A review by sonamreads
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Im having a hard time wrapping my head around this book. I feel confused, emotional and can’t seem to process my thoughts. This book is based on an immensely dark theme: an affair between a 15 year old female student and a 42 year old male teacher. We see this 15 year old Vanessa lured into a relationship by her teacher. Vanessa, who is the victim of self-doubt, insecurities, a misfit in an elite high school, starts romanticizing this relationship with her teacher and is reluctant to term it as abuse. This is what frustrates me the most as a reader. THAT SHE DOESN’t RECOGNIZE THIS AS ABUSE.

As much as the storyline disturbs me, the book is beautifully written. The author does a wonderful job taking us into the head of Vanessa. Her narration rattles the reader. It feels real. You feel for Vanessa, you cry for her and you just want her to run away.

This is not an easy book to read and I would not recommend it to everyone. I recommend that you should only pick this book up if you are ready to handle it.

TW: Child Abuse, Toxic Relationships, Pedophilia, Sexually Graphic
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