Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

Moja mroczna Vanesso by Kate Elizabeth Russell

31 reviews

greatexpectations77's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced

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

4.0

I thought this was a solid read, and it was definitely upsetting, which I think was the point. It moved a little slowly for me and perhaps was a bit wordy. But I think it does really give the reader a good examination of like what warning signs we can look out for to protect young people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, and Death

Moderate: Drug use, Alcohol, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual content, Alcoholism, and Gaslighting

Minor: Vomit, Death of parent, Animal death, Infidelity, and Body shaming

amsswim's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective 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

I think a lot of people could benefit from reading this (not to get political, ahem) , but I'm afraid they would only see what they want to see in Vanessa's character and take her for exactly what she says they will in the book. I thought this book had not only an important story to tell, but it was told incredibly well. The time jumps of Vanessa's high school experience to her "modern day", #MeToo era day-to-day gave the reader a large perspective of the stages of trauma and stages of abuse. 

As a someone who has experienced different kinds of abuse and trauma, I very much related with many themes. I would recommend looking through warnings and triggers contained here if you'd like to read, some themes may be upsetting for other survivors of similar experiences. I recommend to all however. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Suicide, Abandonment, Sexual content, Sexism, Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Mental illness, Grief, Domestic abuse, Death, Sexual assault, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Classism, Body shaming, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Bullying, and Infidelity

Minor: Classism, Blood, Body shaming, Vomit, Death of parent, Drug abuse, and Drug use

caelinsullivan's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Drug use, Cursing, Suicide, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Grief, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Child abuse, Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexism, and Misogyny

Moderate: Alcoholism, Addiction, Abandonment, and Toxic friendship

jadehusdanhicks's review against another edition

challenging dark sad medium-paced

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

3.25

For a book that deals with such graphic themes as grooming.  This book was well written.  Did it make me uncomfortable? Yes. But that’s because the topic is a literal crime and your reading it from the victims point of view.   Following Vanessa’s grief and coming to terms with her trauma from start to finish. This book deals with the theme very well without the morbid romanticisation like we get with authors like coho.  Overall I can’t bash this book other than ensure you check triggers as this is dark and when you think it can’t get darker it will

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Body shaming, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Drug use, Dysphoria, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence

prince_philips_butthole's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual content, Animal cruelty, Grief, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Body shaming, Mass/school shootings, Pedophilia, Rape, Vomit, Child abuse, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

ksuazo94'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
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

This book was... for lack of better words, frustrating. I get it, I really do. And Vanessa had every right to heal in her own way and to come to an understanding of everything she went through on her own terms. But what happened to the teacher pissed me off and I'm so tired of this narrative that being young and horny = it's okay for a predator to take advantage of you. A 14 to 17-year-old should NOT be sleeping with a grown man, I don't care how "mature" she says she is. You, as the adult, should know that doing so is NOT OKAY. Ugh. I get this book is more realistic, but I wanted more for Vanessa and the other young women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Grief, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Abandonment, Infidelity, and Vomit

Minor: Death of parent

kenziebeck's review against another edition

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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Body shaming, Drug use, Addiction, Alcohol, Mental illness, Violence, and Suicide

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, and Fire/Fire injury

lucy_readsbooks13's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad fast-paced

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

4.75

I honestly have no idea how I feel about this.
This managed to make me feel so angry, sad, and confused at the same time. 
The writing is beautiful, this author managed to write something so disgusting and terrible in a way that makes you want to read it. 
It was difficult to start, I read the whole first chapter and was about halfway through the second when I had to put it down for a week, just to mentally prepare myself and make sure my head was in the right place. 
Vanessa made me feel bad for her, made me root for her, and made me want to punch her in the face with some of her decisions, and even now, I can't say I like her as a character, and if she was a real person (and unfortunately Vanessa does exist out there) I would give my best to try and help her and support her because this world failed her. Her family, friends, system... 
Truly a brilliant piece of writing, and I hope that someday, not soon though, I find the strength to read it again, truly focusing, not just on the book and the story itself, but the writing.
Descriptions of manipulation, threats, violence... One of the best books I've read in my life, and definitely the best one I've read this year.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, Rape, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Drug use, Pedophilia, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death of parent, Abandonment, Vomit, and Stalking

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Classism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Pedophilia, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

librarianinacardigan's review against another edition

dark sad 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Abandonment, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, and Suicide

Minor: Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Blood, Drug use, and Fire/Fire injury