Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

58 reviews

nat20composure's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I adored this book, but had picked it up prior to finding out that it was a story following the accounts of fictionalized Ted Bundy victims. I felt that it taking real world killings and retelling them through fictional characters to tell people we need to prioritize victims was tone deaf. The narrative could have better served it's own purpose if it had committed to its own fictionalization. 

That aside, the book does a very good job of using the readers real world experienced and understanding of how victims are stripped of their personhood and picked apart to maintain a sense of fear and powerlessness. I found it impossible to not empathize with the main characters. Their actions, and the consequences of those actions, felt like my own.  You know from the start how the book will end, and still, you're hopeful. Still, you bargain with it, begging it be different. Even when I wasn't reading it I was holding my breath with the girls, waiting for the verdict, waiting for closure. I will be thinking about them for a long, long while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, and Murder

mstoehr's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Homophobia, Sexual assault, and Murder

jessiejonesbentley's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Sexual harassment

samspur's review against another edition

dark inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

Ugh, throw away all the men in this book. They were written so beautifully ugly. It took me awhile to realize this was based on a true story. I think naming the villain the defendant was a good choice. It took away any celebrity status they had. Overall a really good mystery with perspectives from sapphic women.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Racism, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Kidnapping

sbox's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Incest

ehoustonmyatt's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

emily_mae08's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Dementia, Death of parent, and Murder

reverendmix's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Stalking, and Murder

lovestained's review against another edition

dark emotional sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Murder

drjacvick's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse