What does innocence truly mean? When is it 'lost', when is it 'stolen away'? These questions are deeply interwoven with societal norms and our own self-perception, shaped by upbringing and education. What then becomes of innocence? Does it morph into guilt, or perhaps into shame?

Isabel experiences sexual violence. Or does she? The novel paints a picture in a myriad of shades, never trivializing the chasm that Isabel herself cannot bridge. She talks of fear when it happens. Asks him to wait, and is ignored. Considers calling for help, but «there was nothing remarkable happening.» Afterward, she talks to him like nothing happened, then goes home. Later, she will ask herself whether her refusal was clear enough

«Something hurt, deep in some place I couldn't see or name.»

She doesn't know what to think or feel. But when she tells her roommate about it, Debra reacts with righteous anger, talking over Isabel's timid uncertainty to paint her own picture of events in stark black and white. Thus, she inadvertently becomes the second person who robs Isabel of her autonomy that night.

The narrative then shifts to Isabel's interactions with her professor. When he begins to shower the vulnerable girl with praise, she is receptive. She knows he is married when she engages in an affair with him. Daisy Alpert Florin observes closely, capturing Isabel's thoughts and feelings with subtle nuances. It would be all too easy to turn the story into a simplistic moral tale, yet the novel never loses sight of the fact that truth is a shy animal.

In my opinion, the strength of the narrative lies in the nuanced characterization of the protagonist, who must first learn to make her own decisions and assert herself against external control. Here and there, one could raise a finger in righteous indignation, yet 'guilt' and 'innocence' are little more than insignificant social constructs in this context.