Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

172 reviews

miwandie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.5

Should’ve

killed himself

sooner. 

Hate the cover. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Pedophilia, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Sexism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Suicide, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Domestic abuse

hiraeth_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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: Rape, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Drug use, Sexual harassment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Gaslighting, and Adult/minor relationship

Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol

Minor: Bullying, Death of parent, Grief, Toxic relationship, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Suicide attempt, Infidelity, and Animal death

bynnsreading's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexism, Trafficking, Self harm, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Toxic relationship

emamazee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

I went into this book aware that it had some heavy subject matter as the main plot point. It's overly graphic scenes where juxtaposed with some beautiful imagery when describing the character's dissociation from traumatic events. I was hopeful that there would be a redemptive ending but was left disappointed. To place a lighthearted view to a dark, emotionally-exhausting narrative, my take away is that adopting a dog will heal all emotional scars and anyone who is mean to a dog is inherently evil. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Mental illness, Suicide, and Misogyny

Minor: Animal cruelty, Mass/school shootings, and Grief

withreveling's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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: Alcohol, Outing, Addiction, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Classism, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Self harm, and Toxic relationship

shakattxck's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Vomit, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Violence, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, Stalking, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Grief, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Misogyny, Drug use, Sexual violence, Rape, Pedophilia, Sexism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol

magicalmegija's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death of parent and Grief

ambercunningham's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This was probably my most difficult read ever, but also one of my most important. This story is so heavy it feels suffocating. The writing is phenomenal. Every single page of this literally turned my stomach. So dark, so realistic, such an accurate depiction of trauma and the lifelong effects it has on survivors. I needed a lot of therapy sessions after finishing this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Alcohol, Grief, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, and Misogyny

midnightrain_'s review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

it's strange to know that whenever I remember myself at fifteen, I'll think of this

''My dark Vanessa'' is one of the most disturbing, yet important books that were made in this decade. We are invited into the world of 15 year old Vanessa Wye, who is struggling with the burden of being alienated by her friend and away from her family. There are two time lines, early 2000s when Vanessa first meets her teacher, who grooms her and the present when she's in her 30s dealing with the trauma from it. The story doesn't introduce a hero fighting for justice and a happy ending, instead we are met with the harsh reality of an event as traumatic as being abused by a teacher - being in denial. Vanessa doesn't believe she was ever abused, she believes she was in a relationship and is still struggling to move on from it. 
This novel is in conversation with Nabokov's Lolita, which I quite enjoyed, especially given that the name of the novel comes from the author's 'Pale Fire'. One thing that's different from Lolita though, is that this is the perspective of the victim. The writing style manages to pull you in, while staying quite simple and accessible.

Some moments that really manage to capture my reading experience:

I wonder how much victimhood they'd be willing to grant a girl like me

Vanessa doesn't recognize her own victimhood, because of the way her life went after the incident. She never got the job of her dreams or a successful relationship, instead she spends nights with men she doesn't know, her apartment's always messy and after all these years she still talks to her abuser.

The excuses we make for them are outrageous but they’re nothing compared to the ones we make for ourselves

This is one of those moments where she starts to realise that she was a victim and I think the way the authors describes those subtle moments of suspicion, doubt and realization even in the beginning, pulls you into the complex reality of being abused

When Strane and I met, I was fifteen and he was forty two, a near perfect thirty years between us. That’s how I described the difference back then - perfect

Shows you just how much Vanessa romanticized what was happening to her, how brainwashed and vulnerable she truly was at 15

Because even if I sometimes use the word abuse to describe certain things that were done to me, in someone else’s mouth the word turns ugly and absolute. It swallows up everything that happened

While this quote shows you just how much the victim tries to hold on to the reality of her relationship being an actual relationship, and not a criminal lie, I think there is a more important message at hand. It provokes the discussion of do we let victims tell the stories that are actually theirs, or do we want them to say what we expect to hear. This novel as a whole holds meaning for actually listening to victims, what they went through, yes, but also not trying to chap and change their words, so they fit a narrative.

This isn't a book that you will enjoy, mainly because your jaw might be on the ground for half of it, and if you're sensitive to the topics in it (or have experienced being groomed) then it's definitely not for you. However it is absolutely a book that helps you understand and sympathize with victims, and is an important read for people, who have never went through such trauma. Definitely check the trigger warnings beforehand though!

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Misogyny, Drug use, Death, and Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol and Medical content

nai__reads'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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship