Kate Elizabeth Russell is originally from eastern Maine. She holds a PhD in creative writing from the University of Kansas and an MFA from Indiana University. My Dark Vanessa is her first novel.
"My Dark Vanessa is a harrowing triumph. Complex, smart, and
utterly riveting from start to finish, Kate Elizabeth Russell's
debut novel cracks open assumptions and clichés, and delivers a
layered, nuanced narrative that is vital for a more thorough
understanding of the extent and longevity of the damage wrought by
sexual abuse. Be prepared for a pit in your stomach, a lump in your
throat, and reading late into the night."--Lily King, bestselling
author of Euphoria
"My Dark Vanessa is a total masterpiece of tone and point of view,
even more impressive for how uninvested it seems in impressing us.
It's fascinating and devastating and brilliant. I loved
it."--Kristen Roupenian, bestselling author of You Know You Want
This: "Cat Person" and Other Stories
"A brilliant and stunning debut, My Dark Vanessa is utterly
truth-rattling, humane in its clarity and chilling in its
resonance. An absolute must read."--Gillian Flynn, #1 New York
Times bestselling author of Gone Girl
"Explosive . . . a significant addition to the necessary
reassessments and conversations sparked by the #MeToo
movement."--NPR
"Exquisite . . . My Dark Vanessa stands on its own as
simultaneously specific and universal--about a young woman who
believes she's in a love story when she's actually in a
psychological horror film."--Los Angeles Times
"Gripping and unsettling . . . a bracingly uncompromising book. It
will doubtless be devoured with an ache of recognition by large
numbers of women. But it really ought to be read by men." --The
Economist
"My Dark Vanessa is a singular achievement--a masterpiece of
tension and tone that will simultaneously grip you, horrify you,
and move you. . . . With utmost sensitivity and vivid, gut-churning
detail, Russell illuminates Vanessa's struggle to see the story of
her life for the tragedy it truly is. Before you start My Dark
Vanessa, clear your schedule for the next few days--this . . . will
utterly consume you."--Esquire, The Best Books Coming Out This
Winter
"My Dark Vanessa destroyed me. This moving, ferocious story of an
all-consuming relationship between a teenager and her teacher
traces not just a stolen girlhood, but the aftershocks that haunt
trauma survivors years into the future. Gripping, stunningly
written, and important . . . I've been waiting for this
book."--Julie Buntin, author of Marlena
"As powerful as it is painful, and deserves its reputation as one
of the defining books of the #MeToo era."--Vogue
"This timely, riveting debut illuminates the interplay between a
child's heartbreaking confusion and the deepest perversions of
power."--People, Book of the Week
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