In all honesty, though, these books couldn't be more different.
The Piano Teacher, which I read first and liked immensely, is a historical novel. It's set in Hong Kong during World War II and 1952 (I'm not sure that makes sense. It's two stories weaved into one book). It focuses on an English wallflower named Claire who is brought to Hong Kong by her husband to work following the war- she's the titular piano teacher to a young Chinese girl named Locket. Locket's family, the Chens, are very wealthy, and while working there Claire falls in love with a man named Will, also a British expat.
Lee juxtaposes Will and Claire's romance with the tale of the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong during WWII. Will is swept into a world of intrigue by the vivacious Trudy Liang. It's a story full of twists and turns, and seamlessly weaves the past into the present and effortlessly shows that each action and choice can have myriad repercussions. It's also a bit surprising, in the end.
The Abstinence Teacher by Tom Perrotta, while interesting, felt a bit stilted to me. Perrotta weaves a story of liberals v. evangelicals, a very real problem in this day and age. Single mom Ruth is the local health teacher, and she is forced into a ridiculous abstinence only sex education. Standing in opposition to her is born-again Tim, who coaches Ruth's daughter in soccer. Tim is struggling with his own internal demons, which make him question his faith numerous times, particularly after Ruth (the harlot!) introduces herself. The whole book feels a bit cliched and overwrought. Tim is completely unlikable, and Ruth is unsympathetic.
What did I learn from these books? Not much, overall....maybe I learned that the Chinese are much more interesting than suburban evangelicals.
Until next time, happy reading!
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