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A review by frasersimons
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
4.0
It’s not a book you read for fun. The tone stays the same throughout. But what I think is really unique about this book is that Vanessa, the narrator is not painted with a typical brush.
The story does a great job of communicating the ways in which a man can violate a child in a non standard way. When the experience of victim doesn’t conform to how people think a victim should look and think and act, their stories are even more invalidated by society than those who act perfectly.
It’s a delicate thing to write a person this way while being unequivocal about the responsibility and guilt the purple traitor has. And I suspect the author did a lot of research about how abusers justify their behaviour because this guy pulls out all the greatest hits. But i would say is even more insidious, the author depicting grooming and gaslighting very well.
I had read that the author actually had started writing this when she was a teenager but hadn’t finished it until she was almost 30. The text certainly seems very well thought out when Vanessa is both ages, so that makes sense.
Had I not listened to the audiobook (fantastic narrator, great job) I would have highlighted quite a few passages. There a lot of beautiful prose that I found very apt and poignant. keep in mind that I’m a man and have no history with abuse so I would look to other reviews to see other perspectives on how it’s handled. I thought it felt deeply considered and respectful while being unapologetic and unforgiving when required.
The story does a great job of communicating the ways in which a man can violate a child in a non standard way. When the experience of victim doesn’t conform to how people think a victim should look and think and act, their stories are even more invalidated by society than those who act perfectly.
It’s a delicate thing to write a person this way while being unequivocal about the responsibility and guilt the purple traitor has. And I suspect the author did a lot of research about how abusers justify their behaviour because this guy pulls out all the greatest hits. But i would say is even more insidious, the author depicting grooming and gaslighting very well.
I had read that the author actually had started writing this when she was a teenager but hadn’t finished it until she was almost 30. The text certainly seems very well thought out when Vanessa is both ages, so that makes sense.
Had I not listened to the audiobook (fantastic narrator, great job) I would have highlighted quite a few passages. There a lot of beautiful prose that I found very apt and poignant. keep in mind that I’m a man and have no history with abuse so I would look to other reviews to see other perspectives on how it’s handled. I thought it felt deeply considered and respectful while being unapologetic and unforgiving when required.