Reviews tagging 'Adult/minor relationship'

My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

1703 reviews

lemonsyellow's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective 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

This book. THIS. BOOK. I imagine that each person who reads it will have a different perspective. Kate Elizabeth Russell takes extremely difficult subject matter and does a really job taking the reader through what goes through a young victim’s mind. Vanessa doesn’t see her illicit affair with her high school teacher as abuse. But all of the signs are there. The manipulation is there. The gaslighting is there. Her own disgust is there but she simply ignores it and why? Because she never got to see what love is supposed to be like. So this is love for her. 

This book is a slippery slope for Vanessa and the entire time I wanted to help her up, protect her, yell at her for not seeing how horrible it was. It’s tragic at every turn but I could not stop reading. 

Take care of yourself first before reading this book. If you are triggered by sexual assault, grooming, or anything having to do with this subject matter have some support to help you through if you choose to read on. 

The narrator (Grace Gummer) was the heart and soul of this story for me. She brought this character to life for me in such vivid ways. I would listen to anything else she narrates. 

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Emotional abuse and Gaslighting

Minor: Suicide, Bullying, and Drug use

itisnatal'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Rape

naoml's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective slow-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

3.75

This book is disturbing and beautiful and very challenging. It puts things on paper that we never want to talk about. I will say I felt wrong for reading it at times... be careful with yourself

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, and Pedophilia

Moderate: Alcohol, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault

Minor: Suicide

ally_sim's review against another edition

dark reflective tense slow-paced

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Gaslighting, and Suicide

ellislilylovestoread's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

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

Minor: Death of parent, Suicide, and Animal death

ladysreads's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

celine_hendy's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad 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? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship

maratagon's review against another edition

dark emotional 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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Content Warnings

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

koriw's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

2.5

This book was graphic, tragic, & deeply triggering. I’m not sure it paid off enough in the end to make the first 75% worth enduring. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Sexual assault, Rape, Alcohol, Physical abuse, Suicide, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Death, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, and Misogyny

marina_ester's review against another edition

challenging dark sad 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

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Content Warnings

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