The Monster in the Classroom

Thus far, I have only read the first chapter, which was free from Amazon's Kindle web site.  This is what I can tell you thus far about Boy Toy by Barry Lyga.  First and foremost, no matter what flavor of kink you may or may not subscribe to, Boy Toy's opening chapter will probably make you feel a bit queasy, if not downright nauseous.  This is because the teacher who messed up the main character's adolescence is about to be released from jail, and his mother is absolutely beside herself with worry, grief, and fear.  And who could blame her?  The woman who ruined her little boy's adolescence and gave his childhood a premature, brutal ending is about to be out on the prowl.  This, by the way, is also why I hate the term "cougar" to describe a woman past her mid-thirties who has a predilection for younger men.  There is something deeply predatory about this type of person.  I see this sort of behavior--chasing after children--as disgusting.  What is described in Boy Toy has nothing to do with age play, and damn near everything to do with pedophilia.

That said, I understand why it might make some school librarians uncomfortable enough not to put it on their shelves.  Do I think it has a place in my school library's shelves and in my collection?  Absolutely!  Am I going to run right out and purchase a copy from one of my vendors?  Not just yet, as I'm still reading it.

Now I feel I have to get this off my chest.  Personally, age play does nothing for me.  Maybe it's because I, personally, am disgusted by women like Mary Kay Letourneau, one of my former high school principals (who married one of his former students--ick), and a local woman who molested two of her sixth-grade male students.  I remember when her trial was going on.  She was also someone who was very active in her church and within the religious portions of her community.  If she sees pedophilia as God's will, then I'll revert back to my filthy pagan ways.  Not to mention all those priests who prey upon their altar boys!  I also recall, from that woman's trial, that they had to have two beefy police officers escort her into the court for her arraignment hearing.  She was also wearing a bullet-proof vest.  What was I thinking?  "Head shot.  If you were really good and really fast, you could get in a head shot."

I'll have a full review after I download the full book, probably sometime in mid- to late August.  So far, I am deeply moved by the plot.  But I cannot say that this is a book I will enjoy.