Sharon Sheppard answers “Do you recommend this book for a 16 yr old...”

A Goodreads user asked this question about My Dark Vanessa:

Do you recommend this book for a 16 yr old girl? The girl read Room a few years ago and wasn't upset about the upsetting stuff and actually loved the book.

Sharon Sheppard Ugh. 16 yr old's will read want they want whether they understand or 'get' what's going on or not.

This book should be used in some sort of course on …moreUgh. 16 yr old's will read want they want whether they understand or 'get' what's going on or not.

This book should be used in some sort of course on how to identify approaches by pedophiles. Funny how we hand out rape whistles to teenagers and say you're on your own, but young people are never given clear, practical information about stuff like id'ing the particular behaviors of sexual predators. It would actually be handy for young people to know given we live in a society where you can buy child pornography on the internet with a visa card. There are, unfortunately, way too many guys like Stane out there.

I would tell the 16 y.o. it's about a 15 y.o. who was psychologically groomed and manipulated to prime them for exploitation by a pedophile and how the experience altered the kid's and later adult's sense of self.

It totally illustrates how pedophiles appear average and normal and 'fit in' in all sorts of conventional settings like prep schools, universities, etc. and operate by trying to make their marks feel special and unique and draw them into secretive behavior etc.(less)

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