The Uncoupling

by Meg Wolitzer

How does a high school play creep into the bedrooms of the town’s residents? Well, it has to be a special play--Lysistrata, the Aristophanes comedy in which the women go on a sex strike in order to end a war. Fran Hiller, the new drama teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt High School, is directing the play and casting its spell on the town.

Our story focuses on the effects of the spell on the teacher and students at Elro, namely:

• Dory Lang: the popular English teacher who is happily married to an equally popular English teacher,
• Leanne: the young school psychologist who has multiple partners in town,
• Bev Cutler: the plump guidance counselor whose marriage is already strained, and
• Ruth: the gym teacher with a new baby and a history of lesbianism.

I really enjoyed this novel. Of course, I always enjoy stories set in schools, but this one had more than that. The mysterious spell, the quirky faculty members, and the unforgettable performance of Lysistrata all make for a most interesting read.

10/21/11