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A review by frutsbasket
My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
5.0
4.5 stars rounded up.
(This ended up unexpectedly being a favorite read of 2022 for me)
I read Lolita beforehand, so that I was prepared for this book in particular and I'm so glad that I did.
This isn't a book you read to escape, but one that you read to understand, be uncomfortable, and examine systems that put young girls, young people, in danger and influence them at such young ages...
I think I appreciate this book most of all, because Vanessa isn't a "perfect victim", nor does anyone who is abused is required to be to be recognized. The complexity of her character really sucked me in and kept me interested. Not every victim even recognizes that they are one until much later, and despite the frustration I felt, I appreciated that perspective and hope to look for more of that in stories about victims.
To write a story like this, about how abuse from a trusted adult interferes with growth and development of a child is not an easy task at all. I will say that wish this book wasn't so graphic in detail around the sexual nature of their relationship. What I appreciated about Lolita was that there lacked explicit context around the sexual nature of the abuse, and the novel still remains dark and conscious of abuse. Tread very carefully if themes of trauma, abuse and SA are triggers for you.
(This ended up unexpectedly being a favorite read of 2022 for me)
I read Lolita beforehand, so that I was prepared for this book in particular and I'm so glad that I did.
This isn't a book you read to escape, but one that you read to understand, be uncomfortable, and examine systems that put young girls, young people, in danger and influence them at such young ages...
I think I appreciate this book most of all, because Vanessa isn't a "perfect victim", nor does anyone who is abused is required to be to be recognized. The complexity of her character really sucked me in and kept me interested. Not every victim even recognizes that they are one until much later, and despite the frustration I felt, I appreciated that perspective and hope to look for more of that in stories about victims.
To write a story like this, about how abuse from a trusted adult interferes with growth and development of a child is not an easy task at all. I will say that wish this book wasn't so graphic in detail around the sexual nature of their relationship. What I appreciated about Lolita was that there lacked explicit context around the sexual nature of the abuse, and the novel still remains dark and conscious of abuse. Tread very carefully if themes of trauma, abuse and SA are triggers for you.