Reviews with content warning for Physical abuse - My Dark Vanessa

Es difícil sintetizar qué es My Dark Vanessa. No creo que sea una historia más de abuso, ni una historia de terror o amor así como tampoco creo que sea justo decir que es la otra cara de Lolita.
Creo que esta es una obra super compleja que asume la responsabilidad de darle micrófono a una voz que no es una "buena" víctima, que no es liviana ni lineal.
Vanessa ejerce el protagonismo desde la contradicción y una violencia feroz dirigida hacia sí misma que abruma y desespera. Así, Vanessa condensa el dolor, el trauma y la culpa desde un lugar incómodo de leer y oír, que como sociedad habitualmente preferimos dejar pasar o incluso edulcorar.
La autora se desenvuelve con soltura en el ejercicio de contarnos esta díficil historia al elegir dos narrativas temporales que no sólo intentan acercarnos al relato del abuso y sus consecuendias sino a muchas preguntas y contradicciones que necesitamos habitar y problematizar si queremos, realmente, erradicar la violencia hacia las mujeres en todas sus formas.
Desde una prosa que fluye pero no por eso deja de detenerse o resonar en imágenes bellas y perturbadoras, esta historia nos cachetea con la tarea imposible de ser mujer y, así, nos saca el aliento y nos deja un sabor amargo en la boca.
Podríamos hablar también del acercamiento (o no) al proceso de sanar, de la revisión de las dinámicas de poder en el sistema educativo así como el ejercicio de introspección y enfrentamiento con la responsabilidad social en los que la autora nos sumerge en este universo. De My Dark Vanessa podrían decirse y revisarse muchas dimensiones más pero creo que no hay palabras que logren hacerle justicia a esta narrativa. Creo que la misma tampoco se trata de hacer justicia pero sin embargo logra en su relato darle lugar, desde la complejidad y la contradicción, a lo que nos incomoda porque nos exige tomar responsabilidad.

Content Warnings

lilacwhisker's review against another edition

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dark emotional 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? Yes

4.5

pretty much every review talking about this book says it’s a “conversation-starter", and after reading this thing i understand why. my dark vanessa is a story about a girl who gets groomed by her teacher, but won't admit she was sexually abused. the whole thing (especially the start) is horrifying because of the events that occur but also because of vanessa's insistence that she wanted the whole thing to happen to her. this extra layer of denial is what makes this whole book so much more sad— seeing her call what they have "love" made me want to vomit, but i do think this can be accurate to how a lot of victims can feel. it's clear that russell did her research on this kind of abuse and trauma, and throughout we come to see how complicated both vanessa and her abuser are. it did get a little repetitive near the end, but this makes sense considering how such abuse works in cycles, and the length of their relationship. it really was a crazy book, and somewhat reminds me of notes on an execution by danya kukafka

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jodiej_'s review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

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

4.75

I don’t really write reviews so here goes. This book was so hard to get through but was absolutely necessary to read, I found myself having to put it down a few times because of how dark and intense it got.

I have to admit that I did find myself getting angry and frustrated at Vanessa and asking her why can’t you see what it was?? Why can’t you see what he did to you? Why can’t you see that it wasn’t love and he was an evil disgusting predator?? Then I would carry on reading again and understand that the brainwashing was so so deep that she genuinely believed it was love.

There was moments in the book where she seemed to realise that she was being manipulated but then convinced herself that he wasn’t manipulating her, he was just trying to make her understand.

This book tells a very realistic story of what it’s like to be groomed and raped. It’s not as simple as saying they was and coming forward it changes a victims whole life, thought process and feelings. They start believing that this is what love is supposed to feel like.

A dark heartbreaking but an absolute reality for victims.

Content Warnings

cristina_g_'s review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-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

4.25

Diving into the pages from Vanessa's perspective, it's easy to lose sight of the fact that we're grappling with an adult three decades her senior. The book's narrative craftily lures you into the intricate labyrinth of the teenager's mind, where her tragically romanticized version of abuse takes a toxic hold.

Nestled between the lines, where Vanessa perceives him as the fount of her affection, the cunning manipulations of a libidinous adult come sharply into focus. Exploiting Vanessa's innocence, he thrives on her hunger for validation, her yearning to be acknowledged, to be cherished according to his twisted whims. She deludes herself into believing that her every move was her own volition, blissfully ignorant of the meticulously plotted steps of manipulation. A mere pawn, she follows a predetermined trajectory, every gesture calibrated solely to appease him, lest she lose the precious attention she's garnered. Little does she realize that this is the standard playbook for all master manipulators.

Yet, her initial sexual encounter takes on a more sinister hue, revealing the stark reality of power dynamics at play. The ruthless manner in which she's taken, and the subsequent attempts to placate, despite the interaction having long crossed Vanessa's comfort threshold, obliterates any semblance of consent in an adult-child relationship involving anyone under 18. No matter the arguments from adolescent apologists, the fact remains: the cumulative weight of an adult's experiences arms them with the tools to effortlessly mold the malleable spirit of an impressionable teenager.

Manipulation, control, domination, gaslighting—these terms resonate relentlessly in every line. The continuous maneuvers to ensure her silence, the artful deceit to perpetually keep her terrorized, the calculated means of ensuring compliance through manipulation—all serve to sate his deviant cravings. And what's his price for these vile deeds? He bestows upon her the perverse title of "special."

"What should I do if I've fallen for an adolescent?" Let's be clear: an adult should never regard a teenager as an object of infatuation. It's unequivocally wrong. By default, a man should never taint the innocence of a young girl with sexualization; pedophilia should never find an excuse—it's flagrantly wrong. No space exists for "yes, but."

In the final analysis, "My Dark Vanessa" yanks me deep into Vanessa's inner turmoil—her thoughts, her fears, her tragically warped sense of attachment. The book strips bare the mechanics of manipulation and the repulsiveness of abuse, exposing the malevolent darkness lurking beneath deceptively innocent facades.

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