Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Mia inquieta Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

341 reviews

mbzoller's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Devistatingly relatable. More to come.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Alcohol

Minor: Animal death, Bullying, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Vomit, and Death of parent

lil_owl_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark sad fast-paced

• 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

4.5

“It’s funny to think how wrong Mom was about all that. Because there’s another option for those brave enough to take it: bypass boys altogether, go straight to men. Men who will never make you wait; men who are starved and grateful for scraps of attention, who fall in love so hard they throw themselves at your feet.”

This book is like acid. It cuts so deep and burns so hard that there are points where it’s hard to keep reading without throwing the book across a room or screaming at the top of your lungs. And yet it’s the most complex portrayal of abuse, consent, gaslighting, victimization, confession, and acceptance I’ve ever read. Vanessa is not the perfect victim, but the more important question should be why is that our goal? Perfection is not attainable; why should we demand that from those abused? 

“With the sun on my face and a dog at my side, I have so much capacity for good.”

*Note: heavy on the trigger warnings. make sure you’re familiar before starting this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Suicide

angelizamo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism

allysontrinh's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I read this immediately after finishing Lolita since I had heard that MDV was heavily inspired by it, some people calling it “Lolita from the girl’s perspective”. I was pleased to read this modern take on the situation. The writing was deeply reflective, thought-provoking, and a relatively simple and straightforward read. I often found myself so engrossed in imagery, only to come back to reality feeling repulsed, confused, and—quite simply—gross! Finished the book in three sittings; I couldn’t seem to put it down. The fact that I enjoyed reading this so much troubles me, hence the 4.5 star rating. The content is heavy, delivered lightheartedly as if you were experiencing everything alongside Vanessa. If you’re looking to feel and think things: this is your book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

creatureof_nature's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Suicide, and Alcohol

sighclopss's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

This is a hard one to write a review for, being that, while it is fictional it is also influenced by the author's life experiences and also reflects many real people's trauma. 

To say I enjoyed reading this book wouldn't be quite accurate, but it did feel like a necessary read. It was one of the longer reads I've done this year, not because of how long it actually was, but because I had to frequently take breaks from it. The writing is really good, very poetic, a little drawn out. It elevates a basic idea, into a nuanced discussion about victimhood and sexual abuse. 

Some critiques I have are, that I worry about some of the explicitness feel exploitative for shock value rather than adding depth to the novel, and that the open-ended conclusion makes me feel like it can allow some readers to continue to romanticise sexual abuse. But I think it also provides a point of view that is rarely seen and shows how we must let victims (even when they don't identify as a victim) define for themselves what their experience/abuse means for their lives. 

My Dark Vanessa is a heavy and emotionally charged book, it was a challenge to read but the world is challenging. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Grief and Death of parent

mockingjayx16's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal death, Sexual content, Suicide, Vomit, Stalking, and Death of parent

asimpson7's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was an interesting read. I would agree with many of the other reviews that this book is very dark and therefore I would not recommend for others to read this, especially if they have experience sexual abuse as it might be triggering. But this book was interesting in the sense that you are getting a glimpse into what some people who are abused live through and how they don’t view themselves as victims and believe they were consenting and wanted it. But I’m glad that towards the end Vanessa started to heal. Also how Strane dies is what I imagine to be fairly realistic in the sense that the victims don’t feel any sense of justice as he escaped retribution. Overall this book was well written as it made me feel incredibly sorry for Vanessa and disgusted by Strand and just so confused on how nobody did anything about it and how Vanessa didn’t think it was that bad.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

mmtrue's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Vomit, and Toxic friendship

jonathanjacobo's review against another edition

challenging dark inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Sexual harassment