A review by mkday82
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

4.0

Book #10- 2024
Title: My Dark Vanessa 
Author: Kate Elizabeth Russell
Pages: 369
Started: 04/06/2024 
Finished: 17/06/2024
Days: 14

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I’m going to start off by mentioning the trigger warnings for this book - child abuse, sexual abuse, manipulation, grooming, pedophilia and PTSD; if you are triggered by any of these things then do not read this book! My Dark Vanessa was a dark and somewhat disturbing read. The story is told in both past and present tense and is narrated by Vanessa Wye. The past takes us back to the year 2000 when Vanessa was 15 years old, attending boarding school and the relationship that begins with her 42 year old English teacher, Jacob Strane. The present brings us to the year 2017 when Vanessa is now 32 years old, now an adult but still grappling with what happened during her teenage years; was she a victim or a willing participant? The story was brilliantly written; it had me second guessing Strane’s intentions and if he was actually a good or bad person whilst also wanting to shake Vanessa to make her see the truth! It showed how systems, those we trust and who are meant to protect us, can fail victims and how trauma can shape a persons life. My Dark Vanessa is a fictional piece, however, upon doing a bit of research I discovered that it was inspired by the author’s own personal experience during her teenage years.
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