What to Read ; My Dark Vanessa

"Because if it isn't love story, then what is it?"

A couple months ago I finished reading My Dark Vanessa by Kate Katherine Russell,  thought that would be another dark theme books, nothing special. But I was humbled so quickly, it’s a good one by the way. During the reading I was so disturbed, I cannot be more surprised how human –grown ass adult- can be so manipulative towards the other human being, I’m talking about a minor. So this book is basically telling a story about the love affair between a teacher and his student, it can’t be far from realities in our beloved country Indonesia, we’ve heard that kind of story all the time, but it’s kinda fishy tho, when we finally introduced to the term “grooming”.

Dante and Beatrice by Salvatore Postiglione (1861-1906)

Back to the story, in this book the 15 years old mc (main character) named Vanessa just living like the other student, except she’s a new comer and has not gained lot of friends yet, so she’s kinda quiet. She’s join a ‘Creative Writing Club’ which a school students club mentored by Mr. Strane. Its seemed normal at first, she’s just write and he’s there, he thought she’s a good writer and started to gave her a compliment here and there and it’s gotten more personally like who tf complimenting their teenage student “your hair like the colour of a mapple leaf”? we adults woud think that this is inappropriate, it’s giving creepy behavior, but as a teenager we might be flattered. It’s getting weird when he gave her a book “Lolita” as a recommendation for her to read, for you who don’t know what’s that book is about a grown ass man who kidnapped and repeteadly rapes a 12 y.o kid-and they were in love in the end….whatever it is-t’s a total crime basically.

"What conclusion is there to draw beside the obvious? He is Humbert, and I am Dolores"

I do understand that we may find some books are written so good, inspiring even as a literature itself, even though the we don’t find enjoyment for wahatever happened to the characters in it. It’s totally fine when a mentor-a teacher suggest their inspirational books to be read by their students to inspired their students and see what their opinions about it. However, make a step and trying to manipulate a girl into liking it and see the resemblance between the character and herself, fed her with concerning delulu how beautiful it'd be to risked it all for....love, is deserves a jail, especially when the storyline is about some dark-romantic-sexual abused. Look! A teenage girl is so fragile, their mind is so fragile, their definitions of love is so blurred by imaginations and positivity. So when someone shows something that seemed like a a love to them, and they found it fit with the imagination (wether it is created by themselves or injected by adults) they’d be believe that it is a true love. I see why that’s  age gap is a big deal in our society.

However, I enjoy reading this book, and yup! Totally worth the hype.