A review by lilacwhisker
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

dark emotional sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

pretty much every review talking about this book says it’s a “conversation-starter", and after reading this thing i understand why. my dark vanessa is a story about a girl who gets groomed by her teacher, but won't admit she was sexually abused. the whole thing (especially the start) is horrifying because of the events that occur but also because of vanessa's insistence that she wanted the whole thing to happen to her. this extra layer of denial is what makes this whole book so much more sad— seeing her call what they have "love" made me want to vomit, but i do think this can be accurate to how a lot of victims can feel. it's clear that russell did her research on this kind of abuse and trauma, and throughout we come to see how complicated both vanessa and her abuser are. it did get a little repetitive near the end, but this makes sense considering how such abuse works in cycles, and the length of their relationship. it really was a crazy book, and somewhat reminds me of notes on an execution by danya kukafka
Expand filter menu Content Warnings