My Dark Vanessa

As the title promises, this story is a dark one. It is a modern-day Lolita, in which 32-year-old Vanessa is still reckoning with the affair she had at the brave and vulnerable age of 15 with her 42-year-old English teacher. As an adult, Vanessa is adamant that she was not abused, that she is unlike the other girls now coming forward with allegations against Mr. Strane. She argues that she was a willing participant and does her best to convince herself (and us) that her and Strane’s relationship was a love story—“Because if it isn’t a love story, then what is it?” My Dark Vanessa is full of empathy and nuance as Russell grapples with the issue of agency in victimization, explores the long-term effects of trauma, and reveals the grittier side of the #MeToo movement. It is one hell of a debut.