Kate Elizabeth Russell’s spirited and uncomfortable literary debut, My Dark Vanessa tells the story of a vulnerable teenage girl and an older man who takes advantage of her. The novel essentially focuses on the gray areas of consent and portrays the emotional journey of a victim who, after years of vigorously defending her abuser, gains awareness about her trauma. One of the great strengths of the book is that it does not stick to the narrative clichés common in stories of sexual abuse.
My Dark Vanessa is a shattering and thought-provoking read about the abuse of power present in asymmetrical relationships (where one partner is placed above the other because of age, experience, or degree of authority). Russell does a brilliant job of laying bare the complicated emotions that can be provoked by long-term abuse. Notably, this fiction has been acclaimed as the “contemporary Lolita”.
When Vanessa Wye starts classes at the prestigious Browick boarding school, Jacob Strane, herrenowned 42-year-old English teacher, immediately notices her. In Vanessa’s own words: “I walked into his classroom. I existed. I was born”.
Wye is a precocious, lonely 15-year-old who is trying to get by in class and cope with the challenges and vicissitudes of adolescence. However, her life changes forever when she becomes involved in an affair with Strane. My Dark Vanessa is the story of a victim so psychologically shaped by her abuser that she is unable to recognize her own reality.
Jacob Strane is an eloquent, manipulative, and revered man in the academic community. With the aura of a literary transgressor, he knows what to say and when to say it. Vanessa, like most high schoolers, views her teachers with respect and admiration. Strane in turn takes advantage of that trust and, like a cunning predator, begins to mold Vanessa’s perception of herself, of human relationships, and even of her dreams and ambitions. The professor takes his time and makes the young woman believe that they share a genuine bond, a real love.
Strane courts Vanessa with a meticulous and vicious narrative. He compliments her hair, praises her manner, exalts her talent for writing, and gives her books of poetry. Through works by Poe, Plath, Frost, and Nabokov, the professor prepares the young woman with insinuations. It is noteworthy that the title of this book is derived from Nabokov’s Pale Fire. In fact, Strane shares lines from this literary work with Vanessa: “Come and be worshiped, come and be caressed, my dark Vanessa”.
As expected, the professor manages to spin a web of deceit and manipulation, “You’re in charge here, Vanessa. You decide what we do”, Strane skillfully lies. At all times, he comes across as a hapless man, doomed for having found love in a tender young girl. Soon, Vanessa Wye feels treasured and powerful and falls into an imbalanced relationship that will upend her existence.
My Dark Vanessa is written in the first person, from the point of view of the protagonist. The novel is told through two timelines. On the one hand, Vanessa’s teenage years, during which the adventure at the boarding school took place. On the other hand, Vanessa’s present is set in the year 2017, when Vanessa has reached her thirties and leads a rather dysfunctional adult life.
In the present time, Wye is a broken, promiscuous adult woman who works as a hotel receptionist. At first glance, it is apparent that Vanessa has developed emotional, social, and behavioral problems. The former schoolgirl has become self-destructive. She has significant difficulty initiating and developing interpersonal relationships, as well as enormous difficulty trusting people.
Despite the passage of time, Vanessa remains in contact with her abuser, still convinced that the relationship she had with her teacher was honest, authentic, and above all, consensual. Occasionally they meet, and on other occasions they have phone sex. It is noteworthy that Vanessa does not identify herself as a victim of sexual abuse. On the contrary, she claims responsibility for what happened, considers herself an accomplice, and even the initiator of the affair.
“I really need it to be a love story,” Vanessa says, “because if it isn’t a love story, then what is it?”
Wye is devoted to Strane, is on his side, and defends him fiercely, “He was careful with me. He tried so hard to be good”. She always insists on seeing herself as the protagonist in a romance. However, Vanessa Wye’s life takes an unexpected turn when a student from her former boarding school, Browick, makes an accusation against Jacob Strane, alleging that the teacher abused her.
As a result, Vanessa is faced with a delicate truth: Jacob Strane, her first “love”, may have molested her and other girls. In the wake of the scandal, Vanessa is forced to revisit her past, reevaluate her beliefs, and confront the true nature of their relationship. Slowly, Wye must look back and begin to readjust her perception of love, sexuality, abuse, and pedophilia.
“I really need it to be a love story”
Although the book does not reveal a happy ending, the author lets it be seen that Vanessa eventually seeks psychological help to heal her trauma and reconfigure her identity. After a long ordeal, the closing leaves some hope for the victim’s future. Perhaps Vanessa can overcome her pain, perhaps Vanessa will one day be able to attribute the blame for what happened to her abuser. One thing is clear: facing reality when there is prolonged trauma is damned hard.
Kate Elizabeth Russell has decided to tell the carnal relationship between teacher and student without euphemisms, and without sparing any details. Signs of predatory behavior simmer and the abuse Jacob Strane inflicts on the schoolgirl is shown viscerally. The author lays bare the crucial moments and thereby tears the reader to shreds. Some chapters evoke such outrageous, unpleasant and irritating situations that it is difficult to continue reading the text. And the fact is that witnessing how a sexual aggressor gets away with it over and over again is disheartening. It is impossible not to feel a terrible helplessness.
My Dark Vanessa deals with complex issues narrated in a raw, acid, and lucid way. The novel delves into the stage of adolescence, the abuse of power, and the irreparable damage that can cause some decisions made through inexperience and precocity.
It is noteworthy that, at some point in the novel, we inevitably judge Vanessa Wye’s attitude and behavior. However, who can deny that human beings will do almost anything to protect themselves from pain? The truth is that we all put up walls to cope with the emotional burdens we don’t know how to handle.
Kate Elizabeth Russell urges readers to gain awareness of the gray areas of consent as she unravels the complex situation of victim self-incrimination. Stephen King called this book a “package of dynamite”, and it truly is.
Image: Sydney Sims