Written when Cathy Coote was nineteen, Innocents draws readers into the anatomy of an adolescent obsession. enthralling and ultimately sobering' ( Kirkus Reviews). Furthermore, if you are looking for a novel similar to Lolita this arguably the reverse of that book and not dealt with nearly as beautifully or with such rich style in it's writing.A young novelist 'turns Nabokov on his head in this tale of an Aussie Lolita who sets her sights on a witless teacher. Read this book if you want something easy to read that has a deeper subject matter than that of most novels written by young people however, I found myself thoroughly sickened and disturbed at parts so this is not for the faint-hearted. It is however, also clear that this was written by someone of a young age (Coote was 19 at the time of writing this novel) and because the melodramatic, hyperbolic voice of the narrator could have been used more subtly to emphasise the disturbing subject matter. In my personal opinion the heavy psychological topic of both the protagonist and her lover's mindsets was dealt with somewhat immaturely by the first person narrative of a 16 year old girl, however, this is arguably what makes it more disturbing as it is her willing exploitation and emphasis of her innocence which obtains the affections of her teacher.

Racked with guilt afterwards he leaves, returning once a week to leave her money.

The pair live for a while as lovers, the teacher quits his job and they together pursue their sexual desires, however, her manipulation goes too far and at the climax she is anally raped by him. However, when her uncle discovers these images she runs away to her teacher, whom we know to be sexually attracted to her and seduces him.

Living with her aunt and uncle, each night she draws sadistic pictures of her friends and peers, attaining sexual release from the pain and torture they are put through within the images and her mind.

First of all the plot and narrative voice centres around the manipulative orphaned protagonist in the form of a 16 year old high school who is re-counting the whole story to her lover, who is later discovered to be her 34 year old teacher. It is key that I begin by saying that I bought this book on a whim having heard about it through word of mouth yet nothing could have prepared me for what would ensue from the very first page.

Innocents by Cathy Coote