Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Moja mroczna Vanesso

Reviews tagging 'Sexism'

Moja mroczna Vanesso by Kate Elizabeth Russell

95 reviews

lindsayerin's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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zakcebulski's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.5

Holy shit. This book blew me away.
I had seen this book on a good few "top books" lists of 2020, but I never picked it up. The cover always seemed very interesting, but I was never drawn to pick up this book until I saw a wave of recommendations come through on YouTube and other social media sites. I put this in the back of my mind and when I was at my local used book store I saw the book there, and picked it up.

I decided to give it a read as it had such buzz around it and I am so glad that I did. This book is as gorgeous as it is horrific, it is as beautifully written as its prose makes you want to set it down in revulsion, it is as frustrating as it is triumphant. This book is what I could accurately describe as duality encapsulated in a novel. With that being said, I cannot, in good conscience recommend this book to everyone and anyone.
The book takes place from the point of view of Vanessa Wye, and it takes place primarily in her mid-teens and later in her life in her early 30s.

Vanessa is singled out and is groomed by a teacher at her school- the illustrious Barwick Academy. Jacob Strane is an English professor, a hulking man who is lethally intelligent and a master manipulator, who also is a disgusting, repugnant, sexual deviant, who preys upon underage girls. I think that the relationship between Vanessa and Strane is written in such a way where your experience can be in itself manipulated. I felt such a level of disgust reading about the sexual abuse that takes place from the hands of a 40 some year old man to a girl of 15 years old.
There were times when the sexual abuse and statutory rape of Vanessa are described in a way that truly turned my stomach. I felt a visceral sickness because of the razing of innocence perpetrated by this hellacious person. This behavior continues after Vanessa is too old for him when she reaches her 20s.
The grooming begins in a very seemingly innocuous way with extra attention, a gift in the form of a book, a touch, but, it soon escalates to the point where there is sex had between a man nearly 3 times the age of a girl. Strane is written in such a hyper-manipulative way where he gives all of the power to Vanessa, he says, while simultaneously setting her up to take the fall, so he can maintain his reputation.

I thought that the way Russell discussed the #MeToo movement was fantastically done. It spoke out about the treatment that victims, when they do come forward, face, as they are threatened with heinous acts for speaking out. I think that this sheds an entirely necessary light on a topic that should not be occurring, and I think that it does so in a way that subverts expectation. It is illustrated in such a way that shows what could potentially happen to another victim that speaks out, and helps to show the intent for why some victims do not speak out.

The way that he continuously is defended by Vanessa even after his death is truly heartbreaking. You realize that she is truly devoted through a perversion of what he describes as love- to the point where she feels that is the only true love she has ever received, she felt worshipped, she felt cared for. In reality, Strane is no different than any other fucking predator out there who seeks younger people to prey upon because they are such a thin, hollow person with no substance. Russell does a great job of having the reader grapple with the inner turmoil of being frustrated with Vanessa for constantly defending her abuser, but also with having the reader understand that that behavior is commonly exhibited by survivors of abuse- it is one I know I exhibit. There were so many instances wherein I was cheering when someone landed a verbal haymaker upon Strane's treatment to Vanessa, and she was unable to refute the claim. I truly have not hated a character more than Strane in a long time. I think that he was such a well written villain because he was both overtly and latently evil while masquerading as a victim. He is the epitome of a villain manipulating and gaslighting a victim for such a long time that the lies become indiscernible from the truth. I was so fucking happy when Strane died, but I also felt regret that he would not face any punishment for the things that he had done to the victims of his crimes. The way in which Russell has the reader struggle with their own inner feelings of wanting the rapist to face punishment, but also being happy (maybe that is just me) that he died, is truly incredible.

There are many passages throughout this book which are absolutely gorgeously written. There are as well passages which are truly heartbreaking. I went through this book and tabbed out so many passages, turns of phrase, descriptions of environments or feelings that it is likely one on every 2-3 pages. I think that Kate Russell does an exemplary job of conveying emotions. There are times when she conveys Vanessa's emotional turmoil so well that people can surely empathize with it. She truly captures something very human in this writing.

I thought that this was a fantastic book. It deals with a horrifically complex subject and creates very complex internal feelings as Vanessa maneuvers events which should never occur.
The graphic depiction of statutory rape, gaslighting, alcoholism are reasons why I cannot recommend this book to everyone. I think that this is an important book, but, if you decide to read it, please read through the trigger warnings beforehand.

About the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline | RAINN
800.656.HOPE (4673)

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ashlynhope's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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bb_brekker's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad 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

5.0

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astridrc's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad

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

This book broke my heart constantly yet I couldn't put it down. Such a poignant and complex story with a main character that's also incredibly complex. She's not a so-called "perfect victim" which makes it more real and difficult. It goes deep into trauma and how we all deal with it: guilt, denial, etc. And obviously, it makes you reflect upon grooming and conscent. On the complexity of it all despite seemingly being simple, clear concepts.
100% worth the heartbreak and constant gutwrenching feeling.

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angrboda's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective 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

4.5

wow. this book has been on my “READ THIS BOOK NOW!!!” list for over a year.. finally decided to pick it up and oh my god. i finished in the span of only two days. it was impossible to put down. it was horrifying, thought provoking, and completely messed up. the honest pain i felt when reading it; i had to take breaks everytime it got too much. i definitely see myself in the main character, vanessa, gone through a similar experience she did. i think this story did an amazing job at portraying how accurate abuse is, how it’s so easy to manipulate and control young girls who eventually spend their entire lives not understanding that what happened was bad. this book is will stick with me for a long time.

as much as i loved the writing and the plot development, i wished for the downfall of stane SO badly. i despised him. i was manifesting some sort of revenge plot in the last portion, where vanessa finally exposed all he did, where stane finally admits defeat and is thrown in jail for life. the constant dismissal and disrespect vanessa had over the situations made me mad, i honestly disliked so many of her choices, but it’s so real. she’s so real. her mind is corrupted, she’s gone. she’s split off permanently and it’s so real. so real.

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kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

Disturbing on a level that I can’t formulate words for while also giving voice to girls and women who have been brainwashed into believing they were never victimized. Definitely check the trigger warnings. This book is heartbreaking and depicts horrible things happening to young girls. It also depicts these girls unwillingness to believe they are anything other than special and cared for by the men who are their abusers.

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