These Violent Delights: A Novel

This book provides a look inside the world of pricey prep schools, Windemere School for Girls in this story. Not surprisingly, there is a professor who likes the girls a little too much. He continues his dalliances under the radar as the rest of the staff ignores the warning signs. It’s not until a former student comes forward with the truth, that Gregory Copeland comes under the microscope. When two other former students step forward, the women. they along with the first student and a journalist take aim at Copeland and Windemere, exposing all of their dark and dirty secrets. This story is all to familiar, as it plays out in real life across the United States everyday. This was not an easy read, because of the subject matter, but Namkung handled it adeptly and with great sympathy for the story’s victims

A pretty powerful book on a subject every parent needs to be aware of. Super interesting.

"Don't you find it interesting that these types of crimes against women- whether it's violence, sexual assault, rape- are the only kinds we force the victim to make a case about their own innocence before even investigating?"

This short book packs a powerful punch. These Violent Delights focuses on three girls (Caryn, Eva, Sasha) who come forward years later about the inappropriate relationship they had with their English teacher in high school, all in different years. Jane, a reporter who Caryn interns for, champions their case, writing investigative pieces and being their for these women.

All three women came from such different backgrounds and yet their tragic events bonded them. I like that Namkung showed that sexual assault crimes don't only happen to the poor and destitute or those without support; it could happen to anyone you know and by anyone you know.

Copeland, their English teacher, is much beloved by parents, students, and the community. Windemere is an elite private school for girls who seems at times to care more about their image than their girls. When news breaks of these allegations and the evidence supporting them, many are shocked, some unbelieving.

"They want a perfect victim and a perfect perpetrator. Someone who jumps out of the bushes in a park in the middle of the night and drags you to the ground by your hair. They want witnesses and screams and blood. Anything short of that is considered murky or he-said, she-said, even when there's proof."

These Violent Delights takes a hard look at sexual assault culture and victim blaming and there were many times I was infuriating by how these women were being treated and talked about by people they didn't even know.

"These men don't know the first thing about the violent truths of being born female."

I will add a side-note here that this is not a "men are evil" book. On the contrary there are some amazing male side character in this book that show men can be compassionate, understanding, and respectful.

I'll end with a quote from the author's statement which I found apropos: "Abuse is rarely committed in a dark alley by a stranger, and to perpetuate that myth is irresponsible."

I can't really give "These Violent Delights" anything less than 5* because it was a compassionate and insightful look at a very real problem that does get swept under random carpets again and again.

Using journalism and reality as a basis the novel explores what can happen when women come forward with tales of abuse from their formative years. In this we have a well known, well loved private school professor who is also a predator - involving many of his teenage pupils in sexual acts, preying on their emotions and then discarding them for the next. When a former student writes an essay at the paper she is interning for, it opens the floodgates. The novel follows the investigation, the profound effect this time in their lives has had on these women and explores the possible outcomes.

It was absolutely compelling. The different levels and layers of how victims can react is cleverly intertwined into their stories. The attempts to lessen the impact on the establishment, the way the system works, it is all in here, feeling very realistic and inducing an emotional reaction. The author writes in a beautifully impacting style with multiple viewpoints and reactions that builds to an incredibly tear inducing finale.

Overall this was an excellent read, one that will hopefully help continue the conversation that started way too late in our society - thought provoking and really brilliantly done.

Highly Recommended.

I devoured this compelling novel thanks to brilliant writing from Victoria Namkung, through the voices of each of her well developed characters, as she chronicles the aftermath of trauma!

I literally read this book in one sitting, I could not put it down! This is a great book! It is a heartbreaking story of young women introduced much too early to real life and how that introduction has shaped them.

Sharing a similar encounter three women from very differeant walks of life are brought together to take down a shared demon, with the help of a strong journalist who wants to see said demon brought to justice. This story hits so close to home for me, personally, and for many of my friends. In some ways it hits quite close to home for all women.

Such a good story and a must read, especially for men and women who find themselves judging the victim.

Wow! What a book! These Violent Delights is intense. It focuses on subjects that most people would shy away from. The author didn't shy away from anything. Instead, she paraded it around in from of the readers.

This book felt as though it was taken directly from the headlines. What does a school do when one of their own turns out to be a predator? Do they remove the monster or do they sweep the issue under the rug and pretend it never happened? How are the victims treated? What happens when the school in question is full of the children of the rich and powerful? All these were addressed in this book.

Thank you Netgalley and Griffith Moon Publishing for giving me a ecopy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was very well written and maintained a decent speed. The characters developed nicely. It was a beautiful piece of work and I would love to read more by the author. I am giving this book Four Stars because it was very well done but I had to stop and set it aside at times because of the subject matter.

InkedBookDragon

Very well-written timely novel about predatory relationships. I enjoyed the story line and feel that the book's message will resonate with many women who have been groomed by con artists into unhealthy relationships.