A review by vn_reads
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

challenging dark emotional reflective 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

5.0

As much as I want to be upset with the ending I can’t be. The ending I feel encompassed Vanessa’s character through and through. 

While My Dark Vanessa is hard to read thematically, Vanessa is such a well written character. She grips you into her story and makes you feel the confusion, pain, anxiety and overall trauma she’s constantly struggling with and trying to understand. The inner battle she has with herself makes you feel for her, while also making your blood boil with the way she’s constantly manipulated. 

For a debut novel with such strong and hard material to write about, Kate Elizabeth Russell has a way of showcasing the complexities that come with being abused and the aftermath of how it can affect a person. 
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