I picked this book up because I liked the title, and I started reading it not knowing what it was going to be about. Very shortly in, I was completely engaged and I found myself staying up past my bedtime for several nights as I tried to consume more and more pages. This first person narrative of a young girl who is preyed upon by her boarding school teacher comes out during a time of relevance, but it is a tale that I think people will come back to once they experience not only how well it is written but how gratifying it is to read.
It feels a bit odd to describe a story like this as gratifying when you consider the subject matter, but it is. I loved how authentic the story felt. Even though it is a work of fiction, you feel as though you are reading about the life events of an actual person. The story is believable because it doesn’t go too far, the author goes into just enough detail with the sexual encounters without it being overly vulgar. She simultaneously makes you feel sadness at the destruction of what could have been a normal, even slightly privileged, life for young Vanessa, while also making you frustrated that the woman she becomes continues to let herself be abused not only by her pedophilic lover, but by other men she involves herself with. The denial is what ends up frustrating me the most. The conversations between Vanessa and Mr. Strane lays out the subtle mental manipulation of the abuser towards the victim in a manner which makes it clear to the reader what he is doing, even though Vanessa seems ignorant to what is happening.
The tale is disturbing, it may not be for everyone, I would not suggest it for anyone who has been a victim of sexual abuse. But I believe it is the type of book you want to make sure people know about, as it could be a helpful way of reaching out to anyone who may have had a similar experience, and hopefully give them a push towards getting any aid they may need. I am looking forward to seeing what else this first time author comes up with.
Nonfiction and Nonsense 