My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell

Title: My Dark Vanessa
Author: Kate Elizabeth Russell
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Fiction, Psychological Drama
Year of Publication: 2020
Date of Publication: March 10, 2020
Pages: 384
ISBN-10: 006294150X
ISBN-13: 978-0062941503

Summary

My Dark Vanessa explores the psychological impact of a relationship between a 15-year-old girl, Vanessa, and her 42-year-old teacher, Jacob Strane. 

Years later, as allegations against Strane surface, Vanessa grapples with her perception of the past and the nature of consent.

Main Plot & Characters

The narrative alternates between Vanessa’s teenage years and her adult life. 

As a teenager, she believes her relationship with Strane is consensual and special. When she first came to the boarding school, she felt pretty much like an outcast. She did not have many friends and always felt different.

 In 2017, Vanessa is now in her early 30’s. Someone she used to go to school with has posted on Facebook accusing Strane of sexual assault, which happened while she was in school. Confronted with new accusations against him, Vanessa reassesses her experiences and the manipulation involved.

The book looks at the tactics Strane uses to influence Vanessa into believing that she was consenting or even initiating the relationship.

Key Themes of My Dark Vanessa

• Abuse and Consent: Examines the complexities of sexual abuse and the manipulation of power dynamics.
• Memory and Perception: Explores how memories can be distorted and the struggle to reconcile them with reality.
• Identity and Trauma: Highlights the long-term effects of trauma on personal identity and relationships.
• Societal Judgment: Addresses the impact of public opinion on personal experiences of abuse.

Writing Style

Kate Elizabeth Russell uses dual timelines to allow readers get a comprehensive view of Vanessa’s internal conflict. We get to see Vanessa as a 15-year old girl as well as an adult in her 30’s.

You will be uncomfortable reading this book. It is not a romance rather it’s a book about manipulation, abuse, mental health and psychology.

The subject matter is triggering but Russell does an excellent job of towing that line in a way that the book is not exploitative but rather seeking to highlight the fact that these things happen.

With that said, the book is unfiltered and doesn’t hold anything back. If you are easily triggered, this may not be the right book for you.

Impact of My Dark Vanessa

The novel sparks important conversations about consent, victimhood, and the complexities of abusive relationships.

Have you read this book already, or is it on your list? And if you’ve read it, which scene or chapter left the biggest impression on you, and why?