I wouldn't say it was touted, any more than a murder mystery touts murder. Literature is full of evil people.
“I wouldn’t say it was touted, any more than a murder mystery touts murder. Literature is full of evil people.”
The “touting” was done by my high school literature teacher who called it one of the best works of western literature ever and a true “love story.” The subject matter and what it implied was okay with her. This was about 1970 and she was totally onboard with sex between adults and children. (I thought she was creepy, actually.)