A review by eirwenroberts
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

3.75

Thoroughly enjoyed (if that’s the right word) this book and blitzed it in a day which speaks volumes! Undoubtedly very important subject matter, I love the nuance it creates and shows that survivors go through a plethora of emotions within themselves and that it isn’t one size fits all and that we change and grow and learn things about ourselves and those around us. I think it’s really important that Vanessa is a 3D character as it makes her much more realistic, and we can contrast her way of thinking to Taylor’s which creates sympathy for our protagonist, and hopefully makes any young girls reading this book aware of consent! I think my only issue is that in the early stages of the book, it does feel that their relationship is romanticised, especially the sex scenes. Now I understand the whole point is that Vanessa romanticises these moments, but I think it could be clearer how disturbing these moments are and them be less ‘romantic.’ It’s a tricky one! As I say, the book is full of nuance but I think this could have been a little better executed. But all in all, really important and written in a way that encapsulates so much of a huge but necessary topic. 
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