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A review by my_corner_of_the_library
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
dark
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Do I think this book was perfect? No. But I don't think giving it anything less than 5 stars would be fair.
This book was a phenomenal look at every step of the grooming process and how the manipulated can be made to feel like the manipulator. It did a great job at describing the effects this can have on the groomed, and the present and continuing effects of PTSD.
I do have two main criticisms of the book that I don't think should be overlooked when thinking of this book as a teaching mechanism.
1. Vanessa was a little too self-aware and the book was a little too on the nose
Oftentimes, during the 2000-2007 POVs Vanessa was quite young and vulnerable, and yet she seemed fully aware of the manipulation being pushed on her. Such as when Strane was telling her that she was in control and she would mentally recognize that she was not. I don't think that feels very realistic, and more like the author was trying to make a point than properly show how a 15-year-old girl would view the situation. Maybe I'm wrong because I've never been in Vanessa's situation, but it seemed odd that she would be so aware.
Also, the story almost seemed too...perfect. It felt a little bit like the author looked up all the most common grooming tactics and PTSD symptoms and popped them all perfectly into the book. In reality, not every single one of those tactics and symptoms would exist in every relationship, and it would have been nice for things to be a little more realistic. Especially if we are to believe that Vanessa was the first (which was heavily implied).
2. I wish there was more outside the grooming
I understand that a large part of the book was meant to show how Vanessa's entire life became about her relationship with Strane, but I do wish there would have been SOMETHING else going on at any given time. We would get little glimpses of pop culture or political references, and it was implied that Vanessa cared or was interested in these things, but after a couple of sentences her life would immediately go back to Strane. Again, I feel like in reality, a person would have at least a couple of other things going on in their life, or at least pretend like it. It made it feel like someone going through something like this would be easy to identify because they would have literally nothing else going on in their life and that's just not true.
This book was a phenomenal look at every step of the grooming process and how the manipulated can be made to feel like the manipulator. It did a great job at describing the effects this can have on the groomed, and the present and continuing effects of PTSD.
I do have two main criticisms of the book that I don't think should be overlooked when thinking of this book as a teaching mechanism.
1. Vanessa was a little too self-aware and the book was a little too on the nose
Oftentimes, during the 2000-2007 POVs Vanessa was quite young and vulnerable, and yet she seemed fully aware of the manipulation being pushed on her. Such as when Strane was telling her that she was in control and she would mentally recognize that she was not. I don't think that feels very realistic, and more like the author was trying to make a point than properly show how a 15-year-old girl would view the situation. Maybe I'm wrong because I've never been in Vanessa's situation, but it seemed odd that she would be so aware.
Also, the story almost seemed too...perfect. It felt a little bit like the author looked up all the most common grooming tactics and PTSD symptoms and popped them all perfectly into the book. In reality, not every single one of those tactics and symptoms would exist in every relationship, and it would have been nice for things to be a little more realistic. Especially if we are to believe that Vanessa was the first (which was heavily implied).
2. I wish there was more outside the grooming
I understand that a large part of the book was meant to show how Vanessa's entire life became about her relationship with Strane, but I do wish there would have been SOMETHING else going on at any given time. We would get little glimpses of pop culture or political references, and it was implied that Vanessa cared or was interested in these things, but after a couple of sentences her life would immediately go back to Strane. Again, I feel like in reality, a person would have at least a couple of other things going on in their life, or at least pretend like it. It made it feel like someone going through something like this would be easy to identify because they would have literally nothing else going on in their life and that's just not true.