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    My Dark Vanessa: A Novel
    My Dark Vanessa: A Novel
    My Dark Vanessa: A Novel
    Audiobook16 hours

    My Dark Vanessa: A Novel

    Written by Kate Elizabeth Russell

    Narrated by Grace Gummer

    4.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY’S BREAKOUT AUTHOR TO WATCH IN 2020

    “Brilliant and stunning . . . an absolute must read.” – GILLIAN FLYNN

    “A well-constructed package of dynamite.” – STEPHEN KING

    A most anticipated book by The New York Times • USA Today • Entertainment Weekly • Marie Claire • Elle • Harper's Bazaar • Bustle • Newsweek • New York Post • Esquire •  Real Simple • The Sunday Times • The Guardian 

    ONE OF THE MOST BUZZED ABOUT DEBUTS IN YEARS

    AN INTERNATIONAL SENSATION SOLD IN 24 TERRITORIES AND COUNTING

    Exploring the psychological dynamics of the relationship between a precocious yet naïve teenage girl and her magnetic and manipulative teacher, a brilliant, all-consuming read that marks the explosive debut of an extraordinary new writer.


    2000. Bright, ambitious, and yearning for adulthood, fifteen-year-old Vanessa Wye becomes entangled in an affair with Jacob Strane, her magnetic and guileful forty-two-year-old English teacher.

    2017. Amid the rising wave of allegations against powerful men, a reckoning is coming due. Strane has been accused of sexual abuse by a former student, who reaches out to Vanessa, and now Vanessa suddenly finds herself facing an impossible choice: remain silent, firm in the belief that her teenage self willingly engaged in this relationship, or redefine herself and the events of her past. But how can Vanessa reject her first love, the man who fundamentally transformed her and has been a persistent presence in her life? Is it possible that the man she loved as a teenager—and who professed to worship only her—may be far different from what she has always believed?

    Alternating between Vanessa’s present and her past, My Dark Vanessa juxtaposes memory and trauma with the breathless excitement of a teenage girl discovering the power her own body can wield. Thought-provoking and impossible to put down, this is a masterful portrayal of troubled adolescence and its repercussions that raises vital questions about agency, consent, complicity, and victimhood. Written with the haunting intimacy of The Girls and the creeping intensity of Room, My Dark Vanessa is an era-defining novel that brilliantly captures and reflects the shifting cultural mores transforming our relationships and society itself.

    Includes a bonus conversation with Kate Elizabeth Russell, Grace Gummer, and Jessica Williams (editor of My Dark Vanessa).

    This audiobook includes an episode of the Book Club Girl Podcast, featuring an interview with Kate Elizabeth Russell about My Dark Vanessa.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateMar 10, 2020
    ISBN9780062941534
    Author

    Kate Elizabeth Russell

    Kate Elizabeth Russell is originally from eastern Maine. She holds a PhD in creative writing from the University of Kansas and an MFA from Indiana University. My Dark Vanessa is her first novel.

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    Reviews for My Dark Vanessa

    4.5/5

    2,239 ratings144 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I was actually one of the people reading the author's LiveJournal, many moons ago, when we were both quite young and she was still in the process of writing this story. So pleased and proud to see that she's gotten it published!

      And what a great novel this is. Gorgeous, brutal, horrifying, heart-rending. Plot and setting and tone aside, this is a masterclass on writing a main character who is not sweet or pleasant but is still endlessly sympathetic and loveable. She's someone you want to understand, to protect, to grab by the shoulders and shake. So good. I really have no better words than that.

      4 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I have always loved Lolita and the correlation to that book is so creatively woven throughout this novel. The author started writing this book while she was in high school, she is a genius author. The characters are so raw and incredibly complex. You must read this book!

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I absolutely loved this book! The narration was amazing! 10/10 recommend!

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Wow such a powerful book. I had to give it a 5 star.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Thought provoking and beautiful. The author’s words will creep inside your bones and echo with you, making you feel them to your core.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The convincing views of a 15 year old, as she believes in true love touched my heart, and the final realizations for her will leave me sad forever. Such a well thought out piece.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This is such an important read, difficult to swallow. I think it explored the topic of rape and rape culture in a way we can understand better the behaviour of a predator and this enabling society. The author also handled it with care and I felt like I connected to Vanessa in so many ways. It had a strong effect on the way I see abuse, In the way we percieve victims and how we think we are supposed to help them.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      A very engaging book with a wonderful narrator! She acted the way each character spoke perfectly, giving the listener the exact feel the book wanted to give

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This was an amazing read. The way the author is portraying Vanessa moving from inoccent teen crush to ptsd (throughout 32 years ) , changeing her whole understanding about herself and the world, was absolutely breathtaking. It took me on a journey of "what would have been life like if..." sorts because let's be honest, which teen will not have at a certain point a crush on a teacher (?) . Of course Harper Studios again took the best voice and narration was outstanding. This is clearly the best book i have listened to in 2021. I also enjoyed the embedded interview of the author at the end of the book, don't skip it if you listen to this book.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Hands down one of the best audiobooks I’ve listened to this year. This story is haunting, and I can feel it sticking to me. Grace Gummer has the perfect voice for Vanessa’s story, and I really enjoyed how she voiced the other characters. I’m also glad it doesn’t tell me how to feel about what’s happening and rather let’s me see things from Vanessa’s point of view, unraveling the situation however she needs in order to cope with gravity of it all. It’s a painful heavy story written with a lot of grace about a narrator who suffers her situation without apologies, and this I appreciate the most. Thanks K.E.R. ❤️

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This was really good, but intense and at times unsettling due the nature of it. It’s a great book for social workers/other health professionals as it shows the complexities and lasting trauma of situations like the ones talked about in the book. It was wonderfully narrated, she really brought the main character to life and changed with her over the years.

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Excellent novel and very awesome reading by mamie gummer. Five stars!

      2 people found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I had no intention of reading this book because I hate the cover THAT MUCH. But, so many people that I follow via Feedly were raving about it so I put a hold on it via Overdrive and the wait was so long that I totally forgot what the book was about, who exactly had raved about it, and why I wanted to read it. But, I'm glad I did because it was riveting from page 1 all the way through.

      I thought the author did a GREAT job of getting into the mind of the 15-yo girl, explaining how she felt when her teacher took an interest in her and how her mind and body separated from each other.

      This book should be read by anyone who is skeptical and "can't understand how this sort of thing happens" to girls and women. The author gives a good hard look at the whole "grooming" process.

      "You're in charge here, Vanessa. You decide what we do."

      "I don't feel forced, and I know I have the power to say no, but that isn't the same as being in charge."

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Its a good book and i feel traumatized now

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I’ve never been so angry at a book all while being thoroughly in awe at the same time. Beautifully written, and wonderful narration.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I'm only half way through the book at this point, it's a very well written and engaging book. The narrator is fantastic and I'm hooked but what an enraging book! None of the main characters are likeable, though you can sympathize with Vanessa she will absolutely frustrate you, and I don't think I've ever disliked a character in a book as much as her Mr Strane. It is a tough one to listen to at times and though I'm not finished it yet I would definitely recommend it, maybe read it with a friend so you have somebody to discuss it with cause your going to want to.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Painfully relevant, beautifully written and compassionately nuanced. A life-changing book.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The narrator made this book which amazingly written . Come even more alive

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The fiction was perfectly illustrated with a apt voice for its narration.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      I'm stunned. This book is such a great opening for difficult conversations as it provides the reader with realistic, relatable and nuanced insight into the world of sexual harassment and victimhood. This book is so much more than a story about abuse and unhealthy (+illegal) romantic dynamics, my entire cultural perspective has been shifted. Easily a 10/10, brought me near to tears 3 times ?

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      This book was very well written. Through the first several chapters I could not really understand why I was so put off by what was going on. I was also groomed by a teacher and once I realized that putting myself in Vanessa‘s place was what was making me feel ill. That being said, if you are aware of your triggers proceed with caution if you have experienced rape or grooming.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      As many have already said, this is often hard to listen to because of the content alone. But what a great debut novel. Grace Gummer was an amazing narrator and really brought Vanessa to life!

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      The book was amazing, dark but so well written. The narrative was well picked. Definitely give this book a listen but please check triggers.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      The narrator was great. This is a tough read with difficult subject matter. I enjoyed it. A story that makes one think.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      ***trigger warning for sexual asalt**** I can't put to words truly how much I loved and hated this piece of art. I felt guilty reading it in the beginning because of how disgusting it was. I almost put it down forever, only to change my mind 2 hours later. A different kind of page turner.

      If you can get past how disturbing this novel is, it's worth the read. It gives a whole new perspective on the inner turmoil grooming gave Vanessa. This novel challenges readers to see all sides of her thought processes. Even the thoughts most dark and shameful to her.

      Personally, I like books often based on their verbiage. I think this novel was poetically written. Absolutely beautiful word choice. Not beautiful souly for the content, but more for THE WAY it is written. I can tell a poet made this novel.

      Still, after all I have raved about this I can't help but feel the first third of it could be child porn in the wrong hands.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 3/5
      Ok I wasn't going to rated this book because is so controversial topic to write about, but in the end: the character of Vanessa has a great work on it but as a novel it seem a little too long. I know it has her arch of transformation but at the end i was just dragging... Guess 3.5 Stars i want to praise the reading work of Grace Gummer, she is amazing on it, wich in the point kept me going to the end.

      If this was a printed book im sure i would probably DNF.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Amazing writing and amazing narration. Should be a recommended reading for all educators and child psychologists

      1 person found this helpful

    • 5/5
      Hard to listen to but important to listen to. Narrated beautifully. The ways we sexualize young girls in our culture and then are shocked when older men find them sexually attractive needs to be looked at. Dark subject but some light at the end.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      MDV was intentionally exhausting. We are made to suffer alongside Vanessa, a victim of sexual abuse who refuses to paint herself as a victim. This book explores how years of sexual abuse devastates & disrupts every aspect of her life. Provocative and controversial, the author does an outstanding job of bringing authentic voices to the #MeToo movement. This will probably not be for every reader. Proceed with caution, plenty of trigger warnings.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 1/5
      It was so slow. Very boring story line so weird.

      1 person found this helpful