paige_reads89's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
valeriaxo's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Death
rebekka's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual content, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, Gaslighting, Drug use, Drug abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Alcohol, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Violence, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pedophilia, Misogyny, Vomit, Mental illness, Grief, Death, and Cursing
trishnasaha's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Grief
gwisss's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
kendyllgull's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
Minor: Animal death, Vomit, and Injury/Injury detail
headfirstslides's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
rjohns5's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Toxic relationship
kelabr8's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship and Emotional abuse
bookishchristiana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This is a very sensitive book so I don't feel like I can give it my usual length or style of review. Essentially, this book is a modern kind-of Lolita except from the victim's perspective. It is very heavy and hard to get through; despite this I absolutely give it 5 stars. I finished this book I think about two weeks ago now but I had to sit with it a bit before writing a review. Although I am not a writer, I can see that writing this kind of book with sensitivity must be incredibly hard. There are so many parts of this book that had my skin crawling or full of anger. It's hard to put into words how exactly this book made me feel inside. It definitely elicited the feelings that Russell intended. DO NOT read this book if you cannot read about abuse, grooming, or non-consent. My Dark Vanessa seems to capture the feelings and experiences of a victim of grooming perfectly. Despite Vanessa's actions being endlessly frustrating and stress-inducing, I understood that this is how many people who have been groomed react (although I cannot speak for them as this is not my story to weigh in on). It is a very tough read and at times I hated it. Having to read the abuse was awful and, in some ways, I think parts could have been referred to rather than written so explicitly. I think there is a risk of certain explicit scenes that are written to depict the horrible actions of the groomer run the risk of being read by real-life groomers too. It makes me severely uncomfortable to think that someone may take the wrong things away from this book. At the same time though, perhaps such scenes needed to be written so as to properly demonstrate Vanessa's state as a character. I'm in two minds. Notwithstanding this, I still want to give this book 5 stars as I think it is something that will stick with me for the rest of my life. The writing and portrayal of a victim of grooming is impeccable. It is truly a much better portrayal of grooming (centring the victim's story) than Lolita ever could be. Do not read Lolita, read this (although, again, read the trigger warnings). It may have been hard, but I am thoroughly glad I read it. - C x
Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Physical abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual violence