Synopsis (from Goodreads):
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.
Review:
I read this book for my online book club through A Great Good Place for Books, my favorite independent bookstore. This was a deep exploration of the lasting effects that a child predator has on one of his victims. I hesitate to even use the term "victim", only because that's not how the main character, Vanessa, would ever want to be thought of. And that's why this is such a complex and fascinating novel.
What I Liked:
Characters:
The book is told through the eyes of Vanessa, who begins the story as a lonely young teen, and ends years later when she's in her mid-thirties. Throughout the novel Vanessa is a smart, creative person, full of potential. She deals with the after-effects of her abuse by engaging in increasingly risky behavior, and out and out denial of what really happened. As the years progress, the promise of a brilliant writing career dims due to her choices. It's true to life and heartbreaking.
Strane, the pedophile who targets Vanessa, is also a complex character. The author never resorts to simple stereotypes to define who he is. While never sympathizing with him, the reader can see the mental gymnastics he uses to live with his horrible deeds. This generated a lively discussion in our book club. We debated on whether or not he even knew he was a pedophile. This ambiguity was really thought-provoking.
Story:
The story jumps between when Vanessa was a teen to when she is in her thirties. We see how the teacher grooms Vanessa and the immense psychological damage he inflicts on her. Into her adulthood, Vanessa refuses to acknowledge what happened as abuse. She can't fathom the idea that she is a victim.
We also see is how, in the ere of the "Me Too" movement, that it's not always healthy for people to call out their abusers. Vanessa is not ready to face her painful past. And the guilt that others place on her for keeping silent is crushing.
Trigger Warning:
This is a difficult book to read, as the abuse depicted is truly horrifying. It made me angry and sad that Vanessa gets so messed up due to her teacher's selfishness.
Rating:
Release Date: March 10th, 2020
Author: Kate Elizabeth Russell
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: Fiction
Page Length: 384 Pages
Source: Public Library
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: This is a worthwhile experience that will stay with you for a long time.
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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions of my review in any way.
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
After years of trying to
make it as a writer in 1990s New York City, James Smale finally sells
his novel to an editor at a major publishing house: none other than
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Jackie--or Mrs. Onassis, as she's known in
the office--has fallen in love with James's candidly autobiographical
novel, one that exposes his own dysfunctional family. But when the
book's forthcoming publication threatens to unravel already fragile
relationships, both within his family and with his partner, James finds
that he can't bring himself to finish the manuscript.
Jackie and
James develop an unexpected friendship, and she pushes him to write an
authentic ending, encouraging him to head home to confront the truth
about his relationship with his mother. Then a long-held family secret
is revealed, and he realizes his editor may have had a larger plan that
goes beyond the page...
From the bestselling author of Lily and the Octopus comes
a funny, poignant, and highly original novel about an author whose
relationship with his very famous book editor will change him
forever--both as a writer and a son.
Review:
I first heard about author Steven Rowley when my book club selected his book, Lily and the Octopus, as its monthly choice. Mostly, I enjoyed that book (except for a bizarre sequence on a boat...). Full of insights into the complex world of women, The Editor, is even better.
What I Liked:
Themes:
The novel tackles an issue most of us face. How do we see the women who gave birth to us as more than just our mothers? We think we know them, but do we? This is illustrated in the characters of Jacqueline Onassis and James's mother, Aileen. Just as James must find a way to look past the strangeness of working with the legendary Jackie O, he must also try to see his mother as a real person, full of flaws. Actually, it's easy to see the flaws in a person. It's much harder to come to grips with the fact that people are complex. People are not saints or sinners, but a mixture of both.
Characters:
I liked that we only see Jackie as James sees her. We only get glimpses of her life from how he interacts with her, and what she allows him to see. What we do see shows a woman who is so much more than someone's wife, or mother. And isn't that the whole point of the book?
Aileen is also such a complex person. At first it seems strange that she would refuse to read her son's book. But as the novel progresses, we soon find out why this would be so painful. I loved how the book shows, as Jackie says in the book, that women of her generation were once girls with dreams of their own. They wanted far more than marriage and motherhood.
Relationships:
The relationship between James and his boyfriend, Daniel is also complex. While they love each other, both struggle to find ways to support each other without sacrificing their own ambitions. I love that they are truly in this relationship for the long haul.
James relationship with Jackie is also interesting. How does one work with a woman who is so famous? James quickly learns how people are eager to get any juicy information about Jackie. He needs to be careful to guard her privacy if he wants to be around her. But he must also realize that theirs is a purely professional relationship. They are friendly, but are not really friends, however much he would wish otherwise.
James' relationship with his mother is what is central to the book. He can't understand why his mother is so upset that he is writing a book loosely based on his mom. She is appalled that Jackie Onassis is reading about her. Every woman has her secrets, and Aileen has got some whoppers. How will their relationship change when he finds them all out?
Rating:
Release Date: April 2nd, 2019
Genre: Historical Fiction
Author: Steven Rowley
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons
Page Length: 320 Pages
Source: NetGalley
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: This would be a wonderful book club selection. It has so much to say about how the mother-child relationship changes as we age.
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Please Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not influence the opinions in my review in any way.
Synopsis (From Goodreads):
In a small backwater
town in Sweden, a young boy with a dark secret comes across a diary. As a
cold case investigation suddenly becomes eerily current, a police
investigator mysteriously disappears. What links these seemingly random
events?
As atrocious acts from the past haunt the present and
lives are changed forever, some will struggle to remember - while others
struggle to forget . . .
Review:
Most of the time, I get advance copies of books through services such as Netgalley or Edeilweiss. So I was surprised when I got a request directly from a publisher to review this book. I looked up the description on Goodreads and was intrigued. I've been wanting to read more crime mysteries. This book had some of the same elements that hooked me on the novels of Louise Penny: a flawed police detective, a small town full of interesting characters, and of course, a murder. Even though this is a darker version of the crime novel, I was still thoroughly entertained and excited to find out who the murderer was.
What I Liked:
Setting:
No one would want to live in the fictional
village of Sweden known as Ormberg. A once thriving small town, the area is full of shuttered factories, and unemployed townspeople. The abandoned buildings are used as a refugee center, first during the Bosnian conflict, and now to aid people fleeing the violence in Syria. The townsfolk are bitter about the government helping these recent immigrants, while ignoring the suffering of the long-term residents.
Characters:
The book is filled with memorable characters that fall into two groups: The police officers investigating the murder, and the local townsfolk.
I liked the main character, Malin, a young woman who grew up in Ormberg, but left to find a more exciting life in Stockholm. She clashes with a small town cop named Andreas. His boring life of sitting at home and watching television after work represents everything she is trying to flee. But, there's something about him that attracts her, as well.
Malin's colleagues, Hanne and Peter, are older (in their fifties), and involved in a passionate affair. But as the book progresses, we learn that Hanne is suffering from the beginning stages of dementia. Through her diary, the reader sees how scared she is about her future. It would be terrifying to be such a capable, confident professional and realize that you are going to lose all of that. And will Peter stick around?
The townspeople are equally interesting. Jake, is a teenager struggling to understand their gender identity. Jake's sister, Melinda, is an older teen who has stepped into the role of parent after their mother dies of cancer. Their father, Stefan, is an alcoholic who blames the Muslim refugees for his misfortunes. He's a mess, but could he also be a murderer?
As Malin is forced to stay with her mom, we meet a host of locals, including her aunt Margarita, and her cousin Magnus. Each character knows their place in this village, and each of the villagers look out for each other.
Narrative Style:
I liked the way the book was set up. Jake shows us the perspective of the tiny village, with all of its strengths and faults. The diary of Henne shows us the perspective of the police, who are outsiders. But most of the action is seen through Malin, who is both a local and an interloper. All these perspectives add up to a full picture of a complex society.
What I Was Mixed About:
The Ending:
The ending was exciting and wrapped up the plot points nicely. But then the author added one more twist that I felt was unnecessary. It was like when someone adds just one more side dish to a perfectly balanced meal. It throws everything just a bit off. I get that the author did this to make the some of the characters more relatable to the reader. But it was really more of a distraction.
Rating:
Release Date: February 7th, 2019
Author: Camilla Grebe
Publisher: Zaffre Publishing
Genre: Crime Fiction
Page Length: 400 Pages
Source: Publisher
Format: E-Book
Recommendation: A solid crime thriller. Full of unforgettable characters, this was a compelling read.
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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
A heart-warming story about secrets between four generations of women and the healing power of books, love and friendship.
The
Garden Café, in the town of Lissbeg on Ireland's Finfarran Peninsula,
is a place where plans are formed and secrets shared ...
But Jazz
- still reeling from her father's disclosures about the truth of his
marriage to her mother, Hanna - has more on her mind than the comings
and goings at the café. Now isolated from friends and family and
fixating on her new job at a local guesthouse, she's started to develop
feelings for a man who is strictly off limits . . .
Meanwhile
Hanna, Lissbeg's librarian, is unaware of the turmoil in her daughter's
life - until her ex-husband Malcolm makes an appearance and she begins
to wonder if the secrets she's carried for him might have harmed Jazz
more than she'd realised.
As things heat up in Lissbeg, can the old book Hanna finds buried in her own clifftop garden help Jazz?
Review:
The Library At The Edge Of The World, by Felicity Hayes-McCoy, was one of the most enjoyable books I read last year. I loved the sense of community and all the characters in the fictional Irish village of Finfarran. Where the first book centered around a community crisis, it's sequel, Summer At the Garden Cafe, was more about individual relationships and some of the downsides of living in a town where everyone knows your business.
What I Liked:
Characters:
There are so many wonderful characters in this book. I was particularly pleased with the introduction of two characters who are immigrants, Ameena Khan, and her mother Saira. The author stayed away from stereotypes and made these characters very relatable. We also see more of the older generation in the village. The past is represented as well with diary entries from Maggie Casey, whom Hannah inherited her home from.
Story:
The novel is broken down into several smaller stories that spanned generations. There is the young couple, Conor and Aideen, who are trying to see if they want to make a deeper commitment. Divorced Hannah is still unsure about starting a relationship with Brian, but will her indecision drive him away? Jazz, Hannah's daughter, is dealing with the aftermath of her car accident, and her growing attraction to a married man.
The plot point I found most enjoyable was about Mary Casey, (Hannah's mother) and Hannah's ex-mother-in-law, Louisa. Both widowed, they both are trying to figure out how to restructure their lives.
Themes:
While The Library At The Edge of The World, celebrates the upside of small town life, this book shows there are some downsides, as well. News of arguments, ailments, and amorous adventures are spread faster than wildfire. And in this little village, many of the older citizens are eager to chime in with advice.
What I Was Mixed About:
While I liked the story, I wish there would have been a larger plot point that could have tied all the individual stories together. As it was, I found the smaller stories a bit disjointed.
I
also felt that it was a bit unrealistic that everyone (even the young
people) wanted to live in such a small town. I would think that there
would be at least a few young adults who would feel stifled and be eager
to venture forth and tackle the big city.
Rating:
Release Date: May 18th, 2017
Author: Felicity Hayes-McCoy
Publisher: Hachette Books
Genre: General Fiction
Page Length: 400 Pages
Source: Public Library
Format: E-Book
Recommendation:
A satisfying sequel to The Library At The Edge Of The World. Full of small town drama.
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Synopsis (From Goodreads):
Tatiana "Pluta" Spektor
was a mostly happy, if awkward, young girl—until her sociologist father
was disappeared during Argentina’s Dirty War. Sent a world away by her
grieving mother to attend boarding school outside New York City, Pluta
wrestles alone with the unresolved tragedy and at last runs away: to the
streets of Brooklyn in 1980, where she figuratively—and
literally—spreads her wings. Told with haunting fabulist imagery by
debut novelist Anca L. Szilágyi, this searing tale of love, loss,
estrangement, and coming of age is an unflinching exploration of the
personal devastation wrought by political repression.
Review:
This book was recommended to me by a friend of mine who knows the author. I really had no clue as to what this book was about, but I decided to buy a copy and dive in. Wow! I was pleasantly surprised by how amazing and powerful this book is. With a difficult subject matter (the political unrest in Argentina in the 1970's), this is a tale of loss, but also of redemption. It reminded me of Isabel Allende's The House of The Spirits. It is both brutal, and beautiful.
What I Liked:
Setting:
The book is set in several different places and time periods: Argentina and Brazil in 1978, and New York City and Rome in 1980. Each place comes alive with vivid descriptions.
In Buenos Aires, the reader gets a glimpse of a city in the throes of a repressive regime. People are on edge as some citizens who are associated with protests disappear. When people try to search for their loved ones, they are met with indifference, and, if they persist, intimidation. The author uses small details such as Pluta falling into mud and ruining her dress as a portent of bad things to come.
New York seemed particularly gritty and menacing in the book. In the 1970's and 1980's, New York was rife with crime. Considering the oppressive and dangerous country where they had only recently lived, I was more fearful for Pluta in the Big Apple! And with good reason.
Characters:
Pluta is a young teen who feels adrift at a boarding school in Connecticut. Originally from Argentina, she doesn't understand her father's sudden disappearance, or her mother's abandonment. Although she makes many terrible mistakes, I really liked Pluta's tenacity, and spirit. She refuses to be a victim. But she also doesn't let others help her when she clearly needs it. But I think, given her young age, that is understandable.
Isabel is Pluta's mother, and will not earn any awards for parenting. She is grieving the loss of her husband, but refuses to acknowledge to her daughter that he is probably dead. This leaves her Pluta feeling confused and abandoned. While I wanted to hate Isabel for her treatment of Pluta, I also could see how confused and abandoned she, herself, felt. Isabel had been brought up to believe that she would be taken care of by a husband. When Daniel is abruptly out of the picture, she feels betrayed, even if it isn't his fault. She is also a daughter of the air, adrift in her newfound freedom.
Story:
The story jumps between what happened when Daniel disappears in 1978, to two years later. Most of what happens is seen through the eyes of Pluta as she tries to make sense of the unthinkable. Her descent into Hell is frightening. Despite the protagonist being in her early teens, THIS IS NOT A YA BOOK! The violence that Pluta deals with as a runaway in New York is brutal, as is her methods of survival.
The book dips a toe into magical realism with the theme of wings (flying, freedom, metamorphosis). At first I had a "What the hell?" reaction to this. But, I later found it to be a powerful allegory to moving from the dependence of childhood to the self-reliance of adulthood. There are also references to spirits that may, or may not, be around to guide Pluta. I found these elements to be wonderful (and a bit trippy!)
This was a challenging book due to its gritty realism coupled with its hints at the magical. But it was ultimately a very rewarding reading experience.
Trigger Warning for sexual violence!
Rating:
Release Date: December 5th, 2017
Publisher: Lanternfish Press
Author: Anca L. Szilagyi
Genre: Historical Fiction/Magical Realism
Page Length: 246 Pages
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback Book
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