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bridget_magpie's review against another edition
- 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
3.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Rape, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Alcohol and Drug use
Minor: Death of parent and Suicide
inanna_teatime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Child abuse, Drug use, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Rape, and Sexual content
emlunaml's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcohol, Drug use, and Abandonment
katebond'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? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Child abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Pedophilia
skye_c's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Infidelity, Misogyny, Animal death, Death of parent, Drug use, Addiction, and Alcohol
errie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Stalking, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Alcohol, Pedophilia, and Toxic relationship
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
owls_rainbow's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Graphic: Rape, Suicide, Sexual assault, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Drug use, and Alcohol
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