A review by taylorfish
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-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? It's complicated

5.0

This book is dark, heavy, and uncomfortable, but also so important and one of the best books I read this year. The abuse, trauma, gaslighting, and lack of protection was difficult to deal with. It is hard to review this book because the subject matter is so difficult and there is a lot of controversy over how the author chose to write Vanessa. However, I think the graphic nature put you in Vanessa’s shoes which (I believe) is important to the story, being uncomfortable is important. It’s difficult but I think it is important for everyone to ready especially those that are not, them selves, SA survivors.