Comments (74)

Community comments are the opinions of contributing users. These comments do not represent the opinions of Skokie Public Library.
What did you think about this title?
1 to 25 of 74 items
Mar 27, 2024randyehrler rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Through the evocative narrative of My Dark Vanessa, Kate Elizabeth Russell immerses us in an alarming tale that demands our attention. The story delves into predators' intricate methods and the pervasive damage they inflict, often…
Jan 30, 2024MuscariaAmanita rated this title 3.5 out of 5 stars
must read if you found lolita too weird
Dec 10, 2023MadisonM rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Wow, I loved this book! The main character had lots of depth and was completely flawed which I love in a narrator. They were unlikeable at times, while also making you root for them. Very easy to read.
Nov 28, 2023InnisfilTeenReads rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
‘My Dark Vanessa’ is more than just a novel; it is an emotion. ‘My Dark Vanessa’ is about a 14 year old girl named Vanessa at her new boarding school. With a huge interest and love for poetry, she finds herself to be intertwined in an…
Nov 16, 2023Sanwich rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
It's difficult to recommend this book because it's a dark, unsettling story, yet so expertly written. It felt raw, honest, beautiful, and effed up. I was reminded of my most uncomfortable moments in therapy: painful but important.
Aug 15, 2023i_read_ rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
oh my word was this book hard to read. this book is about a 14 year old girl named Vanessa. She starts a relationship with her 43 year old English teacher, Jacob Strane. We get two timelines, one of her in 2007 in the moment while she's…
Jun 21, 2023GLAC_DanielleT rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
To say I enjoyed this book seems wrong because of the theme and content, so instead I'll say it was compelling. The author really highlights the emotional-traumatic damage Vanessa underwent in her relationship with Strane. Reading Vanessa…
May 08, 2023CuriousQT rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Lolita in the midst of the #metoo movement. Compelling and complex. I loved every moment of it.
Mar 07, 2023cateyeschloe rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
There’s so much to say about this book and it’s difficult to put everything it made me feel into words. Vanessa’s pain and conflicting emotions are so very visceral in every page, and I often found myself setting down the book for a few…
Dec 16, 2022
Maine
Dec 04, 2022samanthafarrugia rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Gripping
Nov 23, 2022jasnadzinic rated this title 2 out of 5 stars
I did not like this book. The only good thing in it was the dog.
Oct 24, 2022Einer2 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
So well written and beautifully read. The interview with author and reader at the end added much to the experience. Although it is fiction I have the feeling that the threads of truth for the author run deep. It should be a must read…
Oct 21, 2022vampire1111 rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
wtf sobbing
Aug 24, 2022OPL_JessicaP rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A disturbingly honest account of the effects of sexual abuse on a student by a teacher told from the perspective of the student. The novel spans 15 years in the lives of perpetrator and victim to describe not only the abuse itself, but…
csayre32
Aug 20, 2022csayre32 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
A true horror story of the innocence of a child taken advantage of. Haunting.
Aug 06, 2022peteyleoallie rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This is a well written, but the subject matter is difficult to read. It is an important read especially for parents of young girls. These deviants are out there - arm yourself.
Jul 16, 2022DBRL_LauraHH rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
Vanessa leaves home at 15 to attend an elite boarding school, where she is drawn into a predatory relationship with her middle-aged teacher. The novel shifts between past and present, and at 32, Vanessa can no longer escape her complicated…
May 04, 2022katjespin rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
One of the best, most provocative and pointed books ever about underage grooming and sexual assault. Visceral and heart-breaking and completely realistic, right down to the arrested development of the main character.
May 01, 2022kwsmith rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
This well written fiction book explores the deep trauma caused by a teenage girl's sexual relationship with her much older high school English teacher. The book alternates perspectives between Vanessa's past and present, showing how the…
Apr 27, 2022lyndasclater rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Loaned by Bryna. A story of an abusive teacher and how the student's life was affected for years.
Apr 17, 2022EmmaJeanShea rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
A hard story to read but hard to put down! It’s about 15-year old Vanessa’s affair and decade long relationship with her high school teacher, 27 years her senior. The book flips back and forth to 15-year old Vanessa and 30 year old…
Jan 11, 2022finn75 rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
Disturbing and unsettling read. It explores the concepts of consent, boundaries, power and sexual abuse. A grown woman slowly comes to terms with the relationship she had with her teacher in her teens.
Nov 29, 2021Namerguth rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
I loved it! And that says a lot from a picky book reader.
Nov 06, 2021redtayres rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
This book disrupted my days; I couldn't get anything else done as I was so drawn to read. It is, as they say, "a page-turner". A complex, well-written story that looks at an old story from a new, unique perspective and does so with…