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cjgmiranda220's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Child abuse, Drug use, Grief, Rape, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Emotional abuse, and Gaslighting
bedoyle's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Vomit, and Emotional abuse
clumsyknees's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
To be groomed is to be be loved and handled like a precious, delicate thing.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Drug abuse, Alcoholism, and Suicide
behindherpages's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Rape
Moderate: Suicide, Stalking, Alcoholism, and Physical abuse
Minor: Bullying, Death, and Body shaming
keyla_m's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Pedophilia and Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcoholism
alexandramallia's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Death, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Suicide
amberreadsgood's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Tangentially (concerning the afterword again), I found it really odd that Russell's early readers encouraged her to write from Strane's perspective instead of Vanessa's, given her unlikability and the inability to relate to her; were they suggesting we should relate/want to relate to the predator instead?? That's a troubling thought. I've never read it before, but if you want something like that, may as well read Lolita or any other number of book that I'm sure exists with this perspective. I applaud Russell for unapologetically sticking to Vanessa's perspective for her book.
I'm not sure I can say I really enjoyed this book, given that I didn't like any of the characters, it felt like reading a 17 year long train wreck get worse and worse, and the outcome at the end of it all was disappointing. But honestly, this is what roots the book in uncomfortable reality.
I think the author achieved what she set out to do. It might not have 100% been my cup of tea, but I admire the approach she took. It was different, difficult, and full of uncomfortable feelings in a way I thought felt realistic. Vanessa is complicated, she has a wealth of complex and painful emotions towards everyone in her life including herself, which I think reflects very well how terribly the abuse really affected her. She's not necessarily incomprehensible, she's fucking traumatised, and she's built a narrative around the abuse that she can accept so she can cope with the scale of it.
Special shoutout to Ruby the therapist, doing the hard yards trying to dig Vanessa out of the emotional hellscape she was buried in, and attempting to get her to understand what she experienced. Saving lives out there.
Graphic: Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Emotional abuse, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gaslighting, Addiction, Drug abuse, and Alcohol
Minor: Suicide
saramcaps's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
I imagined the novel I wished I could have discovered alongside Lolita at fourteen, how it might have felt then to read a book that told her story rather than his. I wrote for my younger self. I didn’t try to transform her. I made myself take her seriously.
As a young lover of Lolita, this quote by the author really sums up my love for this book. We see Vanessa go through the depths of abuse and into a future misshapen around her trauma. It’s extremely well-written, truthful, deeply upsetting, and doesn’t shy away from some of the ugliest impulses you could put on paper.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, and Gaslighting
Minor: Drug use, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, and Grief
nina_mk's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Rape, Animal death, Sexual violence, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Grief, Sexual assault, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Drug use, Body shaming, Addiction, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Chronic illness
Minor: Classism, Fatphobia, Stalking, Eating disorder, Bullying, and Lesbophobia
ruby_24's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Rape, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Death, Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, and Addiction