Reviews with content warning for Misogyny - Bright Young Women

Reviews tagging 'Misogyny'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

146 reviews

shelbtastic96's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.75

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pineapplebunnies's review against another edition

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dark reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

5 STARS AND NOTHING LESS FOR THIS BOOK.

I can’t even begin to explain the love I have for Bright Young Women. The stories of these women were so beautifully and gracefully told, as was the story of the disgraceful culture around all women, around rape culture, around anyone who dares defy the world order of cruel men. It was soul crushing, stomach churning, heart squeezing, and I couldn’t put it down. What a powerful, moving story. I want to read it over again just because of how beautifully and intentionally it was all written.

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iamsuchawitch's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book reframes Ted Bundy's crimes and places the victims and their loved ones at the forefront of the narrative. It's what true crime should look like. Focusing on the victims and the effects rather than questioning if the killer's mommy didn't hold them enough (some how the woman is always to blame) or if their father beat on them. This rights all the wrongs of how true crime glorifies killers. I do not think i could give this book high enough praise for its approach. If you aren't going through a rollercoaster of emotions reading this, then you aren't reading between the lines. Though if you are a woman or have an understanding of what is to be a girl and a woman in society you may find this book boils your blood and triggers you. That burn of passion you feel about injustices.

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lazstearns's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad slow-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? No

4.0

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readinginthegrey's review against another edition

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dark slow-paced

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

4.0

Very good book, but I'd only read it if you're in a good headscapace

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stungbythewood's review against another edition

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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? N/A

5.0

I find it challenging on how to write this review because a lot of my feelings are about the defendant and how women and girls are still victims of reprehensible sex crimes and murders to this DAY.

I thought this book was quite enjoyable, despite the somber nature of the content. I usually have difficulty pushing through the start of most books but this one gripped me right away.

There are POV switches but I’ve gotten used to those through other novels I’ve read. It’s not something that bothers me.

There was only one section that I got confused by while reading and it’s during the present when Pamela is traveling to Tallahassee once more to visit Carl. There is a significant gap between the two “present day” chapters that I was unsure of what actually happened since they’re spread so far apart.

I like that this book calls out the defendant for what he really was at the end of the day. Nothing. An insecure man who stole the light from bright young women and girls just because he could.

There’s no way to describe the insurmountable grief I felt while reading Ruth’s final moments. Though she is fictional, knowing that there were and are many real life women who have gone through a similar fate is beyond devastating.

Often times I am quite irritated with glamorization of serial killers and people’s willing ignorance to see people for how they really are.

The defendant was a good manipulator, butthat doesn’t mean he was inherently charming. The two are not mutually inclusive. After all, if he was so capable of being suave and captivating, why did he fake injuries to lure women into helping him?

Reading through this story gave me some solace to a degree. Knowing that my unease and caution around male strangers in particular is not so unfounded.

I feel as though women are blamed for their fears, as if we’re not brought up in fear. As if fear and caution and doubt aren’t the things separating us from coming home one night vs. becoming another statistic.

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vampireroyal's review against another edition

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3.5

Ultimately, I do think this book brings up important discussions about sensationalism and violence against women. I am curious if the victims of Ted Bundy would feel about this book. It felt so strange to be reading a fictional book about the events while also diving into discussion about how the media sensationalized the real events.
I think there was weird moments that I didn't quite understand that had nothing to do about the real events that just had me asking why that was written

like Pamela being turned on by the police officer in an early chapter and Ruth going to hit her nephew in a way she described as almost erotic pleasure - like it was just so strange to write those things.

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ketsueki_randi's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

It might be odd that this took me so long to finish, yet I still gave it five stars, it has nothing to do with the writing, but the intentional aggravation the story gave me. Seriously, every man in this story pissed me the hell off (with the exception of Pamela’s dad) and just really showed how they failed society, but won’t ever be held accountable for what they did. This was completely inspired by Bundy and I think Knoll did such a great job at showing the shit-show the public did in letting him escape and how the public idolized because he was “good looking.” Probably my favorite thing was Pamela would bring up how society would talk about him in contrast to the pathetic little bitch he actually was; and how this put the focus not on him and what he did, but instead focusing on the women who persevered when society continually failed them..

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rachaelreadthat's review against another edition

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challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

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lexcellent's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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