Three Women

I found Three Women by Lisa Taddeo to be tasteless and a little boring. This book gives the true stories of three women's sex lives. Ten years of research went into telling the story of Lina, Sloane, and Maggie. Lina is in a dull marriage. She has tried counseling. She has tried talking to her doctor. She begs her husband to be romantic but he just won't. She gets divorced and has an affair with an old boyfriend. Sloane is happily married and they own a successful restaurant together. Sloane and her husband enjoy having sexual relations with various third parties. She feels guilty about this. Finally there is Maggie, the saddest story of all. Maggie was 17 and a junior at a high school in Fargo, North Dakota when she was groomed for sex by her 36 year old male English teacher. He also coached her debate team. He seduces her. They spend hours on the phone together. She comes to his house when his wife is away and his two young boys are asleep. He toys with her emotions. They have inappropriate encounters in his office during the school day. When his wife finds his phone and sees her text message, he calls off the relationship. Maggie is devastated. She has panic attacks and anxiety. She goes to college but can't handle it because of her mental health so she drops out. She turns to drugs and alcohol and psychotherapy for relief. She takes four kinds of mood stabilizers. Three years after their relationship is over he is voted teacher of the year. She decides to finally report to the police. An investigation ensues. At the trial she tells the truth. For emotional support she brings the scapula of her recently deceased father for emotional support. In response he carries a rosary. He lies on the stand. His wife lies for him. The other teachers lie for him. Even some of Maggie's friends lie for him. Few people believe Maggie and he is acquitted. These three sad stories about three white women make up the entire book. I wish I hadn't wasted my time finishing it.