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My Dark Vanessa,
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Kathryn
No, I don't think he ever really loved her, certain!y not in a healthy adult way. He was simply a pedophile with a fetish for newly hatched teenage girls just coming into adolescense. Remember, Taylor was 14 and still had braces. When Vanessa turned 16, Strane was much less interested in her sexually, but he was consumed with what she could expose about him. Vanessa still loved him, far longer than she should have, and she assumed he continued to love her, but it was all part of his scheme to keep her quiet.
Kaitlin
No. He was sexually fixated on her because he's a pedophile. This becomes obvious through his loss of interest in Vanessa as she reaches adulthood as well as through his ever-changing fixation on various students who seem interchangeable as long as they are young enough. His claiming to love Vanessa is both a way to manipulate her and also a way to delude himself into thinking he's not such a terrible human being.
Lia
I asked the same thing. I’m a bit confused why he said I love you before he committed suicide? Also he kept all of her essays and poems. I’m assuming he did care for her slightly.
Beth
What is love if you repeatedly abuse that person physically and emotionally? His comments to her were part of the manipulation. Answer: No.
Britton
I just finished this book today. My kneejerk reaction? No, not in a healthy way for that matter. I doubt that one would put someone they say to love into the emotional turmoil she goes through without remorse. But at the same time, I wonder why he kept crawling back to her. Surely it couldn't have been all a manipulation? Though I won't deny that much of it was.
I respect that Russell decided to trust the audience's intelligence on this issue and let us come to our own conclusions about the matter. I understand that it's clear that this 'relationship' is predatory and abusive by any stretch, but Russell doesn't stoop to make Strane this complete monster. I think it would have been trivial and insulting to the readers.
Fantastic, harrowing book.
I respect that Russell decided to trust the audience's intelligence on this issue and let us come to our own conclusions about the matter. I understand that it's clear that this 'relationship' is predatory and abusive by any stretch, but Russell doesn't stoop to make Strane this complete monster. I think it would have been trivial and insulting to the readers.
Fantastic, harrowing book.
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