Status Updates From Excavation

This story is uncomfortable because she is so honest about all of the ways she wasn’t a “perfect victim”. The way she tells the story makes you shift inside because it’s so inappropriate but from her past POV it wasn’t. It’s uncomfortable reading the details about her relationship with Jeff from her adolescent POV because she was somewhat convinced it was love. It’s an honestly that other victims get.

I can definitely see the resemblance to my dark Vanessa and I can see why Wendy Ortiz felt ripped off. I can also see why her book was rejected. It’s very raw and unpolished around the edges and it was way ahead of its time.

As a memoir on this subject I think at this point it’s brilliant. The best memoirs are raw and rough around the edges written by real and flawed humans who have a story to tell.

OK, I see similarities to my Dark Vanessa. Wendy said she didn’t read it, but she might feel more strongly if she did. I don’t think Russell plagiarized; I believe such cases happen too often, and both novels explore the emotions and PTSD from them, which are similar. I understand Wendy’s perspective, but I wish these women could see their shared experiences and find camaraderie in how predators were alike.