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A review by owenwilsonbaby
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
"I need it to be a love story. I need it to be that."
I was thinking about Mysterious Skin whilst I read this novel. Both stand well on their own, but I feel like they are unified as narratives of abuse through their extremely moving and empathetic commentaries on victimhood. Characterisation is complex but never unkind in this book, and for this reason (and perhaps the excellent pacing too) Vanessa's narrative voice is incredibly compelling throughout. I think this works as an interesting inversion of the campus novel, as well as a solidly unique coming of age / arrested development narrative. Please heed the trigger warnings and take plenty of breaks if you choose to read this - I found it hard.
I was thinking about Mysterious Skin whilst I read this novel. Both stand well on their own, but I feel like they are unified as narratives of abuse through their extremely moving and empathetic commentaries on victimhood. Characterisation is complex but never unkind in this book, and for this reason (and perhaps the excellent pacing too) Vanessa's narrative voice is incredibly compelling throughout. I think this works as an interesting inversion of the campus novel, as well as a solidly unique coming of age / arrested development narrative. Please heed the trigger warnings and take plenty of breaks if you choose to read this - I found it hard.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Blood, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Suicide