A review by rebecca_hillary
Things We Didn't Talk about When I Was a Girl by Jeannie Vanasco

5.0

I have such mixed feelings about this book; I do not give many fives in my reviews and I probably would have gone for 4.5 if it was an option. A great book is usually one that is a great story but also that evokes emotions. This book, evoked all of the emotions and left me feeling unsettled. It is a memoir about rape but I moved through the book really liking "Mark", the rapist. The writer experienced other sexual assaults and all of those people disgusted me as I read but "Mark", my emotions were positive. I can feel Jeannie's conflict as if it were my own, in fact, in the time of "me too" it is my own conflict. I am in the minority that I have not been sexually assaulted, yet as a feminist, of course, I support "me too". How can I have such positive emotions regarding "Mark" and Jeannies friendship? I gave this a five, not only because of those emotions, and not only because of the fact that this story is unique, but perhaps because it is not that unique after all. Sexual assaults are often by someone the victim is close to. Jeannie, just had the confidence to put it out there and explain how complicated it really is. Maybe this book opened my eyes to how complicated reporting and healing can be when the rapist is a friend.