I appreciate the ability to send a rating and review for this title. I was drawn originally to the unique and mysterious premise of Consent by Vanessa Springora.

I read this in November, 2020, but discovered I never added it to my Monthly Reads. I remember it being intriguing and sometimes shocking regarding the mother's actions. Everyone around her let her down. They actually fed her to the wolf, instead of keeping her safe.

Its a difficult read which is a must have in everyone's library. It is an unputdownable book with beautiful writing, our relevant to our times. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

A whipsmart, timely, and difficult read. Springora's writing style is sparse and jarring in the most profound way. I devoured CONSENT in a single sitting. A book I'll be thinking about for quite a while.

Two things…one, I love every book HarperVia publishes. Such amazing and interesting stories. Two, I love translated books. Vanessa Springora’s memoir Consent is shocking and disturbing. Although it is a difficult and painful read, it’s an important story that must be told. I wish I knew enough French to read it in its native language. Vanessa is a courageous woman and bravo to her for writing this memoir. Thank you so much to HarperVia and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I highly recommend this book. Different than what I normally read and completely unputdownable.
Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me the thrill of reading early.

Before I start writing my review, I just want to say this review is more about the translation, the writing part, and not about the story, I personally believe a personal story should never be rated because it is the real story of a person and we can't rate the life of anyone, especially stories like Vanessa Springora.

Consent, I went completely blind. I did read the blurb but I wasn't aware of the story and I really didn't know anything about Vanessa Springora or G. so many things that were happening in this book, It was a shock but it was more of a shock to read how many people knew and saw this as a very natural thing or something that wasn't wrong at all. even Vanessa Springora's own mother was completely blind by the terrible mistakes and misconceptions her own mind was translating to her.

Consent is the real story of Vanessa Springora, since she was a child her mother and father never had any closeness with her, they were always so occupied with their own lives, not caring about her at all, she was constantly looking for guidance and love but this was not the case. I felt terribly sad to read how she only wanted to have normal parents but this was never the case, her parents had their own world to care about and it always seems like V wasn't in that world.

V got caught in the eyes of a predator that knew exactly what to say and how to act to conquer her heart and mind.. and this is exactly what happened, a vulnerable girl with no family system that could support her was immediately stolen of her soul. another thing that really made me sad was to read how people besides helping her or give her some advice they will criticize her and point fingers at her. my question is how can you criticize a 14-year-old girl who is just starting her life? how can you as an adult don't see that a normal child would not behave like that and yet all the adults around her catcall her names? this is exactly what society do they like to talk and talk but never act and help.

I'm sure the original language version of Consent was amazing, but I somehow felt at lost many times with the translation version, the translator made me feel like the book was written very fast passed and at one point I felt like it was skipping days or situations, I know this was not the case, the way she translated the book somehow felt that way. like she was writing pieces of Vanessa Springora's memory but didn't felt like the pages or chapters connected with each other is like there wasn't a continuation of her story this was the only thing that I didn't like and that I felt with the way the translations was done.

Overall it was a good book, it was a very sad story to read, especially to see how lonely Vanessa was and no one really was there to guide her or even support her while everything was happening, all the lies she constantly heard so she would think everything was normal. I'm glad she wrote her story, she deserves this and more.

Tres Inquiétant
The memoir of her abuse by a famous French writer when she was 14 and he in his fifties, Consent by French author Vanessa Springora, is harder to swallow than I somehow stupidly thought. I don't know why I thought it might not be all that disturbing--that I might somehow feel removed from the freaking pedophilia of the story but damn, it's rough and the eloquence of the author, the Frenchness of it all, the 50 years ago of it doesn't make it easier to get down. But it is brave and lyrical and translated from the French.

Wendy Ward
http://wendyrward.tumblr.com

This a probably the best book I’ve read of Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The author, Vanessa Springora is looking back at an abusive relationship between Gabriel Matzneff. He was 50 and she was 12 when it started. She was the love of his life, met her after Jr. High School daily. Thought he was teaching her about sexuality. She adores books and he is a renowned writer. So, yes of course can understand a child worshiping such a man. He thinks his actions are fine. To seem non-repressive many writers sign on about the need to end consent, including Simone de Beauvoir, Satre, and Louis Aragon. Most in the literary circle b/c otherwise they were so afaid to let repression rule the day.

So, it’s a really great book b/c the author is writing in her 40’s, not as some young teen. G thinks his actions are fine. What is pathetic is all that went along with him; either to seem cool for the time or to advance their careers. The author is pretty smart as she has this relationship notices he has many other perfect loves. She finally ends it, but certain it effected her career, life, and mental state. These men are not wonders to be worshipped, they are pedophiles who love the young b/c there is no possible way to have an honest relationship. They love this, always in charge. They are the ones acting as children.

Excellent, Vanessa for standing up and speaking up. Girls to not thrive with this abuse. They fall apart. I am happy the author does well and understands this so many years later. Shame on the rest saying it was fine.

I found this book incredibly difficult to read. At age 13, Springora was preyed upon by an influential writer in his 50's, yet much of the book doesn't condemn it. She recounts the events but doesn't explain how she felt or really reflect on them. As a survivor myself, I was let down by this memoir.

“Consent” is the real-life story of Vanessa Springora who, at the young age of 13, was swept up in a whirlwind “romance” by a famous French writer called “G.”

It’s also the perfect depiction of Stockholm Syndrome when a sexual abuse victim bonds with her abuser.

According to V.: “Our affair was a dream so powerful that nothing, not a single one of the few warnings I received from those around me, was enough to wake me. It was the most perverse nightmare. A violence that had no name.”

Because V. was by left by her father—and also emotionally abandoned by her mother—she had “an unfathomable void in her life.” She felt “an enormous need to be seen” and that’s how G. could swoop in and befriend her. “No many had ever looked at me like that before.” He then proceeds to charm, mesmerize, seduce and manipulate.

This memoir is so riveting! It’s a quite short book, so it can (and should) be read in one day so you can experience it, and then safety tuck it away. Like a terrible secret. It’s so hard to read and yet it’s so compelling and understandable and shocking. One of the craziest parts is that V’s mother consents to this relationship involving her 14-year-old daughter and G. who’s 50! “This kind of scandalous situation was not entirely displeasing to her.” What the actual EF?

The writing by Springora is impeccable (as is the French to English translation by Natasha Lehrer). That said, I’m 1000% positive that the content will trigger anyone who’s faced this type of manipulation and abuse of power.

Many thanks to HarperVia for an advanced reader copy of the book, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.

Vanessa Springora delivers a heartbreaking, startling account of her relationship with one of France's former literary stars. What stands out in this memoir is the complicity of adults in Gabriel Matzneff's crimes. Springora's mother, famous philosophers, renowned television personalities, and many in the literary establishment were not only aware that Matzneff was grooming young adolescent girls and boys; these powerful and respected people praised the novels and diaries in which Matzneff chronicled his abuse in obsessive, garish, exploitative detail..

After decades of torment and stalking by a known pedophile, seeing her name and likeness used in book after book to enhance her abuser's literary reputation and fame, Springora finds the strength to tell her own story and take hold of the narrative. A clear picture of the toll sexual abuse takes on survivors, and a stark rebuke of the ingrained culture in France that condoned and celebrated the abuse.

Where do I start with a memoir like this one? Vanessa Springpora navigates the story of her childhood and teenage years, where she is groomed and seduced by a man nearly 40 years her senior. What ensues is a mind-boggling relationship between a 14-year-old and a grown man, disguised as true love. What do you *really* know about love and sex as an early teen?

I’ll be honest, this book is hard to read. The lengths to which this pedophile (G.) went to enamor the author as a young girl — and destroy her adult life — is frightening. The most disheartening part of this is how easily everyone around V. signed off on this “relationship,” and how much it truly seemed like a love story at first. Only until V. learns the truth about who G. really is do the house of cards come crashing down.

The main topic aside, the author writes with such honesty and rawness that you cannot put it down. (I think I read this in 5 hours!) I do wish that V. could have revealed the man’s name. G. was clearly a predator of the worst kind, and as a well-known author who wrote about his adolescent conquests, deserves to have the truth told to the world.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Oh, my heart... I'm sure that the author doesn't want or need the reader's sympathy, but she sure generates it as the pages are turned. Needless to say, there is no consent requested or given within this book, and the punches just keep coming. It is compelling, yet heart-rending and very well written.

I found this memoir of sexual child abuse very disturbing. A famous French author was known as a child predator but society allowed his continued sexual perversion because of his so-called talent. This was written by his victim, V, who was molested when she was 14, with the knowledge of her own mother. Like many sexual victims, she was basically fatherless and initially flattered at being the muse of a great man.


Thank you Netgalley for this ARC, but it is not a book I can recommend, too disturbing.

Shocking. Repulsive. Sickening. Consent Is,the author’s story of her affair at 13 with a man almost three times her age. He caught her, used her, manipulated her, and capitalized on their relationship. Very few things in this world shock me, but this book and what It revealed was very disturbing. Disturbing that adults knew about the affair and condoned it, even validated it, including the author’s mother. Disturbing that the older man was a complete pervert, pedophile and not only won awards for his depraved stories but continued to harass the author three decades afterward. I looked him up and the fact that he hasn’t been held accountable for any of his decades of repulsive, sick, and sordid behavior is truly appalling. The author suffered extensive ramifications for years after, but seems to have found happiness.

This memoir concerning 13 year old Vanessa Springora (V) and Gabriel Manzdeff (G. M.) a famous celebrated writer 35 years her senior. G.M. Seduces V by manipulation, flattery and stealth. Her mother woo’ed by GM’s charisma feels that Vanessa is old enough to make her own decisions , her absent father doesn’t want to be involved and her teachers excuse her absences . When she goes in desperation to another author he says GM is a free-spirited artiste and she should just submit to him. When the affair starts to sour on her end she finally decides to end it but he pursues her and writes a novel about their love affair. She finds it impossible to be just a teenager. Years of therapy doesn’t seem to work for her. When she finally finds a husband who accepts her damaged soul she is able to move on and gets the courage to write her memoir. GM is still celebrated in France while in other places he would be considered a pedophile. This is a story of the Stockhold Syndrome, manipulation, powerlessness, shame, despairs and grief. It is a powerful memoir and fits right in to the Me Too movement.

A deep delve into an illicit affair between a teenager and a prominent literary figure outlining the grooming and the care given to keep the relationship ongoing and out of the public eye. The aftermath of the abuse is also discussed.

Book Review for Consent by Vanessa Springora
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

A dark, haunting, and compelling tale. Heartbreaking in its starkness, V.’s story unfolds. A young girl from a broken family captures the interest of an older family friend. A winter and collector of young nubile lovers. A must read for fans of My Dark Vanessa, by Kate Elizabeth Russell. An uncomfortable read, yet important story. A victim reclaims her self.