Seventeen: The shocking true story of a teacher's affair with her student

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I read and enjoyed every single word of Seventeen memoir written by Joe Gibson, which is written under a pseudonym. Joe and Miss P's case is a grey area for me. You see, it's clear to me from Joe's account that not only did he enter and consent fully to the relationship with MIss P, but was revelling in it, encouraging her, wanting to be with her all the time, wanting to make her happy, in love with her to the detriment of his family life, his studies, any future job prospects or career and sacrificing relationships with friends his own age. I also take into account his age - seventeen - a year off adulthood rather than an early teen.

Engaging and engrossing, frank and frankly troubling, Seventeen is a book not easily forgotten' - Karen Joy Fowler, author of We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves There are echoes here of Kate Elizabeth Russell’s 2020 novel My Dark Vanessa, which tells of an affair between a 15-year-old schoolgirl and her 42-year-old English teacher, and in which the girl sees their relationship as a great love affair rather than statutory rape. But had the police been alerted to Miss P’s activities at the time, she would not have been prosecuted. As Gibson explains in his afterword, it wasn’t until 2000 that it became illegal for a teacher to have a sexual relationship with a pupil aged 16 or 17. And this being the 1990s, words such as grooming and coercion weren’t common parlance, and sexual impropriety was often swept under the carpet. So it proves when Miss P’s colleagues, having got wind of the affair, do nothing to stop it; to them, protecting the reputation of the school is more important than protecting the welfare of its pupils. The writing style was amazing. So easy to read - even with the topics covered. There were a lot of literary devices used that made this a gripping and compelling read that I struggled to put down. I had to read on to find out what happened in the end and to see whether Joe got a happy ending. In the world of literature, trust is a vital element that binds readers and authors together. Readers place their faith in the hands of writers, expecting to be taken on a journey filled with honesty, authenticity, and thought-provoking narratives. However, there are instances when this trust is breached, leaving readers feeling betrayed and deceived. One such instance is the controversial novel, “Seventeen,” penned by Joe Gibson.The accusations of an abuse of trust stem from the fact that “Seventeen” was marketed as a young adult novel, targeting a vulnerable audience grappling with their own experiences of adolescence. Parents, educators, and readers alike trusted Gibson to provide a relatable and empathetic portrayal of the teenage experience. Instead, they were confronted with scenes of explicit sexuality, violence, and substance abuse that some argue were gratuitous and unnecessary. Joe Gibson, a once-respected author known for his insightful storytelling, seemed to have strayed from his usual path with “Seventeen.” The novel revolves around a teenage protagonist, struggling to navigate the challenges of growing up in a harsh and unforgiving world. However, instead of offering a sensitive portrayal of adolescence, Gibson’s narrative takes a disturbing turn, delving into graphic and explicit scenes that many argue cross the line of acceptability. This is until Miss P at school, needs help from Joe taking boxes to her car, and then onto her flat, with Joe helping taking the boxes up into her flat. This is the start of Miss P starting a grooming illicit affair with her student, Joe Gibson, but it has to remain a big secret. When we read news stories about male teachers sexually abusing their female students, we are outraged and demand justice for the victim. When the gender roles are reversed, however, there’s a tendency for people to laugh it off, to suggest that the boy probably enjoyed every minute of it. But abuse is abuse, and rape is rape, regardless of who is in the position of power.

His life before her seemed a yawn a minute, you could see why any adolescent would leave it for a swing on the wilder shores of love. He had a ball and that's how he should remember it, he loves his kids and he's a young father who can be young with them.Gibson’s narrative choices have been the subject of much debate. Readers are given a startlingly raw account of the affair, with Gibson sparing no detail in his depiction of their relationship. This includes: She is in a position of trust, and wearing my JP's hat, that trust has been knowingly abused, not just once but over a long period with deceit. Consequently, for much of the story, he’s essentially a cast member of The Inbetweeners, beyond thrilled that he’s having actual sex with an actual grown-up woman. When she undresses in front of him, he strives for a compliment: “You’re completely naked and your skin is all olivey and milky.” He admits that “I’m pretty useless when it comes to tits”, but when, a few chapters on, he manages to refer to them as “breasts”, he self-congratulates for seeming more “grown-up”. The idea he missed out on his adolescence, beers with his mates in the pub, is a great myth I don't believe there are any great times he has missed out on. Nothing was taken from him, he had a great time, they had a wonderful affair they had fun, they had laughter.

First things first, this memoir is incredibly well written but I honestly don’t know how to review or recommend this story.A gripping and powerful memoir reminiscent of Notes on a Scandal, An Education and My Dark Vanessa* This memoir is heartbreaking as you read through Joe’s recollections of his past and how it’s formed his life years later and raises a lot of red flags for behaviour most of us might be privy too when we’ve decided to date older people when we were all much younger. The claustrophobic nature of the first-person narrative means we never really get to learn Miss P’s motives. Why does she pursue him? Does she understand what she’s doing? I think in terms of nature there is a time and season for everything, sex between generations, if there are children the perspective is difficult, its best really to be with someone your own age if you plan a family. Old men die, and young men complain it was a criminal activity when taken from their adolescent perches and given lot of love which they so happy about at the time.