My Dark Vanessa

Beautifully written, unflinchingly told story of a talented high school girl's rape by her English teacher and the repercussions it has for her adult life. The story is told from the perspective of Vanessa, the young girl in question. For most of the novel, she sees her relationship with Jacob Strane as a love story, so it's difficult reading. The last part of the book brings some tentative relief, though.

I appreciated the discussion of Vladimir Nabokov's book Lolita which is embedded in the novel. Strane has Vanessa read the book as part of her grooming, and it remains a touchstone for her through college. Because the book is so significant for her, she brings it up in conversation, so other English teachers in her life have the opportunity to comment on Lolita and how to read it at different points in the story. It amounts to a mini-conversation about Nabokov's novel and how it is interpreted or misinterpreted/misused by its readers.

Overall, it's painful but well worth reading.