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My Dark Vanessa
- Narrated by: Grace Gummer
- Length: 15 hrs and 33 mins
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My Dark Vanessa
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Summary
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 DYLAN THOMAS AWARD
An instant New York Times and Sunday Times best seller.
A Stylist Best Book of 2020.
An era-defining novel about the relationship between a 15-year-old girl and her teacher.
All he did was fall in love with me and the world turned him into a monster.
Vanessa Wye was 15 years old when she first had sex with her English teacher.
She is now 32 and in the storm of allegations against powerful men in 2017, the teacher, Jacob Strane, has just been accused of sexual abuse by another former student.
Vanessa is horrified by this news, because she is quite certain that the relationship she had with Strane wasn't abuse. It was love. She's sure of that.
Forced to rethink her past, to revisit everything that happened, Vanessa has to redefine the great love story of her life - her great sexual awakening - as rape. Now she must deal with the possibility that she might be a victim, and just one of many.
Nuanced, uncomfortable, bold and powerful, My Dark Vanessa goes straight to the heart of some of the most complex issues our age.
Includes a bonus conversation with Kate Elizabeth Russell, Grace Gummer, and Jessica Williams (editor of My Dark Vanessa).
Critic reviews
"The book everyone will be talking about." (Louise O'Neill)
"...a package of dynamite." (Stephen King)
"Compulsive. I burned through the first half in such a fever that I lost sleep, I missed meals...a lightning rod." (Washington Post)
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What listeners say about My Dark Vanessa
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- francesca barbaro
- 07-01-21
Everyone should listen to or read this book
Couldn't stop listening. A must read for everyone. The story deals with trauma brilliantly.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 15-06-20
Thought Provoking
I loved Vanessa. She reminded me of parts of myself growing up. I didn't love Strain. The story made me uncomfortable and angry and I think that was entirely the point. Highly recommend. Could listen to Grace Gummer narrate all day long.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Morag Cooper
- 08-05-20
what a fantastic story
I loved the book it is so emotionally Dark great story far a novice brighter
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Sigrin
- 15-01-21
The darkness within
This book is written in an open ended way so the reader can interpret this for themselves.
Ms Russell the author does not make what happened in the book ok as it is an awful subject to cover, However she guides you through Vanessa's life by exploring her feelings and the complications of growing up. The struggles the pain wonder and joy.
Ms Russell writes about Mr Strane her teacher so well. He is so perceptive to all around him, but he was a calculated abuser and kept Vanessa helpless through his manipulation.
What I did find it odd was when the author, editor and narrator got together for a chat at the end of the book, when they asked what they loved about the book, what was your favourite scene etc....... It’s about a peadophile and the abuse of a 15 year old girl, so these word seemed very strange in the context of the question.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
Lost impetus towards the end
I thought this book was stunning and very impactful in its description of abuse and how the victim can get so entangled and conflicted.
I wasn’t sure about the narrator at first but the contrast between her ‘dead’ voice and the more hopeful voice at the beginning was good. Particularly enjoyed the final encounter between Vanessa and Taylor, but ultimately think it was too long and meandering.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Lily Proctor
- 16-06-22
Uncomfortable but worth it
good performance, excellent writing. I think a lot of women relate to Vanessa, which is sad but the truth.
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- Corena
- 26-01-23
Compelling.
I couldn’t stop listening. The story pulled me right in. Performance was excellent. Difficult subject matter but told in a unique thought provoking way
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anita Shah
- 08-01-24
Vanessa is controversial
I found the protagonist very disturbed… the teacher is of course in the wrong too…
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- tina86
- 17-08-21
brilliant
the narrator is brilliant, the story sucks you in and got through this is no time! recommend!
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- Hazel A
- 01-01-21
Brilliant
The author clearly understands extremely well the process of grooming and the reasons why the abused don’t tell. The story is very thought provoking. Vanessa seems so real and relatable.
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