention outside of school hours, whereas a male teacher paying the same attention to a female student would immediately raise suspicion.
Tampa is described as satirical but I think this is where the novel falls down for me. I think there is too much truth in Celeste’s warped perceptions, though many readers may choose to comfort themselves with the idea that women like Celeste do not exist, even though we would all agree men like her do. In the same way the purported humourous elements escape me.
Tampa is a confronting read but also absorbing in its raw and unflinching portrayal of a disturbed mind. I admire Nutting for her bravery in stimulating discussion about the way in which we view female sexual predators, and their victims and I hope that message is not lost on readers, and the media, in amongst the sensationalism.
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LibraryThing member LeahMo
Obviously, this book is super disturbing. Nutting puts you right there in Celeste’s head, and the first-person narration works really well. It is very unsettling to learn the depths of Celeste’s obsession and to see the world (and 14-year-old boys) through her eyes. Her thoughts, and they way
Tampa has been one of the most talked-about books of the year, but after reading it, I think the hype lies more in the controversial nature of this book than its quality. I just… didn’t think it was very good.
I thought the characters were flat; there is nothing more to Celeste than her sexuality and her craving for adolescent boys. Wanting to have sex with young boys, figuring out how, logistically, to make this happen, and trying to not get in trouble for her perversions are literally the only things she thinks about. The other characters are similarly shallow; Jack never feels like a real person, either. He’s basically just a sex toy for Celeste — a very willing, enthusiastic, never-tiring sex toy.
I know the point of this novel is to examine a societal double standard; if a young girl sleeps with her male teacher, she’s viewed as a victim, but a young boy who sleeps with his hot female teacher? Good for him! That’s the fantasy! Why wouldn’t he want to sleep with her?! But I didn’t think this message was executed very well. I didn’t feel that the portrayal of Celeste as a sexual object was a criticism of society’s tendency to view women that way. That was the reality of her character — unless Nutting’s purpose in making her this way was to make readers think, “No, women aren’t really like this. This is a myth,” which also seems problematic; she shouldn’t have to make her characters/story unbelievable to make a point. (Should she?) Also, would a person who really does think of women this way raise this objection? Or would they just nod along, their suspicions confirmed?
I’m glad I read Tampa and can join the discussion about it, but I think it’s popular more because it’s shocking than because it’s good. I’m glad it’s gotten people talking more about gender stereotypes and the way society views women, but the book itself didn’t do it for me.
Read the full review at Books Speak Volumes.
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she acts on them, are sickening.Tampa has been one of the most talked-about books of the year, but after reading it, I think the hype lies more in the controversial nature of this book than its quality. I just… didn’t think it was very good.
I thought the characters were flat; there is nothing more to Celeste than her sexuality and her craving for adolescent boys. Wanting to have sex with young boys, figuring out how, logistically, to make this happen, and trying to not get in trouble for her perversions are literally the only things she thinks about. The other characters are similarly shallow; Jack never feels like a real person, either. He’s basically just a sex toy for Celeste — a very willing, enthusiastic, never-tiring sex toy.
I know the point of this novel is to examine a societal double standard; if a young girl sleeps with her male teacher, she’s viewed as a victim, but a young boy who sleeps with his hot female teacher? Good for him! That’s the fantasy! Why wouldn’t he want to sleep with her?! But I didn’t think this message was executed very well. I didn’t feel that the portrayal of Celeste as a sexual object was a criticism of society’s tendency to view women that way. That was the reality of her character — unless Nutting’s purpose in making her this way was to make readers think, “No, women aren’t really like this. This is a myth,” which also seems problematic; she shouldn’t have to make her characters/story unbelievable to make a point. (Should she?) Also, would a person who really does think of women this way raise this objection? Or would they just nod along, their suspicions confirmed?
I’m glad I read Tampa and can join the discussion about it, but I think it’s popular more because it’s shocking than because it’s good. I’m glad it’s gotten people talking more about gender stereotypes and the way society views women, but the book itself didn’t do it for me.
Read the full review at Books Speak Volumes.
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LibraryThing member Kirstie_Innes-Will
The controversy around this title is deserved, I believe: its content is deeply unsettling. However, ultimately I found its descent into caricature to be disappointing - after raising issues it failed to offer any real catharsis or shift in its main character. Yes, it's black satire, but it ended
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up lacking emotional truth within the satire more than I would have liked. Show Less
LibraryThing member JacobSeifert
After reading Lolita earlier this year, I was excited to read a story with the genders reversed. Well, Nutting is no Nabokov and Celeste Price is no Humbert Humbert. Do not even approach this novel with expectations that they will be similar because they are nothing alike. You will be severely
Celeste is depicted as a total psychopath--a predatory woman who has no natural affection for anyone or remorse for hurting anyone. She is consumed with her sexual desires and they are all that matters. Okay, I get that. I can buy that these urges torment this woman and rule her life, but making Celeste so unrepentant and predatory seems extreme. Not only do I find it hard to believe that someone would feel no shame for such actions or be so aggressive in them, but it distances the reader--especially when Celeste delves into her obscene and ridiculous fantasies. Much of the book felt hyperbolic. There was no elegance, no subtlety, no undertones that sent shivers through my body--everything was in your face and felt melodramatic. Some of this may stem from a naivety that I just can't believe someone would be this selfish or disgusting, but even Humbert Humbert was charming in his own twisted way. It seems as though Nutting was more interested in creating a monster than creating a real character.
Beyond that, the writing was difficult to swallow. I don't mind the graphic bits. I'm not referring to that at all. But the writing style was often ridiculous. Celeste seems to speak with language and syntax that suggests she is educated, but the language is overwrought and is flimsy in terms of intelligence. It seems as though we are supposed to be impressed with how she uses language but there is clearly no reason to be. In fact, it's the opposite. This may be a part of Nutting's plan--to further develop Celeste into this over-the-top creature feature--but I think it was the wrong route. Not only did it make me want to set the book down on several occasions, but it was completely unnecessary--especially if it was being used simply as a tool to "establish" Celeste's "character." There are better ways to develop characters.
The good I got from this book is the challenge to assumed morality that it poses. Are there people out there like Celeste Price--monsters in the truest sense of the word? If there are, what should be done with them? Can we trust someone who has committed such crimes to not do them again? In Celeste's case, we know we can't. How do we decide who to let start a new life when they all might be plotting the next time they can give into their disgusting, harmful, predatory urges? I wish these themes would have been played with more instead of the circus ride Nutting took us on.
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disappointed.Celeste is depicted as a total psychopath--a predatory woman who has no natural affection for anyone or remorse for hurting anyone. She is consumed with her sexual desires and they are all that matters. Okay, I get that. I can buy that these urges torment this woman and rule her life, but making Celeste so unrepentant and predatory seems extreme. Not only do I find it hard to believe that someone would feel no shame for such actions or be so aggressive in them, but it distances the reader--especially when Celeste delves into her obscene and ridiculous fantasies. Much of the book felt hyperbolic. There was no elegance, no subtlety, no undertones that sent shivers through my body--everything was in your face and felt melodramatic. Some of this may stem from a naivety that I just can't believe someone would be this selfish or disgusting, but even Humbert Humbert was charming in his own twisted way. It seems as though Nutting was more interested in creating a monster than creating a real character.
Beyond that, the writing was difficult to swallow. I don't mind the graphic bits. I'm not referring to that at all. But the writing style was often ridiculous. Celeste seems to speak with language and syntax that suggests she is educated, but the language is overwrought and is flimsy in terms of intelligence. It seems as though we are supposed to be impressed with how she uses language but there is clearly no reason to be. In fact, it's the opposite. This may be a part of Nutting's plan--to further develop Celeste into this over-the-top creature feature--but I think it was the wrong route. Not only did it make me want to set the book down on several occasions, but it was completely unnecessary--especially if it was being used simply as a tool to "establish" Celeste's "character." There are better ways to develop characters.
The good I got from this book is the challenge to assumed morality that it poses. Are there people out there like Celeste Price--monsters in the truest sense of the word? If there are, what should be done with them? Can we trust someone who has committed such crimes to not do them again? In Celeste's case, we know we can't. How do we decide who to let start a new life when they all might be plotting the next time they can give into their disgusting, harmful, predatory urges? I wish these themes would have been played with more instead of the circus ride Nutting took us on.
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LibraryThing member apurdie
Nauseating and fascinating at the same time. This account of is easily the most disturbing book I've ever read. I had previously read Alissa Nutting's collection of short stories, Unclean Jobs for Women and Girls, and found them absurd and funny, sometimes gross but very sharp. I can see how the
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same mind created this book, taking some of the seedy, macabre elements to an extreme. Celeste's meticulous, single-minded pursual of her young target borders on psychopathic, and her detached language is reminiscent of the similarly monstrous American Psycho. This book filled me with a sense of dread, but I couldn't stop turning the pages. Show Less
LibraryThing member michellereads
Advanced edition kindly provided by Netgalley.
This was an unbelieveably good read. I could not put it down. Incredibly graphic and disturbing, the writing was nonetheless fantastic. For a psychogical fiction fan like myself, what a compelling tale Nutting tells. The author has obviously extensively
Four and a half out of five stars
This was an unbelieveably good read. I could not put it down. Incredibly graphic and disturbing, the writing was nonetheless fantastic. For a psychogical fiction fan like myself, what a compelling tale Nutting tells. The author has obviously extensively
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researched the obsessive tendancies of the pedophile. If you can manage to get past the explicit sexuality, the novel provides great insight into the various personality traits and compulsions of a modern-day psychopath. Sure to be a bestseller. Highly recommended.Four and a half out of five stars
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LibraryThing member TheBoltChick
If you have heard of this book, then you already know it is not for everyone. It is the story of a 26 year old female school teacher who purposely teaches middle school so she has a large group of 14 year old boys upon which to prey. She is a sexual sociopath with no qualms about doing whatever it
While I felt the author conveyed the predator aspect of the character to a tee, I did have some troubles with the first few chapters. Not the sexual content in and of itself, but the utter obsession that it showed. I had a hard time understanding how she could be so fully consumed with sexual desire and yet somehow have the wherewithall to carefully plot her next victim. Typically that level of preoccupation would seem to cause an irresistible desire that would need to be quenched prior to being able to logically plan a "hunt" for a suitable target. Beyond that, however, we see a cold, calculating predator that will not be stopped.
Tampa is a disturbing novel, but in the end it sticks with the reader. It leaves open so many avenues for discussion. It brings up the way we as a society treat female sexual predators different from males. There are no answers here... no happy endings.. just uncomfortable, disconcerting experiences.
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takes to satisfy her sexual urges. While I felt the author conveyed the predator aspect of the character to a tee, I did have some troubles with the first few chapters. Not the sexual content in and of itself, but the utter obsession that it showed. I had a hard time understanding how she could be so fully consumed with sexual desire and yet somehow have the wherewithall to carefully plot her next victim. Typically that level of preoccupation would seem to cause an irresistible desire that would need to be quenched prior to being able to logically plan a "hunt" for a suitable target. Beyond that, however, we see a cold, calculating predator that will not be stopped.
Tampa is a disturbing novel, but in the end it sticks with the reader. It leaves open so many avenues for discussion. It brings up the way we as a society treat female sexual predators different from males. There are no answers here... no happy endings.. just uncomfortable, disconcerting experiences.
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LibraryThing member Jessica_Saint
This book is...different. Nutting succeeded in delving into the hideously grotesque minds of female sex offenders. I noted that at least a 3rd of the scenes felt unnecessary (perhaps thrown in for extra shock factor) which seemed to sidetrack the story from the character study, and drew more
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attention to the lewd and off-putting sexual acts committed. That said, the focus on erotic encounters highlighted just how much the sex offender needed therapy (to say the least!). To summarise my thoughts: too much sex and not enough character development, but a brave and applaudable attempt by Nutting to broach the taboo and sensitive topic that is female pedophilia, whilst, more importantly, raising the differences in which female pedophiles are treated differently to their male counterparts in not only media, but the eyes of society and the law. Show Less
LibraryThing member arielfl
It's so hard to judge this book. It has to easily be one of the most controversial books I have ever read. The story is about Celeste Price, think Debra LaFave or Pamela Smart. She is a beautiful, young teacher married to the perfect man. She has everything going for her and is beloved by everyone,
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because they cannot see the diseased, mentally ill person she is on the inside. Her entire focus from the time she gets up until she goes to sleep is how she can have sex with prepubescent boys in her English class. And has sex she does, in excruciatingly detailed encounters that make you feel like you are reading child pornography. I have taught middle school boys and what was described here was truly sickening to me. I kept trying to find some motivation for Celeste's actions but it boils down to the fact that she is a psychopath clean and simple. No regard whatsoever to anyone else's feelings. Everyone who comes in contact with her has their life destroyed. Reading about how she wrecks havoc on everyone around her was the fascinating part, kind of like viewing a car accident on the highway. I just couldn't look away. It kept my attention until the end but I felt icky after. At my local library this is displayed on a table with the newly arrived teen books. Someone made a mistake. Show Less
LibraryThing member jan.fleming
Tampa Steve Lowe's perfect review says it all
"This is an odd one to rate and review. Was it well-written? Oh, yeah. Almost... too well-written. Felt a couple times like the plot was a bit too overtly manipulated to steer the story toward a particular conclusion, but maybe I'm just being
"This is an odd one to rate and review. Was it well-written? Oh, yeah. Almost... too well-written. Felt a couple times like the plot was a bit too overtly manipulated to steer the story toward a particular conclusion, but maybe I'm just being
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picky.Was it entertaining? Hell, yeah. It was hilarious, in the way that sociopaths can be hilarious with their overriding desire to please themselves at the expense of all others (and specifically, Celeste's inner thoughts about those around her.) The voice of this novel felt so real and so alive, it would be hard to believe that this specific person doesn't actually exist out there, somewhere.Was it arousing in uncomfortable ways. Well, yeah. As a guy, it's difficult not to imagine my own 14-year old self being in that situation, and how amazing it would have been. But then my 14-year old son would walk into the room while I was reading, and that fantasy reading world would come crashing down around me like a controlled demolition. That's when the creepy factor really sets in with this book. Removing yourself from Celeste's fantasy world (which is all-encompassing, as this is written from her first-person perspective) makes the book uncomfortable. Imagining if the gender roles were reversed, makes it creepy as fuck.Bravo, Alissa Nutting, for creating one of the most memorable characters I've ever read. But this is not a book I plan on revisiting any time soon. Or ever." Show Less
LibraryThing member kaylaraeintheway
This novel left me feeling icky. And seeing as how it's about a 26-year-old 8th grade teacher who seduces 14 year old boys, it did its job.
Celeste Price is a gorgeous woman with a disturbing sexual appetite, one that only underage boys can satisfy. She is repulsed by her husband Ford, and often
Nutting based her story on Debra Lafave, a young teacher who was accused of sleeping with her underage students, and a high school classmate of Nutting. During the trial, the jury was told that she was "too beautiful for prison", a sentiment echoed near the end of the book when Celeste inevitably gets found out.
Nutting combines erotica and social satire/criticism in an interesting way. Celeste is absolutely unrepentant in her monstrosity, and her calculating and borderline sociopathic behavior sheds a light on female predators. While the writing was good enough, there was still something about the book that didn't connect for me. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Obviously, this book depicts events and acts that are not for the squeamish. It's not fun or easy to read about child sexual abuse, but in the hands of Nutting, the topic could be an eye-opener into how the world sees female sexual predators and their victims.
Celeste Price is a gorgeous woman with a disturbing sexual appetite, one that only underage boys can satisfy. She is repulsed by her husband Ford, and often
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drugs herself (or him) when intimate encounters with him inevitably occur. She talks constantly about how disgusting other people (particularly adult women) are, and is self-centered in the most horrible way. Her main, and only, goal is to find a perfect specimen of a boy; in fact, she got her teaching credential just so she can constantly be around them. When she finally selects Jack Patrick as her target, she does everything in her power to keep him (but only for a year or so - after that, they start getting too mature). Nutting based her story on Debra Lafave, a young teacher who was accused of sleeping with her underage students, and a high school classmate of Nutting. During the trial, the jury was told that she was "too beautiful for prison", a sentiment echoed near the end of the book when Celeste inevitably gets found out.
Nutting combines erotica and social satire/criticism in an interesting way. Celeste is absolutely unrepentant in her monstrosity, and her calculating and borderline sociopathic behavior sheds a light on female predators. While the writing was good enough, there was still something about the book that didn't connect for me. I can't quite put my finger on it.
Obviously, this book depicts events and acts that are not for the squeamish. It's not fun or easy to read about child sexual abuse, but in the hands of Nutting, the topic could be an eye-opener into how the world sees female sexual predators and their victims.
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LibraryThing member nomadreader
The backstory: Tampa was longlisted for the 2013 Flaherty-Dunnan Prize, an award sponsored by the Center for Fiction for the best debut novel of the year.
The basics: Twenty-six year-old Celeste Price is eager to start her new job teaching middle school in suburban Tampa. Her reason: access to
My thoughts: As I was raving about this novel to my husband shortly after I finished it, he (somewhat jokingly) said that I really enjoy novels about sexual deviance. Stumped, I asked him for other examples, and he promptly replied Room (which he was too disturbed by to finish and I call one of my all-time favorite reads.) Later, I realized I also adored Repeat It Today with Tears (my review), which is about a father-daughter love affair. It's true all of these novels share the theme of sexual deviance, but they're also about so much more than that, which is why I truly love them.
I read fiction for many reasons, but one of them is to better understand other people. When news breaks of a teacher having an affair with a young student, the question of how or why a person could do that is often asked. While the question may be meant rhetorically, I love that Nutting embraces the character of the Celeste in an attempt to provide a more complicated answer to the question. Nutting does not hold back. Celeste is a brutally honest narrator, and while some parts of this novel were challenging to read, the novel is better because of them. There are moments when Celeste's relationship with Jack seem almost normal. I loved these moments precisely because they soon seem so very wrong. It's a testament to Nutting's writing, character development, and world building that there could be moments of eroticism in such a taboo relationship. Because Celeste is the reader's window into this world, it's easy to be swept away with how she sees the events, but it's still difficult to imagine a happy ending to this novel as Celeste's actions become more reckless. Celeste's collision course with repurcussions is made all the more fascinating by the depth of its set-up, and the final pages of her story are the truly perfect ending.
The verdict: Tampa is a novel that reminds me why I will always love fiction best. Alissa Nutting masterfully gets inside the mind and body of Celeste. The result is a modern masterpiece whose story can only be told this deeply in a fictional way, and its haunting final pages will stick with me for a very long time.
The basics: Twenty-six year-old Celeste Price is eager to start her new job teaching middle school in suburban Tampa. Her reason: access to
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fourteen-year-old boys, the only people to whom she is sexually attracted.My thoughts: As I was raving about this novel to my husband shortly after I finished it, he (somewhat jokingly) said that I really enjoy novels about sexual deviance. Stumped, I asked him for other examples, and he promptly replied Room (which he was too disturbed by to finish and I call one of my all-time favorite reads.) Later, I realized I also adored Repeat It Today with Tears (my review), which is about a father-daughter love affair. It's true all of these novels share the theme of sexual deviance, but they're also about so much more than that, which is why I truly love them.
I read fiction for many reasons, but one of them is to better understand other people. When news breaks of a teacher having an affair with a young student, the question of how or why a person could do that is often asked. While the question may be meant rhetorically, I love that Nutting embraces the character of the Celeste in an attempt to provide a more complicated answer to the question. Nutting does not hold back. Celeste is a brutally honest narrator, and while some parts of this novel were challenging to read, the novel is better because of them. There are moments when Celeste's relationship with Jack seem almost normal. I loved these moments precisely because they soon seem so very wrong. It's a testament to Nutting's writing, character development, and world building that there could be moments of eroticism in such a taboo relationship. Because Celeste is the reader's window into this world, it's easy to be swept away with how she sees the events, but it's still difficult to imagine a happy ending to this novel as Celeste's actions become more reckless. Celeste's collision course with repurcussions is made all the more fascinating by the depth of its set-up, and the final pages of her story are the truly perfect ending.
The verdict: Tampa is a novel that reminds me why I will always love fiction best. Alissa Nutting masterfully gets inside the mind and body of Celeste. The result is a modern masterpiece whose story can only be told this deeply in a fictional way, and its haunting final pages will stick with me for a very long time.
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LibraryThing member Laurie.Schultz
I wanted to rate this book higher. It is extremely well written but the difficulty of the subject matter prevented me from doing so. Still, when one considers the subject matter, it was amazing how the author could help you relate to especially the main character. The amount of detail and thought
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put into how the character felt, why she did the things she did, could almost allow you to live in her shoes for a brief time. I would recommend selectively to friends who are capable of handling the difficult topic and the vulgar nature of the beginning part of the book. Show Less
LibraryThing member alanna1122
Oh ick.
So I kinda knew a tiny bit of what I was getting into with this book - but no, not really.
I understood in broad strokes what the subject matter would be. I should have know by looking at the atrocious cover that it was going to revel in explicitness.
I think I understand what Nutting is
All that being said and taking in and appreciating her points, I just think (and completely concede that my age and ever growing fuddy-duddiness might be a factor) that this kind of provocative writing makes having any kind of intellectual conversation following reading it challenging.
I am amazed that this book is being so widely read and promoted. She certainly did a great job of choosing a subject that has piqued this interest of many,
In the end - I wish I had spent my time reading something else.
So I kinda knew a tiny bit of what I was getting into with this book - but no, not really.
I understood in broad strokes what the subject matter would be. I should have know by looking at the atrocious cover that it was going to revel in explicitness.
I think I understand what Nutting is
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trying to do with this book. There is a lot of shock value here that helps illuminate hypocrisy in society and double standards - it also presents a case for a sociopath like we (I) have never seen before. All that being said and taking in and appreciating her points, I just think (and completely concede that my age and ever growing fuddy-duddiness might be a factor) that this kind of provocative writing makes having any kind of intellectual conversation following reading it challenging.
I am amazed that this book is being so widely read and promoted. She certainly did a great job of choosing a subject that has piqued this interest of many,
In the end - I wish I had spent my time reading something else.
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LibraryThing member zmagic69
Edgy, controversial, provocative. These are all words I have seen used to describe this book. I would like to add a few more; hilarious, amateurish, crap. How this book managed to be anything other than a self published e book, with either a porn cover or no cover picture at all selling for .99
This is the most far fetched story I have read outside of the letters to Penthouse magazine in the 1980's, it reads like one, only told from the seducers point of view rather than the one being seduced.
The editing is horrible, on one page she (the pedophile sociopath main character Celeste) decides not to wear underwear on the next page she thrusts her hand into her underwear. Later when having sex in her car, (a convertible Corvette) she falls off the seat to the ground, then it is the floor and then she is back on the ground. Editing like this is ok if the story were any good, but it is not. There is NOTHING believable about this book. Celeste"s husband is a cop, but clearly the dumbest one on the planet. Celeste dresses overly provocative at school yet she is a first year teacher, and no one says a word to her about doing so. She doesn't seem to teach anything at all during any of her classes, but again no ramifications she has so much leeway she manages to masterbate multiple times while at school.
Celeste is supposedly also a sociopath, but this is not explored very deeply, and instead barely displays any attributes of one outside of drugging her husband (a cop- yeah this is believable), how she treats the father of the first boy she seduces, and showing no regret for her actions with her student conquests, (one the first year of teaching, one in the second year, who she has sex with at the home of the first student (read the book if you care how this is possible- trust me it is not worth it)
Based on the way the teacher and student hook up so often everyone around them has to be blind or drunk not to catch on to what is going on.
If this were teenagers hooking up or adults you would feel ok laughing, but because it is students and teachers, it is pathetic, you never get into the mind of Celeste, you just see she is a pathetic, narcissistic, woman who does what she wants how she wants.
I am pretty sure the intent of this book was not to be funny, but it is so laughably implausible I found myself confused throughout most of the book, is it ok to laugh, I don't think this is supposed to be funny. the. Fact that it takes place in Florida, is really the icing on the cake, since it seems to be a state used to whacky crazy people.
It is not until the last 30 pages or so the author try's to point out the double standard between a male and a female committing such a horrible act, but by then it is beside the point, yes there are double standards right down to the fact that a woman wrote this book and got it published where as a man would probably get arrested. It also has an unbelievable ending but for the fact that so much of the story was unbelievable this should not surprise any reader.
What amazes me most is that a book like this is on bookshelves! If this had been written by a male author there would be a public lynching at best or more likely calls for child pornography charges, but because it is a woman, it is edgy, and provocative. What could have been a psychological thriller, or deep dive into what makes a female pedophile act as they do, instead it is amateurish, raunchy porn for porn sake, which is fine but don't hide behind the title of literature.
Save you time and money and read something well written, pornographic, or funny, when that was the original intent of the book!
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cents is a mystery. This is the most far fetched story I have read outside of the letters to Penthouse magazine in the 1980's, it reads like one, only told from the seducers point of view rather than the one being seduced.
The editing is horrible, on one page she (the pedophile sociopath main character Celeste) decides not to wear underwear on the next page she thrusts her hand into her underwear. Later when having sex in her car, (a convertible Corvette) she falls off the seat to the ground, then it is the floor and then she is back on the ground. Editing like this is ok if the story were any good, but it is not. There is NOTHING believable about this book. Celeste"s husband is a cop, but clearly the dumbest one on the planet. Celeste dresses overly provocative at school yet she is a first year teacher, and no one says a word to her about doing so. She doesn't seem to teach anything at all during any of her classes, but again no ramifications she has so much leeway she manages to masterbate multiple times while at school.
Celeste is supposedly also a sociopath, but this is not explored very deeply, and instead barely displays any attributes of one outside of drugging her husband (a cop- yeah this is believable), how she treats the father of the first boy she seduces, and showing no regret for her actions with her student conquests, (one the first year of teaching, one in the second year, who she has sex with at the home of the first student (read the book if you care how this is possible- trust me it is not worth it)
Based on the way the teacher and student hook up so often everyone around them has to be blind or drunk not to catch on to what is going on.
If this were teenagers hooking up or adults you would feel ok laughing, but because it is students and teachers, it is pathetic, you never get into the mind of Celeste, you just see she is a pathetic, narcissistic, woman who does what she wants how she wants.
I am pretty sure the intent of this book was not to be funny, but it is so laughably implausible I found myself confused throughout most of the book, is it ok to laugh, I don't think this is supposed to be funny. the. Fact that it takes place in Florida, is really the icing on the cake, since it seems to be a state used to whacky crazy people.
It is not until the last 30 pages or so the author try's to point out the double standard between a male and a female committing such a horrible act, but by then it is beside the point, yes there are double standards right down to the fact that a woman wrote this book and got it published where as a man would probably get arrested. It also has an unbelievable ending but for the fact that so much of the story was unbelievable this should not surprise any reader.
What amazes me most is that a book like this is on bookshelves! If this had been written by a male author there would be a public lynching at best or more likely calls for child pornography charges, but because it is a woman, it is edgy, and provocative. What could have been a psychological thriller, or deep dive into what makes a female pedophile act as they do, instead it is amateurish, raunchy porn for porn sake, which is fine but don't hide behind the title of literature.
Save you time and money and read something well written, pornographic, or funny, when that was the original intent of the book!
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LibraryThing member Lightfantastic
Well-written and very hard to put down - but . . . very unpleasant and not very believable story about a woman pedophile. Truly I thought she had imagined a male pedophile and then changed the main character to a female. Not really sure about the need for a book like this. It did remind me of Notes
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on a Scandal, of course, but this was written in a much more titallating manner. Show Less
LibraryThing member edwinbcn
"... thirty-one is roughly seventeen years past my window of sexual interest." (p.1). Thus, Celeste describes her husband, and thus, right from the start she makes clear what she wants. Celeste is a female, predatory pedophile.
Sadly, repeated sex scandals over the past three decades have numbed
The inversion, of making the pedophile in Tampa a female character highlights the groteskness of the idea. Pedophilia is grotesk of itself, and Alissa Nutting uses hyperbole to magnify the problem: the disproportionate, excessive weirdness of Celeste Price is almost humoristic.
Celeste Price is married to the over-averagely handsome Ford. Aged 26, she works as a high school teacher. She is smart, direct and predatory. The novel is written from her perspective, so the reader follows her ridiculous reasoning in line. Celeste's mind is like a parallel universe. Her predatory, rational acting comes natural to her. Her sexual drive toward young adolescents is complete and hard-core. The novel shuns no taboos. Celeste strives for complete sexual relationships including penetration.
Tampa makes the most of its theme, driving Celeste to ever more precarious escapades. Nothing is crazy enough. If she cannot have a boy, she masturbates. She focuses on pupils in her own classes, whom she first approaches after class. If successful, she tries to develop complete sexual relationships with the boys in their homes. Caught, almost in flagrante with Jack's father, she seamlessly proceeds to seduce the father, merely to cover up what has been going on with the son. When Jack's father dies of a heart attack, she takes it in her stride. When boys pass on, or become "too old" she swoops down onto other boys.
Most if not all pedosexual scandals in the real world involve men predating on either young boys or girls. A female sexual predator and sociopath such as Celeste Price in Tampa, do they exist? The psyche of Celeste is a clever construct, whether 'realistic' or not. Nutting does a better job with Celeste's young victims. The psychology of the boys in the novel is quite convincing. Not entirely plausible, though, Tampa has the bravoura of the novels of John Irving, while Celeste has the obsessed mindset of a female American Psycho.
Like the novels of John Irving, ridiculous and balancing on the edge of credibility, Tampa by Alissa Nutting is very well written. However, as the novel is very explicit about sexuality, it is clearly not for everyone. Besides, its taboo theme, however close it may come to parody, is probably not acceptable to all readers.
Sadly, repeated sex scandals over the past three decades have numbed
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readers, and although sexual assault on children by pedophiles still evokes horror, Tampa, by Alissa Nutting is much more a parody than a shocking novel.The inversion, of making the pedophile in Tampa a female character highlights the groteskness of the idea. Pedophilia is grotesk of itself, and Alissa Nutting uses hyperbole to magnify the problem: the disproportionate, excessive weirdness of Celeste Price is almost humoristic.
Celeste Price is married to the over-averagely handsome Ford. Aged 26, she works as a high school teacher. She is smart, direct and predatory. The novel is written from her perspective, so the reader follows her ridiculous reasoning in line. Celeste's mind is like a parallel universe. Her predatory, rational acting comes natural to her. Her sexual drive toward young adolescents is complete and hard-core. The novel shuns no taboos. Celeste strives for complete sexual relationships including penetration.
Tampa makes the most of its theme, driving Celeste to ever more precarious escapades. Nothing is crazy enough. If she cannot have a boy, she masturbates. She focuses on pupils in her own classes, whom she first approaches after class. If successful, she tries to develop complete sexual relationships with the boys in their homes. Caught, almost in flagrante with Jack's father, she seamlessly proceeds to seduce the father, merely to cover up what has been going on with the son. When Jack's father dies of a heart attack, she takes it in her stride. When boys pass on, or become "too old" she swoops down onto other boys.
Most if not all pedosexual scandals in the real world involve men predating on either young boys or girls. A female sexual predator and sociopath such as Celeste Price in Tampa, do they exist? The psyche of Celeste is a clever construct, whether 'realistic' or not. Nutting does a better job with Celeste's young victims. The psychology of the boys in the novel is quite convincing. Not entirely plausible, though, Tampa has the bravoura of the novels of John Irving, while Celeste has the obsessed mindset of a female American Psycho.
Like the novels of John Irving, ridiculous and balancing on the edge of credibility, Tampa by Alissa Nutting is very well written. However, as the novel is very explicit about sexuality, it is clearly not for everyone. Besides, its taboo theme, however close it may come to parody, is probably not acceptable to all readers.
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LibraryThing member muddyboy
This book is not for the faint of heart. The story is about a sexy twenty six year old female teacher who I would characterize as a sex addict who has a penchant for 14 year old boys. At the beginning of the school year she scouts out the prospects and when she decides she goes into stalking mode.
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Things are somewhat complicated by the fact she is married to a handsome policeman Her scheming does unravel somewhat at the end but not totally. There is a great amount of graphic sexuality in the book some of it of a "non traditional" nature. So was the book written simply to stimulate or is there a greater question involved here. This book did make me think. If the principle character had been a 52 year old man would I have looked on him differently. Is there a big double standard in our country over this issue - The teenage boys generally would be open to an encounter like this from the start anyway. Right? So if you have a stern make up I recommend that you read this book. Show Less
LibraryThing member drbrand
If you're not easily shocked by frank descriptions of deviant sex, there is not too much to sink your teeth into in this book. The writing itself is fine, but most of the characters lack dimension and depth, many of them reduced to superficial motivation. The subject matter was rich for exploration
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and possible digressions into other aspects of the main character, but it seemed that the author was intent on portraying her as singularly driven by sexual desire to the exclusion of all other thoughts. Regardless of whether that characterization is realistic or not, the end result is a single-note narrative and a largely tedious reading experience—unless one is entertained by graphic content alone, in which case there are plenty of explicit descriptions of taboo sex. But if that's what you're after, Anaïs Nin and Georges Bataille are more substantial choices. Show Less
Awards
Center for Fiction First Novel Prize (Longlist — 2013)
Language
Original publication date
2013
Physical description
272 p.; 8.08 inches
ISBN
0062280589 / 9780062280589