Consent: A Memoir

Consent: A Memoir

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  • Create Date:2021-03-26 14:12:30
  • Update Date:2025-09-06
  • Status:finish
  • Author:Vanessa Springora
  • ISBN:0008424926
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Summary

The devastating and powerful memoir from a French publisher who was abused by a famous writer from the age of thirteen

‘Dazzling’ New York Times
‘A gut-punch of a memoir with prose that cuts like a knife’ Kate Elizabeth Russell, author of My Dark Vanessa
Thirty years ago, Vanessa Springora was the teenage muse of one of France’s most celebrated writers, a footnote in the narrative of an influential man。 At the end of 2019, as women around the world began to speak out, Springora, now in her forties and the director of one of France’s leading publishing houses, decided to reclaim her own story。

Consent is the story of her stolen adolescence。 Devastating in its honesty, Springora’s painstaking memoir lays bare the cultural attitudes and circumstances that made it possible for a thirteen-year-old girl to become involved with a fifty-year-old man。

Drawing parallels between children’s fairy tales, French history and the author’s personal life, Consent offers intimate insights into the meaning of love and consent, the toll of trauma and the power of healing in women’s lives。

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Reviews

Alba Mogensen

Otroligt stark och viktig historia。 Lite sämre rent språkligt, speciellt i dialogen。 Men rekommenderar starkt på grund av sin viktiga berättelse!

Hekate

Tokia maža knyga, o tokias stiprias emocijas sutalpina。Sunku suvokti, kad tai vyksta iš tikrųjų, kad visuomenė yra taip žemai puolusi, kad net motina toleruoja dukters išnaudojimą。 Kad gailisi asmens, kuris prievartavo ir visaip kaip išnaudojo VAIKUS。

Anaïs

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers。 To view it, click here。 “But Emil, he never stops lying to me。”“But literature is all about lying, my dear young friend! Didn’t you realize?”I learned about this book from Kate Elizabeth Russell, author of My Dark Vanessa。 It fits into the same category as that book (as well as Tiger Tiger by Margaux Fragoso) yet despite the heavy similarities between all these stories, through the experiences at the center of these stories, each shines in its own specific way。 Springora is a thoughtful, talented writer who has loved b “But Emil, he never stops lying to me。”“But literature is all about lying, my dear young friend! Didn’t you realize?”I learned about this book from Kate Elizabeth Russell, author of My Dark Vanessa。 It fits into the same category as that book (as well as Tiger Tiger by Margaux Fragoso) yet despite the heavy similarities between all these stories, through the experiences at the center of these stories, each shines in its own specific way。 Springora is a thoughtful, talented writer who has loved books for so long only to be betrayed by the world that surrounds them。 This is a memoir but it’s also literary and philosophical in that it thinks about the purpose of literature and whether it can be something you sacrifice people’s lives for。 Tough read, beautiful read。There is a cracking open of the canon, of literature itself, and the truth is becoming literature as muses become the subject, the main character; these objects with someone else’s words in their mouths have agency now and are not just an afterthought or the raw material for men to make their art。 。。。more

Belén Ch。

No se puede decir q sea un libro q me haya gustado porque lo q cuenta, sabiendo que es autobiográfico, es terrible, no te puede gustar。 Está escrito de manera concreta y aséptica (afortunadamente) y aún así te deja un cuerpo espantoso。 Parece increíble que esto pudiera suceder a plena luz del día, sin q nadie se echara las manos a la cabeza。 Inaudito。

Cristina

Tan dur com necessari。

Audrey-Maude Lavoie

Est-ce que la littérature peut vraiment servir d'alibi pour parler de tout? Voilà une des nombreuses questions importantes soulevées par l'autrice dans ce livre percutant qui fait le récit de sa propre vie。 Elle y raconte sa relation toxique, en tant que jeune adolescente, avec G。, auteur quinquagenaire réputé du milieu littéraire français qui ne cache pas son penchant tordu pour les mineur(e)s。 Sous l'abus de son autorité, une partie de son innocence sera brisée, en plus d'affecter profondément Est-ce que la littérature peut vraiment servir d'alibi pour parler de tout? Voilà une des nombreuses questions importantes soulevées par l'autrice dans ce livre percutant qui fait le récit de sa propre vie。 Elle y raconte sa relation toxique, en tant que jeune adolescente, avec G。, auteur quinquagenaire réputé du milieu littéraire français qui ne cache pas son penchant tordu pour les mineur(e)s。 Sous l'abus de son autorité, une partie de son innocence sera brisée, en plus d'affecter profondément et à long terme sa vision de l'intimité et de la sexualité。 Des passages sont difficiles et très émouvants : certains m'ont levé le coeur même。 Un livre dont j'avais beaucoup entendu parlé et qui correspondait vraiment aux attentes que je m'en faisais。 Un sujet délicat qui pourrait toutefois ne pas convenir à tous les lecteurs/lectrices。 。。。more

Elin Nordlund

Väldigt tung och intressant, men blev samtidigt inte lika nere som jag annars blir med liknande böcker (vet inte varför men tycker att det var på ett bra sätt)。 Var ju också värst i början, så kanske mest tänker på slutet (lutade mer åt 4 i början pga jag kan ofta tycka att det blir för jobbigt att läsa liknande böcker)。 Väldigt läs- och tänkvärd!

Sydney Doidge

I've been interested in this book since I heard about the reaction to it in France。 I think in many ways, me too sort of passed france over (high profile women saying that people can't flirt anymore etc)。 Gabriel Matzneff's continued prominence was a symptom of that。 I'm glad that Vanessa came forward and wrote about her experiences。 It was fast and to the point, yet still beautiful。 I especially loved how she described her words and identity being stolen and preserved from her。 I've been interested in this book since I heard about the reaction to it in France。 I think in many ways, me too sort of passed france over (high profile women saying that people can't flirt anymore etc)。 Gabriel Matzneff's continued prominence was a symptom of that。 I'm glad that Vanessa came forward and wrote about her experiences。 It was fast and to the point, yet still beautiful。 I especially loved how she described her words and identity being stolen and preserved from her。 。。。more

Marianna Saartio-Itkonen

Huhhuh。 Todella, todella tärkeä kirja。 Aivan huikeaa, että kirjoittaja on uskaltanut tuoda tarinansa maailmalle nähtäväksi ja saa vihdoin hirviön vangittua kirjan sisään。 Lukija/kuuntelija joutuu taistelemaan oman raivonsa kanssa, mutta niin on oikein。

Iphigenie

Poignant。Passionnant。Vanessa Springora arrive à emporter le lecteur dans un tourbillon d'émotions grâce à une parfaite maîtrise du récit Poignant。Passionnant。Vanessa Springora arrive à emporter le lecteur dans un tourbillon d'émotions grâce à une parfaite maîtrise du récit 。。。more

Wendy Bunnell

Interesting book by a former victim of a pedophile who was groomed and harvested by a famous French author from age 14 to 15。 Her mom was fine with it。 Her dad wasn't thrilled, but did nothing。 French society in the 1970s thought it was wonderful freedom of expression for this 50 year old man to sleep with a teen。It was fascinating to see her perspective, her reflections back at that time and now, decades later, looking back。 Interesting book by a former victim of a pedophile who was groomed and harvested by a famous French author from age 14 to 15。 Her mom was fine with it。 Her dad wasn't thrilled, but did nothing。 French society in the 1970s thought it was wonderful freedom of expression for this 50 year old man to sleep with a teen。It was fascinating to see her perspective, her reflections back at that time and now, decades later, looking back。 。。。more

Gail

Excellent writing。 The story of a young girl manipulated by a famous pedophile, author in France。

Jess

Thankful Springora shared her story。 Utterly horrified that it took place。

Erin

I read this in a few hours today, and I probably should have paced myself。 I felt nauseated at multiple points in the book, and can’t imagine what Springora went through, both as a child at the hands of her abuser and in reliving it to write this memoir。 I first read about her story in a Times profile before this was published in France, because it (deservedly) takes down a once-well-regarded figure in Parisian literary society, who spent his career admitting to his pedophilia in countless novel I read this in a few hours today, and I probably should have paced myself。 I felt nauseated at multiple points in the book, and can’t imagine what Springora went through, both as a child at the hands of her abuser and in reliving it to write this memoir。 I first read about her story in a Times profile before this was published in France, because it (deservedly) takes down a once-well-regarded figure in Parisian literary society, who spent his career admitting to his pedophilia in countless novels and memoirs of his own。 How did the entire publishing world not only turn a blind eye to that for so long, but endorse it by continuing to publish him?? The mind boggles。 Fuck that guy forever。I want to read this in French now, but am going to have to wait until I recover from the English translation。 The translator’s letter at the end of the book was illuminating, I wish more translations included something similar。 。。。more

Patricia

4,5 À lire, ne serait-ce que comme devoir de citoyen, d'éducation sur la question des droits des mineurs, sur la notion du consentement。 Car, quand une victime parfaite comme Springora se retrouve sous les griffes d'un prédateur sexuel, quand une adolescente à la recherche d'une figure paternelle pour combler son père absent trouve enfin un regard intéressé et que toute la société intellectuelle lui parle de la chance qu'elle a, quelle est la valeur de son consentement? Quand je parle de société 4,5 À lire, ne serait-ce que comme devoir de citoyen, d'éducation sur la question des droits des mineurs, sur la notion du consentement。 Car, quand une victime parfaite comme Springora se retrouve sous les griffes d'un prédateur sexuel, quand une adolescente à la recherche d'une figure paternelle pour combler son père absent trouve enfin un regard intéressé et que toute la société intellectuelle lui parle de la chance qu'elle a, quelle est la valeur de son consentement? Quand je parle de société intellectuelle qui cautionne ce genre d'agissements, je parle entre autres d'Edgar Allan Poe, qui a marié une fille de 13 ans et qui est toujours élogié de nos jours。 Je parle aussi du culte voué à Lewis Carroll et à Alice, une petite fille qui était l'amour de sa vie。 Peut-être plus choquant encore, la lettre écrite en 1977 en faveur de la dépénalisation des relations sexuelles entre mineurs et adultes qui est soutenue entre autres par Simone de Beauvoir et Jean-Paul Sartre。 Je trouve que c'est un livre très intéressant pour réfléchir sur le lien entre un écrivain et son œuvre。 Si les actions d'un auteur sont condamnables, doit-on aussi condamner ses œuvres? Particulièrement dans le cas de la littérature française qui, contrairement à la littérature américaine, tourne beaucoup autour des mémoires ou de l'auto-fiction, où de véritables individus se retrouvent emprisonnés dans un livre contre leur gré。 Ce livre porte aussi à réfléchir sur la notion de consentement。 Une jeune fille qui donne son consentement à un homme de 30 ans son aîné, est-elle vraiment consentante, en toute connaissance de cause? Quelles modalités peuvent être prises au niveau légal? Springora raconte plusieurs anecdotes où elle a été impuissante dans le système de justice français。Je me suis arrêtée plusieurs fois pendant ma lecture pour regarder la couverture。 Voir le visage si paisible, rassuré de l'autrice, en contraste avec la narratrice des lignes prise par la panique et la dépression。 J'espère que ce visage paisible n'est pas un masque et que l'autrice a pu retrouver un peu de sérénité maintenant。 。。。more

fran

great book

Donna Brown

Vanessa Springora recounts the sexual relationship she had with celebrated writer Gabriel Matzneff when he was 50 and she was 14。 I wonder if she realizes how strong her voice is and how powerful her words are? I hope she has truly found peace。

Tania Falcón

«¿Cómo admitir que han abusado de ti cuando no puedes negar haber dado tu consentimiento, cuando has sentido deseo por ese adulto que se apresuraba para aprovecharse? »Un libro de denuncia。 No solo de los abusos de poder que un escritor, G。, ha ejercido sobre una niña de 14 años。 Pero no sólo eso, su familia, el sistema educativo y el sistema policial ha fallado。 Se castiga a la víctima y se aplaude al que agrede。 ¿No queda tan lejos de la realidad, no?Este libro me ha tocado el corazón。 Te abre «¿Cómo admitir que han abusado de ti cuando no puedes negar haber dado tu consentimiento, cuando has sentido deseo por ese adulto que se apresuraba para aprovecharse? »Un libro de denuncia。 No solo de los abusos de poder que un escritor, G。, ha ejercido sobre una niña de 14 años。 Pero no sólo eso, su familia, el sistema educativo y el sistema policial ha fallado。 Se castiga a la víctima y se aplaude al que agrede。 ¿No queda tan lejos de la realidad, no?Este libro me ha tocado el corazón。 Te abre los ojos a una realidad incómoda y que sigue siendo una debate para muchos。 。。。more

kaye morales

talambuhay ng pang-aabusong dinanas ni ms springora sa kamay ng pedophile na si gabriel matzneff。 ginamit ni matzneff ang status at platform nya bilang manunulat para bigyang karangalan ang pakikipag-relasyon sa mga teenager at palabasing tagapagligtas at tagapagpalaya sya ng mga batang biniktima nya。 ipinakita rin kung paanong kasabwat ang iba pang personalidad (sartre, de beauvoir, cioran, yves saint laurent, etc。) at lipunan ng mga artista sa france sa kababuyang ito。 matagumpay pero matalim talambuhay ng pang-aabusong dinanas ni ms springora sa kamay ng pedophile na si gabriel matzneff。 ginamit ni matzneff ang status at platform nya bilang manunulat para bigyang karangalan ang pakikipag-relasyon sa mga teenager at palabasing tagapagligtas at tagapagpalaya sya ng mga batang biniktima nya。 ipinakita rin kung paanong kasabwat ang iba pang personalidad (sartre, de beauvoir, cioran, yves saint laurent, etc。) at lipunan ng mga artista sa france sa kababuyang ito。 matagumpay pero matalim ang paglalahad ni ms springora ukol sa kanyang trauma at katotohan ng power dynamics。 madiin ang pag-alala na ang katahimikan ay hindi pag-oo 。。。more

Amélie Lecellier

Le récit d'une emprise incroyable et intolérable Le récit d'une emprise incroyable et intolérable 。。。more

Clare

A powerful short memoir, that left me aghast with the freedom with which GM was able to operate。

Patricia Rodríguez Velo

Del tirón y sin pestañear, brutalísimo retrato de la sociedad que somos y como miramos para otro lado cuando el poder actua

Bettynummeretty

Wow vilken jävla bok。 Språket berättelsen ämnet ALLT ahhhh alla måste läsa!!!!!!!

Dan Keefer

A real-life 14 year old French "Lolita" is seduced by a successful writer who turns his many relationships with young girls into renowned works of literature。 This memoir recounts the author's life with G。M。 (easily identifiable in France as writer Gabriel Matzneff) some decades earlier。 Her early life is the classical absent father and complicit mother story, but where it varies is how the story reveals the changing ways societies have viewed relationships between minors and adults。 "V" also sh A real-life 14 year old French "Lolita" is seduced by a successful writer who turns his many relationships with young girls into renowned works of literature。 This memoir recounts the author's life with G。M。 (easily identifiable in France as writer Gabriel Matzneff) some decades earlier。 Her early life is the classical absent father and complicit mother story, but where it varies is how the story reveals the changing ways societies have viewed relationships between minors and adults。 "V" also shows the reader how societies excuse criminal abuses in the name of art and the helplessness of victims to control their own legacies。This memoir is well worth the time it takes to read 187 pages that read like a novel。 。。。more

Maricruz

La cantidad de veces, mientras leía este libro, que mi familia me habrá oído gritar palabrotas desde otra habitación。 Lo mismo se pensaban que acababa de pillarme los dedos con un cajón, pero no, estaba sucumbiendo a la indignación y al inmenso cabreo que me produce lo que le sucedió a Vanessa Springora: el abuso por parte de Gabriel Matzneff, por supuesto, pero también la complicidad de todo un entorno para quien ese abuso era no solo natural sino, según la mentalidad ambiente, oportuno incluso La cantidad de veces, mientras leía este libro, que mi familia me habrá oído gritar palabrotas desde otra habitación。 Lo mismo se pensaban que acababa de pillarme los dedos con un cajón, pero no, estaba sucumbiendo a la indignación y al inmenso cabreo que me produce lo que le sucedió a Vanessa Springora: el abuso por parte de Gabriel Matzneff, por supuesto, pero también la complicidad de todo un entorno para quien ese abuso era no solo natural sino, según la mentalidad ambiente, oportuno incluso。 Lo que cuenta me ha enfadado mucho。 La manera en que lo cuenta me ha llenado de admiración。 Me ha parecido magistral cómo Springora va modulando el punto de vista, desde la fascinación inicial de la adolescente, a la angustia y más tarde la rabia, y luego a más ansiedad y más consecuencias tremendas de haber sido el juguete de un adulto pedófilo y narcisista。 Este libro muestra el comportamiento de un depredador sexual, de qué modo este usa a su favor los deseos infantiles o adolescentes para eludir su responsabilidad y crear la ilusión de una aquiescencia que nunca fue tal: «¿Lo ven? Ella también quería, fue algo mutuo y consentido»。 La autora relata algo muy difícil, y lo hace con una fría ironía, con sensibilidad y precisión, como en un juicio en que no se le van a permitir más zalamerías al acusado。 Es un triunfo haber contado esta historia, pero también lo es haberla contado tan bien。 。。。more

Claire

Un livre important。

Anu Eerola

Vanessa Springoran Suostumuksen nappasin koronan takia rajoitetusti auki olevan kirjaston tärppipöydältä。 Se menee sarjaan "tulipahan luettua niin tietää, mistä puhutaan"。 Mikään kirjallinen elämys se ei ollut, mutta sen ansiot ovat muualla, siinä, että se on kirjoitettu ja julkaistu。 Omaelämäkerrallisessa Suostumuksessa Vanessa Springora kertoo, miten tuli hänestä tuli 13-vuotiaana kuuluisan kirjailijan rakastajatar ja muusa。 Täysin käsittämätöntä ja kuvottavaa on, miten 1980-luvun Ranskan kult Vanessa Springoran Suostumuksen nappasin koronan takia rajoitetusti auki olevan kirjaston tärppipöydältä。 Se menee sarjaan "tulipahan luettua niin tietää, mistä puhutaan"。 Mikään kirjallinen elämys se ei ollut, mutta sen ansiot ovat muualla, siinä, että se on kirjoitettu ja julkaistu。 Omaelämäkerrallisessa Suostumuksessa Vanessa Springora kertoo, miten tuli hänestä tuli 13-vuotiaana kuuluisan kirjailijan rakastajatar ja muusa。 Täysin käsittämätöntä ja kuvottavaa on, miten 1980-luvun Ranskan kulttuuriympäristössä kovinkaan moni ei tuominnut suhdetta。 Springora pohtii sen ehkä johtuneen siitä, että 60-luvulla kasvaneet aikuiset olivat hullaantuneet vapaasta seksistä ja ajattelivat, että se voi yhtä lailla kuulua alaikäisille。 Seksuaalinen hyväksikäyttö jättää jälkensä Vanessaan, ja vaikka suhde lopulta päättyykin, hyväksikäyttö jatkuu siinä mielessä, että Vanessa päätyy miehen julkaisemiin teoksiin。 Springora viittaa mieheen vain alkukirjaimella G。, mutta pienellä googletuksella kirjailijan nimi ja tarina selviää。 Suostumus onkin herättänyt Ranskassa jonkinmoisen kirjallisen kohun, ja hyvä niin。 Lukuhaasteessa tämän voisi mennä alustavasti kohtaan 29, kirjan henkilön elämä muuttuu。 Voi olla, että haastekohtia pitää alkaa rukata myöhemmin。 。。。more

Irina

This is the true story of how the then 14-year-old Vanessa Springora was groomed and lured into a sexual relationship with the then 50-year-old French writer Gabriel Matzneff。What is so impressive about this memoir is that it succeeds on everything it sets out to do。 First and foremost, this memoir has literary merit and the prose is expertly crafted。 It is explosive in its effect because in the face of insurmountable adversity, abuse and manipulation, the author offers a piercing clarity, conta This is the true story of how the then 14-year-old Vanessa Springora was groomed and lured into a sexual relationship with the then 50-year-old French writer Gabriel Matzneff。What is so impressive about this memoir is that it succeeds on everything it sets out to do。 First and foremost, this memoir has literary merit and the prose is expertly crafted。 It is explosive in its effect because in the face of insurmountable adversity, abuse and manipulation, the author offers a piercing clarity, contained fury and a crystallized understanding of all the forces that were at play。We are transported to France, in the 1970’s, a time of sexual revolution, when “the repression of juvenile sexuality was considered a form of social oppression。” A time when revered intellectuals like Roland Barthes and Jean Paul Sartre argued in open letters for the decriminalization of sex between minors and adults。 We see police turning a blind eye, the legal system unable to intervene, a society; complicit。 “It’s not easy to escape the zeitgeist。”The author shows us the methods that predators, or “strategists” employ to manipulate their victims and the way they depict themselves as either victims (of girls’ charm) or benefactors。 She provides a comprehensive understanding of how vulnerable young people can be when there is an absence of a parental figure in their lives, when their parents are unable to protect them, when they might suffer from low self-esteem and long to be seen and adored。 She describes the potential long-term effects of abuse in their adult lives and the insidious nature of sexual abuse since “the victim might be barely aware it is happening” in contrast to “physical violence that is tangible and leaves a memory for a person to react against。” It explores the difficulty of a victim identifying as one in the absence of violence and in the recollection of having experienced desire。 This memoir paints the most vivid and comprehensive picture of why the idea of consent is completely irrelevant and devoid of meaning when it comes to sexual relations of adults with minors。 This memoir explores so much more, just go ahead and read it。10/5 stars。 Translated in English by Natasha Lehrer。I listened to the audio book that was incredibly well narrated by the talented Anne -Marie Piazza。 。。。more

Matilda

Ännu ett skakande porträtt av de fasansfulla övergrepp konstnärer tillåtits göra。 Springora skriver nyanserat och med lätt touch, fint att hon efter 30 år lyckas återvinna handlingskraft och "stänga in" sin förövare i det vapen han använt mot henne。 Ännu ett skakande porträtt av de fasansfulla övergrepp konstnärer tillåtits göra。 Springora skriver nyanserat och med lätt touch, fint att hon efter 30 år lyckas återvinna handlingskraft och "stänga in" sin förövare i det vapen han använt mot henne。 。。。more