A review by aebales
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

dark emotional reflective sad

5.0

Lent to me and highly regarded by my best friend, I was excited to start this novel. As soon as the story began to unfold I was hooked. 

The slow burn of Strane’s grooming and coercion made my skin crawl. If I had to name one adjective to describe My Dark Vanessa, I’d use “sinister.” This book is scarier than any thriller or horror book I’ve consumed. 

Stories like this one are meaningful. Vanessa’s longstanding denial and instance of exonerating Strane was a testament to his (and other abusers’) ability to manipulate. It also served as a portrait of the messy reality that is coping with abuse. The way surviving abuse manifests itself into someone’s life is not black and white. Russell’s handling of the many nuances of abuse and the burden of experiencing it gives readers an opportunity to examine their own biases on the topics. 

Although My Dark Vanessa is indeed a deeply dark read, it was a good one. I was left in tears or misty eyed numerous times. Examine the themes prior to reading. 
Expand filter menu Content Warnings