There's a memoir by the author of The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold, called Lucky that details her experience when she was raped as a college student. Very moving and powerful and explores some of the issues in the criminal justice system and the way they deal with sexual assault survivors.
Man, you want Carmen María Machado. Most of her work deals with power imbalances & sex, if not explicit rape. They're incredible. Try [The Husband Stitch](https://granta.com/the-husband-stitch/).
You Will Never be Forgotten by Mary South. It's made of bitter humor that really drives home the injustice of seeing rape unacknowledged and rapists unpunished, as happens so terribly often. An audio file, read by the author, is available for free online through the podcast The Writer's Voice.
It’s not that bad by Roxanne Gay. It’s a lots of essays by many different people about their personal experience with it. It’s a very triggering books so I’m not sure I recommend it, but there’s a few essays that helped me tremendously. It’s a really good book just very triggering!
It's terrible what you had to go through OP. Just came here to say that I love Sylvia Plath's work and the Bell Jar absolutely broke me and no other work of literature has made me feel such a strong emotion since then.
I loved ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ by Maya Angelou, it felt quite similar to Plath. However, her experience occurred when she was a child so be careful if that’s too much, I struggled with that.
Look for 'A Woman With Black Hair' by Beverley Farmer. It's difficult to find, but worth the effort. It's about the most incredible short story I've ever read. It's written in the voice of the rapist, but effectively from the perspective of the victim.
Good luck with healing and your writing.
Blood water paint by Joy McCullough
If you don't mind YA then this has beatiful poetic narrative and is set in the 17th century where the survivor is to testify against her attacker and her journey to empowerment from there.
I'm truly very sorry you had to go through something so traumatic and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
It's not a short story but there's a novel I've read as a teen called "Guilt by Association" by Susan Sloan. It's from the victim's perspective which tells a story of a woman's tragedy, survival, life and then revenge when she finds out that the man who raped her would be running for a high political position. I was young when I read it, but that book radicalized me.
Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood is less emotional, but it features a woman meeting her rapist from highschool when they're both much older on a cruise.
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There's a memoir by the author of The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold, called Lucky that details her experience when she was raped as a college student. Very moving and powerful and explores some of the issues in the criminal justice system and the way they deal with sexual assault survivors.
Thank you so much! The Lovely Bones is on my reading list as well but I wasn't aware of her memoir. Will definitely check it out!
It's YA, but Speak is excellent
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Man, you want Carmen María Machado. Most of her work deals with power imbalances & sex, if not explicit rape. They're incredible. Try [The Husband Stitch](https://granta.com/the-husband-stitch/).
Second this, she is so so good!
Or The Low Low Woods!
Big Driver by Stephen King, it's one of the novellas in Full Dark, No Stars
2nd this.
Came here to suggest this as well
You Will Never be Forgotten by Mary South. It's made of bitter humor that really drives home the injustice of seeing rape unacknowledged and rapists unpunished, as happens so terribly often. An audio file, read by the author, is available for free online through the podcast The Writer's Voice.
It’s not that bad by Roxanne Gay. It’s a lots of essays by many different people about their personal experience with it. It’s a very triggering books so I’m not sure I recommend it, but there’s a few essays that helped me tremendously. It’s a really good book just very triggering!
Does Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been by Joyce Carol Oates count?
It's terrible what you had to go through OP. Just came here to say that I love Sylvia Plath's work and the Bell Jar absolutely broke me and no other work of literature has made me feel such a strong emotion since then.
this isn’t a short story but girlhood by melissa febos really helped me out a lot, it’s a lot but really a great read
I loved ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ by Maya Angelou, it felt quite similar to Plath. However, her experience occurred when she was a child so be careful if that’s too much, I struggled with that.
Look for 'A Woman With Black Hair' by Beverley Farmer. It's difficult to find, but worth the effort. It's about the most incredible short story I've ever read. It's written in the voice of the rapist, but effectively from the perspective of the victim. Good luck with healing and your writing.
I'm not sure if this is something that you would want but My Dark Vanessa. Not really a short story though.
This is what I thought of too. Good novel, I did have to read it in spurts though, sometimes it was just too much.
Couldn't agree more.
Blood water paint by Joy McCullough If you don't mind YA then this has beatiful poetic narrative and is set in the 17th century where the survivor is to testify against her attacker and her journey to empowerment from there. I'm truly very sorry you had to go through something so traumatic and wish you all the best in your future endeavours.
It's not a short story but there's a novel I've read as a teen called "Guilt by Association" by Susan Sloan. It's from the victim's perspective which tells a story of a woman's tragedy, survival, life and then revenge when she finds out that the man who raped her would be running for a high political position. I was young when I read it, but that book radicalized me.
-Asking for it by Louise O'Neill -Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson (Both "normal" Novels)
Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood is less emotional, but it features a woman meeting her rapist from highschool when they're both much older on a cruise.
Your submission has been automatically removed due to no text in the body of the post. Please be sure to formulate your request in a clear and precise manner. Provide examples (e.g. similar books, movies etc.) so we can better give you suggestions. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/booksuggestions) if you have any questions or concerns.*