My Dark Vanessa

A librarian friend I work with suggested this title.  I am so happy she did and now I have given the recommendation to many of my readers as well.  The subject matter is dark…an inappropriate relationship between a 15 yr. old and her English teacher at a boarding school.  

Vanessa feels like an outsider when she returns to school in the fall of 2000.  She has had a falling out with her best friend and now feels lonely.  To fill her time, Vanessa joins a Creative Writing club as an extra-curricular.  Mr. Strane, her English teacher, runs the club.  At first, it was no big deal when he began paying attention to her.  In fact, Vanessa enjoyed the attention.  Mr. Strane started complimenting Vanessa’s red hair, her wardrobe and her creative writing skill.  He lent her some of his personal books and even told her he would like to get to know her better.  Without warning, he begins touching her.  Just her knee at first, but it doesn’t take long for the behavior to escalate.

Throughout the novel, we see Vanessa question her role in the inappropriate relationship. She wonders if she is special and that is why Mr. Strane gives her so much attention.  She wonders if she is leading him on and giving him misguided cues.  She wonders if her life will ever be normal after feeling humiliated when forced to leave her school.  

We get to know Vanessa through her inner thoughts, conversations with her parents and her therapy sessions. She is vulnerable, mistrusting of men and on her way to becoming an alcoholic.   

My Dark Vanessa is a beautifully crafted debut novel that the writer has been crafting since the age of 16, drawing on her own experiences. Highly recommended.