Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

108 reviews

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

maxgene's review

dark emotional 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Alcohol, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Dysphoria, and Suicide

Minor: Death of parent and Animal death

eggsellents's review

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

nicolesbookreviews's review

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

4.5

I've known I wanted to read My Dark Vanessa since I started hearing about on BookTube in 2020, and I wish I didn't wait until 2023 to dive into it. My Dark Vanessa is a literary fiction novel that is told in a dual timeline with one showing the relationship between Vanessa and her abuser, Mr. Strane, through Vanessa's life from fifteen to present-day and the other showing present-day Vanessa grappling with the reaction after someone comes out against Mr. Strane as their abuser. I felt this book was a beautiful and haunting telling on the experience of a young girl who is trying to resolve the juxtaposition of her feelings of "love" for her abuser and the idea that what he is doing to her is wrong. The reason this book didn't receive five stars is due to some pacing issues I had near the middle of the novel. If you want to pick-up this book, please look into content warnings beforehand. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, and Sexual content

Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Suicide, Grief, and Death

jessdoe's review

dark emotional reflective 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: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Alcohol, Cursing, Stalking, and Panic attacks/disorders

mooshake's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad slow-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: Suicide, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Sexual content, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Alcohol, Drug abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Death of parent

lakea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Body shaming, Bullying, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Grief, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

Moderate: Drug use and Addiction

Minor: Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent

josiie's review

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-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

This book was the most eye opening thing I’ve ever read. It was shocking how relatable Vanessa’s character was, underneath all of the trauma she experienced. I, too, attend a challenging high school and am messy and impressionable. It was eye opening to see how i could’ve been her if I was approached by the same man. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Self harm, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Minor: Drug use, Alcoholism, Animal death, Death, and Death of parent

gluten_full's review

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Suicide, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Death, and Emotional abuse

ephemeral_remi's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Suicide, Alcohol, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Body shaming, and Death