The Adults
by Alison Espach
I can’t remember how I came across The Adults, but from the back cover synopsis, it sounded like a coming-of-age novel right up my alley. “At the center of this affluent suburban universe is Emily Vidal, a smart and snarky teenager, who gets involved in a suspect relationship with one of the adults after witnessing a suicide in her neighborhood. . . An irresistible chronicle of a modern young woman’s struggle to grow up, The Adults lays bare—in perfect pitch—a world where an adult and a child can so dangerously be mistaken for the same thing.”
While it’s true that all those things happen, the book has much more than initially meets the eye. The protagonist develops a relationship with one of her teachers, and the way Alison Espach documents the progression is so realistic it’s uncomfortable to read. This is not a cute-sy, teacher-crush book. The teacher is a very sick man, and Espach writes him perfectly. Most books or movies that feature an underage romance glamorize it, as if the man is mature and wise and really understands the girl’s potential. That’s not how it is in real life. In real life, any man who would corrupt a young girl like that has mental problems. He selects someone who feels alone and who wouldn’t be believed if she told what was going on, which is exactly what happens in The Adults. As upsetting as this is to read, it’s extremely important that someone has written it the correct way.
The more you read, the more you’ll be convinced this is a fictionalized memoir. Espach writes in such a realistic tone with such incredible detail, it’s hard to believe this isn’t a diary turned into a novel. The poor protagonist lives through such horrifically scarring events, nothing short of a lobotomy would be able to truly help her. No one should witness what she witnesses, let alone a child. If you have the stomach for upsetting books like Commonwealth and Local Girls, you’ll probably love this book. I have great appreciation for Espach’s talent, but it’s not something I’d choose to read a second time.
While it’s true that all those things happen, the book has much more than initially meets the eye. The protagonist develops a relationship with one of her teachers, and the way Alison Espach documents the progression is so realistic it’s uncomfortable to read. This is not a cute-sy, teacher-crush book. The teacher is a very sick man, and Espach writes him perfectly. Most books or movies that feature an underage romance glamorize it, as if the man is mature and wise and really understands the girl’s potential. That’s not how it is in real life. In real life, any man who would corrupt a young girl like that has mental problems. He selects someone who feels alone and who wouldn’t be believed if she told what was going on, which is exactly what happens in The Adults. As upsetting as this is to read, it’s extremely important that someone has written it the correct way.
The more you read, the more you’ll be convinced this is a fictionalized memoir. Espach writes in such a realistic tone with such incredible detail, it’s hard to believe this isn’t a diary turned into a novel. The poor protagonist lives through such horrifically scarring events, nothing short of a lobotomy would be able to truly help her. No one should witness what she witnesses, let alone a child. If you have the stomach for upsetting books like Commonwealth and Local Girls, you’ll probably love this book. I have great appreciation for Espach’s talent, but it’s not something I’d choose to read a second time.