This book contains themes of sexual abuse, grooming, trauma, manipulation, and depression. It may be distressing for some readers. Please approach with care.
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 of My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell
My Dark Vanessa is a book about the psychological impact of a relationship between a 15-year-old girl, Vanessa, and her 42-year-old teacher, Jacob Strane. At the start of the book, Vanessa is attending a boarding school named Browick. Years later, as allegations against Strane surface, Vanessa is forced to deal with her perception of the past and the nature of consent.
As a teenager, Vanessa 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. She forms a bond with Strane, who gives her poetry, books to read and tells her she will do great things in the future.
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. The Me Too movement is in full effect at this time. Initially, Vanessa tries to distance her own experiences with Strane and did not even believe the allegations. Over the years, Vanessa has continued to maintain contact (no longer sexual) with Strane. But when more allegations start to come out, Vanessa reassesses her experiences and the manipulation involved.
“Hide all you want, but the truth will always find you.”— Taylor’s Facebook post
The book looks at the tactics Strane uses to influence Vanessa into believing that she was consenting or even initiating the relationship.
Main Plot & Characters
- Vanessa Wye — She is the protagonist and narrator, who, at age 15, becomes entangled in a relationship with her teacher, and later, as an adult, is dealing with impact of that past. Vanessa had an anonymous blog where she shared some of her experiences.
- Jacob Strane — He is Vanessa’s English teacher at Browick and her abuser.
- Taylor Birch — She is a former student from the school Vanessa attended. Taylor goes public with allegations against Mr. Strane. Her Facebook post is the catalyst for the novel’s present-day thread.
- Ruby — She is Vanessa’s adult therapist who helps her unpack what happened.
- Ira— He is Vanessa’s ex-boyfriend. Ira kept trying to explain to Vanessa that what she experienced with Mr. Strane was not romantic and encouraged her to seek professional help.
- Henry Plough — Vanessa’s college professor later on; his attention complicates Vanessa’s understanding of boundaries.
- Jenny Murphy — She was a former Browick student. Jenny and Vanessa used to be friends but they had a falling out when Jenny started dating at Browick.
- Patrick Murphy — He is Jenny’s dad. He writes a letter to the school.
- Jesse — He is Vanessa’s peer in the Browick literature club. Jesse had his suspicions on what was going on between Strane and Vanessa.
- Jan Wye — She is Vanessa’s mother.
- Mr. Wye — He is Vanessa’s father.
- Inez — She is a young staffer at the hotel Vanessa works.
- Bridget — She was Vanessa’s roommate while she was in college.
Writing Style
Kate Elizabeth Russell uses dual timelines (2001 through 2017) 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 book looks at how complex sexual abuse can sometimes be, how manipulation occurs especially when there are power dynamics, how memories can be distorted, and the struggle to reconcile them with reality. It highlights the long-term effects of trauma and abuse on people’s lives and how it continues to affect their relationships even many years after. It also looks at the impact of public opinion on personal experiences of abuse.
“I wonder how much victimhood they would be willing to grant a girl like me.”— Vanessa’s reflections
The subject matter is triggering but Russell does an excellent job of towing the line in a way that the book is not exploitative but rather seeks 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.
Final Thoughts on My Dark Vanessa
The novel sparks important conversations about consent, victimhood, and how complex abusive relationships can be. It also raises crucial questions about how schools handle allegations of misconduct and the systems (or lack thereof) that allow such situations to continue.
“Everyone is given a slip of paper with three questions:
- Who did you hear this rumor from?
- When did you hear it?
- Have you told your parents about it?
Equally thought-provoking is how families and parents respond when faced with this difficult situation, how denial, fear, and misunderstanding can shape their reactions and either support or isolate survivors.
“When I first realized she wasn’t going to tell anyone, I was relieved. But now, it’s started to flatten out into something like disappointment. Because the deal seems to be, if you want me to keep this secret, then we’ve to pretend it never happened and I can’t do that. I’ll remember everything as hard as I can. I’ll inside these memories until I can see him again.”— Vanessa’s reflections
This book isn’t easy to read, but it’s an important one that pushes us to confront uncomfortable realities about power, manipulation, and accountability. There are some other books that have explored this difficult topic including Fox by Joyce Carol Oates.
Rating
Characters ★★★★⯪ (4.5/5)
Plot ★★★★★ (5/5)
Writing ★★★★★ (5/5)
Book Cover ★★★★★ (5/5)
Audiobook (Narration Only) ★★★★★ (5/5)
Overall ★★★★★ (5/5)
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?
Authors
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