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The Good Teacher by Petronella McGovern is set in Wirriga, in the northern beaches of Sydney, Australia. In the second half, the action moves to Chicago, USA, then moves around Victoria, Australia, before heading to Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia. However, Australia doesn't feature too strongly as a character or setting.
Written in the third person point of view (POV) in the past tense, we hear from the two main protagonists, Allison and Mazlyn, and also Felix and Luke. Allison or Ally, a primary school teacher, is in her early forties, newly separated after 24 years of marriage, her husband, Tony, having ditched her for a younger woman. To add insult to injury, her teen son, Felix, has chosen to move in with his father. The reason for this is never articulated. Only, we read of her pain, anger and humiliation. Maz is in her early twenties, attractive, full of beans, and is a graduate a gym trainer.
Into this mix, walks in Luke, newly-widowed father in his mid-thirties, and his four-year-old daughter, Gracie. Gracie has cancer. She is a cutie who steals everyone's heart, especially the soft-hearted Ally, who even invites them into her empty home. Luke is a physical trainer in the gym where Maz works. Ally has a brainwave to raise AUD 140,000 in the community. The whole of Wirriga and other parts of Australia get behind the campaign. During the first half of the book, it seems like a Jodi Picoult book, where the main issue is cancer in children. There is a huge feel-good factor. Everyone seems incredibly likeable, except of course, Tony, the ex-husband.
At the halfway point, the direction diverges 180 degrees. We get a mystery, a quest and psychological suspense. No spoilers here.
What I liked:
• The book contains a lot of heart.
• The characters are relatable and have tenacity in spades (or is that, buckets?).
• The second half had twist after twist, fast-moving circumstances and suspense.
• Well-written with well-structured sentences.
• The story ends well, tying up all the loose ends
What could have been better:
�� Too much time was spent in the first half on the feel-good factor, focussing on Gracie's treatment and Luke's good looks. The story didn't move along nearly fast enough.
• Hence, the book could have edited nearly 15% of the first half.
The Good Teacher is recommended for a suspenseful read, containing a variety of interesting characters with travels around Australia and USA.
Genre: Thriller
Written in the third person point of view (POV) in the past tense, we hear from the two main protagonists, Allison and Mazlyn, and also Felix and Luke. Allison or Ally, a primary school teacher, is in her early forties, newly separated after 24 years of marriage, her husband, Tony, having ditched her for a younger woman. To add insult to injury, her teen son, Felix, has chosen to move in with his father. The reason for this is never articulated. Only, we read of her pain, anger and humiliation. Maz is in her early twenties, attractive, full of beans, and is a graduate a gym trainer.
Into this mix, walks in Luke, newly-widowed father in his mid-thirties, and his four-year-old daughter, Gracie. Gracie has cancer. She is a cutie who steals everyone's heart, especially the soft-hearted Ally, who even invites them into her empty home. Luke is a physical trainer in the gym where Maz works. Ally has a brainwave to raise AUD 140,000 in the community. The whole of Wirriga and other parts of Australia get behind the campaign. During the first half of the book, it seems like a Jodi Picoult book, where the main issue is cancer in children. There is a huge feel-good factor. Everyone seems incredibly likeable, except of course, Tony, the ex-husband.
At the halfway point, the direction diverges 180 degrees. We get a mystery, a quest and psychological suspense. No spoilers here.
What I liked:
• The book contains a lot of heart.
• The characters are relatable and have tenacity in spades (or is that, buckets?).
• The second half had twist after twist, fast-moving circumstances and suspense.
• Well-written with well-structured sentences.
• The story ends well, tying up all the loose ends
What could have been better:
�� Too much time was spent in the first half on the feel-good factor, focussing on Gracie's treatment and Luke's good looks. The story didn't move along nearly fast enough.
• Hence, the book could have edited nearly 15% of the first half.
The Good Teacher is recommended for a suspenseful read, containing a variety of interesting characters with travels around Australia and USA.
Genre: Thriller
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