This novel – published in March 2020 – is one that I’ve seen a lot of discussion about on book Twitter. With that in mind, I thought I’d revisit my review which was written pre-blog.
Vanessa Wye is 32 years old and working in an upmarket hotel when we first meet her. Gradually, the story of what has brought her to this point in her life is revealed and it’s a shocking and sad story.
As a 15 year old, she became involved with her boarding school teacher, a 45 year old man called Jacob Strane. His relationships with underage girls are being investigated by the school and media and Vanessa is asked for her experiences.
What makes this a very uncomfortable read is that it is narrated in the first person by Vanessa. The grooming and abuse is revealed in graphic detail, but the most shocking element is that Vanessa feels that she is the exception to Strane’s victims, the one he truly loved.
The reader is put in the difficult position of seeing Vanessa and Jacob’s relationship for what it truly is – a predatory older man abusing a schoolgirl – while Vanessa cannot. She defends him while the reader can see that he is an inadequate, manipulative and repulsive man who takes advantage of a vulnerable child.
I cannot say that I enjoyed this (as it is an uncomfortable read), but it was certainly an eye-opener. It made me realise why some victims do not speak out and why some might actually defend their abusers.
Vanessa is a highly believable character and the story follows her thought processes in a way that the reader can understand even as they see how she is being manipulated. The impact of the abuse on Vanessa’s life is evident: at 32, she struggles to maintain relationships and is a drink and drug user.
Although the book isn’t enjoyable in a conventional sense, I am so glad that this story has been told. Too often, abuse victims are portrayed as flirtatious, knowing young women whereas here is a girl whose innocence is destroyed by a person in a position of trust – although she feels responsible for the events, the reader is in no doubt that the blame lies entirely with the adult.
An important, well-written but ultimately uncomfortable read.
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Header photo with thanks to Element5 Digital for sharing their work on Unsplash.
