I didn't finish this. The characters seemed too stereotypical to hold my attention.

I gave this book five stars, but I would give it way more if I could.

These Violent Delights: A Novel adresses a topic of such importance I feel like everyone should read this book.

As the blurb indicates, the plot is rather serious. Four women team up to get justice - for themselves, for other women with the same history and for the girls who might be suffering from the abuse of the very same teacher now just like they did some years before. The novel addresses all the parts relevant to such an undertaking: The publishing of the first voice, the public outcry, the hate comments and threats, the aftermath. What I personally appreciated the most was that the novel does not (how I initially expected to be quite honest) end with the trial; it does not give the impression that everything is going to be alright afterwards.

The writing style is impressing and every woman is given her own, individual voice. I found it remarkable how it is achieved that I pictured every single character in my mind and deeply felt with her even though this novel is comparably short.

The only negative thing I could possibly say about this novel is that the beginning felt a bit abrupt to me at the time, but considering what follows I really didn't mind that at all in the end.

I could say so, so much more - how this novel made me angry, had me giggling, broke my heart and finally reminded me of the importance of my role as a teacher - but I would like to simply leave this here and urge everyone to read this book themselves. I found it terribly sad, empowering and highly important.

From the get-go, I was not a fan of this book's writing style. It immediately came across as too preachy for my tastes--in the very first chapter the journalist, Jane, is defending her intern who has written an expose on her private school teacher. The only two men in the room have doubts about her story, which causes Jane to go into a tirade about how sexual assault is the only crime where we doubt the victim. While this is true, it comes across as very soapbox-y, especially since we have only had a few pages with these characters.

The rest of the book goes on in a similar manner, and the writing seems amateurish to me. No one is given a distinctive voice even though the chapters switch to different first person POVs, which makes it hard to connect with anyone.

Overall this is a good idea for a book, but I don't think the writing style was worthy of the plot.

This book could not be more topical. Namkung deals with the issue of sexual abuse in the elite private schools in a stunning way. The book is a wonderful read, moving swiftly between the characters who co-narrate the story.

It fictionalizes everything we have seen in the news during the past months as so many scandals have been brought to light. I happened to have read the book during the days of the Harvey Weinstein sex abuse scandal.

The writing is so clear, concise and fascinating that it almost reads as non-fiction written by an ace investigative journalist. It is certainly the first cousin to the true life SPOTLIGHT. The catalyst of the story is Caryn who is an intern at an LA newspaper. Caryn writes an essay about her seduction by a very popular teacher, Gregory Copland. Of course, other victims come forward, as do his supporters who blame the vulnerable victims for the crime.

Namkung manages to infuse a lovely note with the touching relationship between Caryn's mentor, Jane, and a fellow journalist. The conclusion is satisfying since we do understand that victimization of the young leaves lasting scars that cannot be erased even when the criminal is punished.

I work with future teachers and a charter school network, so this book is a must read for every teacher, administrator and parent. I consider reading this book both an awakening and a privilege.

This is undoubtedly an important book dealing as it does with sexual grooming and abuse in an exclusive girls school. Namkung has lots of strong things to say about cultural pressures on girls, sexualisation, power politics, cover-ups and so on - but for all the good stuff, she's not a natural novelist and this frequently felt clumsily put together. A powerful, necessary story wrapped up in a narrative that feels more YA than adult.

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.

'There are so many sharks circling around young girls- in the streets, online, and in their very own “safe” schools- it truly makes me sick!'

Dr. Gregory Copeland, chair of the English department, now a married father, beloved, popular with parents, staff and students and for many years seducer of young, lonely girls. The past is about to come calling, karma is ready to collect from Dr. Copeland a pound of flesh! Caryn is an intern working at a newspaper, under her idol Jane, she composes an essay, exposing a secret from her past as a student at the prestigious school Windmere and the sexual abuse she suffered while there. They want to go forward and publish the essay in the paper, and Caryn is struggling, she knows it will ruin a life, divide the community. She isn’t a victim in the sense of the usual word, you can’t see her wounds, she wasn’t left bleeding to death somewhere in an alley or ditch. Just what is a victim composed of? She feels sorry for her abusers children, wife, and for all those people who are going to see their favorite teacher’s darkest side. Is it worth ruining so many lives over such a small transgression, one she feels complicit in, as so many young girls are made to feel? But what about the school, Windmere and it’s own complicity in turning a blind eye? What will her family think? Shouldn’t she have just put this all behind her?

Sometimes it takes one person to give other victims the courage to speak. Dr. Copeland has an eye for the girls that need something, whether it’s praise, attention, a shoulder to cry on, literature, and he knows how to manipulate them into sexual favors. 15 seems to be his lucky number, girls on the cusp of womanhood, still unsure in their developing bodies, just noticing male attention, both unwanted and sometimes welcome. Some stay silent, even from affluent families, hesitant to ‘bring shame’ upon their grand family name. Others know maybe they won’t be believed, but too- the girls believe this is love, deceived into thinking the shame is solely their burden.

Eva is a mother now, has kept her shameful secret from even her husband, and she must face the repercussions of omission in her life. It’s an interesting spin, I think, for the author to take on. That on top of carrying around the shame of having been manipulated as a young girl, Eva as a wife must too feel shame for ‘not being completely honest’ with her husband, appearing again as ‘deceptive’ through omission. Of course he feels wounded, spouses are supposed to share everything, no? But how is a woman to share all when she hasn’t come to terms with it herself? Jesse is a good man, there are good men in this novel, it’s not a ‘man- hating’ story. Of course, not all women are so lucky in real life. Many cultures over, the shame always seems the woman’s to wear.

Sasha’s fury is fueling her on. Far more angry than the others, the pain radiates off her skin still. He knew just how to work each girl into giving in. With Sasha’s bookish ways, lonely home-life, and lack of friends, Copeland knew how to win her trust. Sasha enjoyed it, the attention, the forbidden love that made her finally feel special, struggling with guilt because she began to seek him out too. He brought literature to life, those deep love stories with his words. That is how they hide, these abusers, knowing how to leave young naive victims hungry, both enthralled and disgusted with themselves. When things got too real for Sasha, a problem very ‘adult’ he tucked tail, shut her out and left her with the aftermath. The taint of it is still staining her soul, it’s time to see him brought down, it’s time to come together with other victims.

This special ‘club’ of victims, one no one ever wants to be a member of, come together under the support of Jane, a reporter whose big story becomes personal. The community is divided, and the support some people feel for Dr. Copeland, rallying behind him, is like a gut punch, like being victimized all over again. As the investigation picks up steam, it seems everyone has something to say, more stories come out from other former students, and it becomes eye-opening just how many girls are victimized, but let it go, seeming like such a ‘small thing’, like a creeping hand on the knee, or intimate, inappropriate private conversations. In a time when we teach our children to speak up if something happens, so much still does, because navigating an adult’s world and actions can get muddy in a young child’s mind. Women have a hard enough time exposing abuses, how much worse is it when a young girl is lured in and shamed by the pleasure she feels of attention? How does a girl expose and label something when she isn’t even sure anything has happened? Maybe in her naive mind she just ‘misinterpreted’ what the adult intended to say? Abusers know just how to lurk on the edge, they test the waters, they are always keeping themselves safe until they know they have control of the situation, then the arrogance is shocking, as with Sasha and her encounters with Dr. Copeland.

Why do cover-ups even happen, in the most progressive and prestigious institutions? Sometimes, the silence is worth keeping dirt off the illustrious school’s name, even if it means leaving a wolf in the mix. Some victims heal, some were broken before being further victimized by life and where it takes them. There is triumph, and tragedy. The important thing this novel does is open a conversation, it’s chilling to think that a mother or father may read this novel, and their own child could be experiencing such a seduction by a teacher, a coach, etc. These things are happening more than we think, just turn on the news.

Most women can remember being in school and I think at least one girl who bragged about being with an ‘older guy’, which seemed ‘star-crossed’ or exciting maybe. Maybe some of you were shocked, disgusted, envious? Ask any two people, male or female, if they think the young girl is complicit? There will be many who think she is, because we’ve forgotten how insecure and needy the young are. How adult they trick themselves into feeling, but an evolved mind should know adults should never cross that line. That with young girls, and let’s not forget boys too, it’s easy for someone more experienced to manipulate them, what place in time is lonelier and more confusing than your teenage years? It’s exciting to play at being a grown up. It happens to the wealthy and the poor, every ethnicity and social standing, there isn’t a child alive that it couldn’t happen to.

Sexuality can feel powerful too, in both boys and girls. Adult attention can feel both humiliating and empowering, it’s a strange time in life. To be both a child and adult, in everything happening with hormones, the mind becoming so much more aware, testing their sexuality, flirting with the edge, some get too far ahead before they are aware of the danger they’re in. But what of that adult, guiding them over the cliff? You hear it all the time, ‘well look how old he/she looks and acts.’ As if a teen with an adult body is game. Let’s really think about the victims here, because it is not the ‘adult.’

Provocative, a wonderful selection for any reading group. As important today as it will be tomorrow.

Publication Date: November 7, 2017

Griffith Moon Publishing

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 didn't like this book at all, for such an important issue, I feel that the writing style was very robotic and disconnected.

I didn't think the romance of th editor Jane and Ben added to the story either.

I truly could not get myself in to this book. The writing style was very editorial and did not make me feel even remotely invested in the characters. I appreciate the attempt at tackling an important issue, but the author couldn't even make the victims sympathetic in the slightest.

It is hard to call this a novel, because it certainly read like a journalistic essay more so than a story with a solid plot and good characters. While it's an extremely important subject, and I commend the author for taking on something of this magnitude and handling it in a responsible and thoughtful way, it is not what I expected. I felt much more as though this were being explained to me rather than going along with the journey of the story. I also couldn't keep up with all the characters switching into 1st person narratives.

These Violent Delights
Victoria Namkung
Available: November 7, 2018
Thank you to NetGalley.com for the opportunity to read an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
I was lucky enough to be able to attend a “elite” all girls high school in Los Angeles – I really hope none of the grody male teachers at my school ever thought of doing something like this. I know it does happen; my heart goes out to anyone who has been manipulated by someone in a power position like this. The way each victim deals with their experiences was beautifully written – each was at a different stage; each was trying to move through it the way they knew best.
What I loved: I loved how three very different women came together to fight the injustice of what happened to them in high school – and that the outcome for a majority was favorable. By showing that being open about the experiences and having a support system there to help, these women were able to show that you can get through even the worst of experiences.

What I didn’t love: The romance between Jane and Ben seemed a little out of place within the story – why? I would have rather seen more of Caryn’s relationship with her parents with the juxtaposition of Eastern vs. Western values and cultures or Caryn try and date someone. Her scars were deeper that she was realizing and that would have made an interesting aspect to the novel.

What I learned: Every person needs to be taught they are worthy so that no one can take advantage of them.
Overall Grade: B

www.FluffSmutandMurder.com

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.

"These Violent Delights" is a well written novel with a serious subject matter and interesting protagonists. I thought that the novel was really well researched and treated the subject with the necessary respect, but at times it seemed somewhat clumsy how the information about real-life sexual assault was conveyed. Still, it was interesting to read and the novel dealt with the subject without seeming overly preachy. The characters were interesting and distinct but I felt that there could have been more character development.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this novel.

"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."

Thank you to Netgalley, Victoria Namkung and Griffith Moon for my arc of These Violent Delights.

The novel’s premise is that a young woman interning for a newspaper in Los Angeles decides to write an essay to publish in the paper about a teacher at her elite, private, all girls school made innapropriate advances towards her when she was a 15 year old student.



Following her article, other victims come forward and a full scale investigation is opened.

This novel doesn’t read as a novel, now that’s not a criticism, it was still very enjoyable but the way it was presented, and I think this may be to do with the fact the author is a journalist first and foremost, was like reading a non fiction ‘true life’ book or a feature in a magazine or newspaper. Nothing was forced if that makes sense, there was no real world building, there was one relationship created and that was it. The rest was a collection of articles, statements and conversations which reinstated the fact. But in all honesty I think this was the perfect way to put this story across. People need to be aware that the issues raised in this novel are real and take action. I wish this book had been around when I was a teenage girl.

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

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