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The Uncouplingby Meg Wolitzer |
Arlene Almas: An unconventional new drama
teacher at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Stellar Plains, New Jersey, announces that the first play
she will present with the students is "Lysistrata," by the ancient Greek writer Aristophanes. The plot
involves women's refusal to have sex with men until they put an end to the war they've been fighting
for decades. In Stellar Plains, apparently due to the influence of the play, a kind of spell
spreads throughout the community causing women and girls to lose all desire for sexual relations
with men and boys. As we get to know the families and individuals the novel focuses on,
including the drama teacher and her son, we can appreciate not only the humor but also the
depth of feeling the author has incorporated into her unusual and amusing story.
Rating: ****
