4.25 🌟

***This entire novel is about a rape - the before, the during, and the aftermath. It is not explicitly named as a sexual assault in the book blurb, which seems unfair to some readers.

I barely know how to rate this. The fact that this is based on the author's lived experience makes the novel all the more heartbreaking.

Honestly? I nearly gave up on this one at the beginning. It's split into two POVs - Vivian and Johnny. Johnny is part of the Irish Traveller culture (something I was previously unaware of), and frankly, his poor grammar and frequent use of unfamiliar slang were quite off-putting. Additionally, I'm unsure if it's because I read the ARC version (although this was initially published in 2017, so it's unlikely), but the way Vivian and Johnny's POVs flowed into one another without clear breaks was somewhat confusing.

I'm glad I kept reading, though. The author/Vivian's story is a difficult but important one to tell. Unfortunately, I was able to relate to quite a bit of it, as are too many other people I know. I admired Vivian's strength and courage, even though she didn't feel that way about herself. It's hard to delve too deeply into specifics without spoiling anything. So, if this resonates with you at all, please read it.

Recommended for everyone, as people should be more aware of the truth of what happens/can happen. But if any of this is a trigger for you, I suggest skipping it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Datura Books for the ARC.

Content note: This novel contains depictions of violence and trauma related to sexual assault. Readers should approach with care.

I read Dark Chapter in one sitting. It’s not an easy book, but it’s a necessary one.

Told from the perspectives of both the survivor and the perpetrator, the novel tracks not just the event at its center, but everything that leads up to it and everything that comes after. Vivian’s chapters are written with emotional precision. Her fear, grief, and disorientation feel honest, never sensationalized. We follow her through medical procedures, police interviews, legal processes, and the quiet alienation that follows.
The structure worked well for me. The pacing was tight, and the alternating voices gave a full picture of how these acts are shaped by both individual choices and social conditions. Johnny’s perspective is disturbing, but intentionally so. The author makes it clear that the systems surrounding him including family, education, media, masculinity and how they all contribute to how he understands control and power.

One of the most powerful aspects of the book is how it reminds us that this kind of violence isn’t rare. It’s part of the lives of more women than we realize. And the damage doesn’t end with the act itself — it continues in how people respond, how institutions fail, and how survivors are often left to carry the weight alone.

This was a difficult read. But it was also deeply truthful and well-crafted. I appreciate the author’s clarity, care, and refusal to look away.

Thank you to Datura Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This is probably one of the most challenging books I've ever read. Drawing from her own personal history for this work of fiction, the author has portrayed an honest, raw and emotional account of an extreme act of violence.
The juxtaposition of the two narratives was jarring in a way that made it hard to put the book down.
Truly, while I definitely cannot say I enjoyed reading this book, what I will say is that it was incredibly well written and a definite 5 star read.