A review by htracy0884
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

This book is a lot, but not as much as I expected.  I couldn’t stop reading, possibly because I wanted to understand Vanessa’s view of the situation and see how and if it changed as revelations were made and the benefit, if any, of age and distance. 

Vanessa, a 15 year old girl at a boarding school, is in a relationship with one of her teachers, one that eventually gets her expelled while he continues his post and goes on to do the same or similar to others.  It seems like it would be same sordid tale you always see with young girls and older men in positions of authority, but I think the slow burn makes you consider WHY a victim/survivor might view the situation in the way she does.  In Vanessa’s case, she maintains she’s not a victim throughout, but all of her thoughts and behavior indicate that she is.  

I’m not sure it’s meant to prove that there’s a very good reason for the existence of an age of consent, but to me, it reinforces why that boundary is never meant to be crossed.

Read: 1/9/22 - 1/11/22

#bookstagram #mydarvanessa #bookrecommendations 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings