Book Review: ‘My Dark Vanessa’ Is A Great Debut Novel

A great debut novel from author Kate Elizabeth Russell will make you think a lot about what the lead character Vanessa Wye has and is going through. In this day of the #MeToo movement, it’s a powerful story to read. By the time you finish this book you will think a lot of about the novel and it will stay with you long after you have read it. Author Kate Elizabeth Russell will be a force if she keeps writing great books like this.

The story centers around Vanessa Wye, who at age 15 in 2000 began a relationship with her 42 year old English teacher Jacob Strane. Vanessa hasn’t had a lot of friends or anyone paying attention to her. Jacob starts and before she knows it she is having sex with him, sneaking out to meet him and being controlled by him. She feels like he is making her feel special. But things soon start to leak out and even with lying about what has been happening, things end. But this isn’t then end of things as the years go by they still meet up, break up, talk all the time and there’s always something between them. It has affected Vanessa her whole life.

Forward to 2017 and Jacob Strane is being charged with inappropriate advances against a student and other students. It’s not the first time this has happened over the years and he always seems to get out of it. But people know about what happened back then with Vanessa and Jacob and want her help in exposing him. She refuses to get involved but starts to question herself if she should and if it could have stopped what happened over the years to other girls.

The story alternates between both time frames and we follow the relationship of Vanessa and Jacob over the 17 years and the shocking events that happen over those years and how Vanessa’s life was really robbed by this man.

You can pick up My Dark Vanessa in stores on Tuesday, March 10th from Morrow.