Love and manipulation

In ‘My Dark Vanessa’, Kate Elizabeth Russell delves into how a teenager seduced by her middle-aged teacher mistakes abuse for love.

Many books are said to have the power to heal, but can a book trouble you? I didn’t realise it until I read Kate Elizabeth Russell’s ‘My Dark Vanessa’. This novel has deeply impacted me, breaking my heart. I even allowed it to rob me of peaceful sleep. It is devastatingly beautiful and worth every bit of the sorrow it left behind.