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gabs_parr's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
This book, a fictionalized account from the survivor’s and victim’s perspectives, changes the zeitgeist of how we think and discuss Ted Bundy and similar serial killers. It is natural to have a fascination with these killers. This novel shifts our attention from the serial killer to the women affected by him.
Every reference to how handsome, charming, cunning, or promising “The Defendant” was made me feel just as sick to my stomach as it has in real life when I’ve seen the same true remarks made about Bundy. This novel did not shy away from how hard women had to fight to be believed and how inadequate the media and law enforcement truly was when dealing with this case. Rather than admit to their wrong-doings, the authorities would rather spin a tale that Bundy was a mastermind of some kind, though his school records would indicate that he’s anything but… with this kind of misogyny and idiocy abound, it’s really a miracle he was ever convicted at all. In relation to the media portrayal, the character of Carl was really well done. He really showed that even amongst men who were supposed to be helpful friends, these women still faced an uphill battle of perception.
I loved the way Knoll knitted the two main female character together using the Tina character. It was a brilliant throughline. And the side drama of Ruth wrestling with her sexuality and family life was an excellent addition to the story. Sexuality changed everything for Ruth. It was because of the rejection of her family and her fight with Tina about her family that she went to her father’s ceremony solo, thus ending up at the lake alone on that fateful day. Pamela was an extremely strong and lovable character. She is relatable, smart, confident, and incredibly brave.
Something that I was really reminded of while reading this book is that women do not need to be nice to men. We do not owe men our time, our smiles, our attention, our help, nothing. If that makes us “bitches”, then so be it. It’s better to be an alive bitch than a dead nice lady. Ted Bundy was able to lure so many of his victims away because he made them feel bad for him and made them feel like they owed him help. They didn’t.
This book is a must read for all fans of true crime, thrillers, or mysteries.
Every reference to how handsome, charming, cunning, or promising “The Defendant” was made me feel just as sick to my stomach as it has in real life when I’ve seen the same true remarks made about Bundy. This novel did not shy away from how hard women had to fight to be believed and how inadequate the media and law enforcement truly was when dealing with this case. Rather than admit to their wrong-doings, the authorities would rather spin a tale that Bundy was a mastermind of some kind, though his school records would indicate that he’s anything but… with this kind of misogyny and idiocy abound, it’s really a miracle he was ever convicted at all. In relation to the media portrayal, the character of Carl was really well done. He really showed that even amongst men who were supposed to be helpful friends, these women still faced an uphill battle of perception.
I loved the way Knoll knitted the two main female character together using the Tina character. It was a brilliant throughline. And the side drama of Ruth wrestling with her sexuality and family life was an excellent addition to the story. Sexuality changed everything for Ruth. It was because of the rejection of her family and her fight with Tina about her family that she went to her father’s ceremony solo, thus ending up at the lake alone on that fateful day. Pamela was an extremely strong and lovable character. She is relatable, smart, confident, and incredibly brave.
Something that I was really reminded of while reading this book is that women do not need to be nice to men. We do not owe men our time, our smiles, our attention, our help, nothing. If that makes us “bitches”, then so be it. It’s better to be an alive bitch than a dead nice lady. Ted Bundy was able to lure so many of his victims away because he made them feel bad for him and made them feel like they owed him help. They didn’t.
This book is a must read for all fans of true crime, thrillers, or mysteries.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Murder, and Lesbophobia
Moderate: Cursing, Fatphobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Kidnapping
abernathy_33's review against another edition
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Death of parent
Minor: Eating disorder, Incest, and Dementia
alexandriapiette's review against another edition
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
5.0
In an era of sensationalized true crime stories, where predominantly white, middle-aged women engage with media highlighting the most infamous of horrors and cruelty—most often against women themselves—Bright Young Women decides to flip the script and centralize on the victims and survivors. Namely, the heart of who they are; their dynamic natures that led them to empowerment following trauma.
I, myself, am guilty of succumbing to the popularization of true crime sensationalism. Between YouTube videos detailing grisly murders while applying makeup, blockbuster films and series hitting the Netflix screen, and tell-all books, it is nearly impossible not to become wrapped up in the fanaticism. There’s a common excuse of wondering about the abnormal psychology of serial killers; however, Knoll makes one thing clear: there is nothing notable about these men. Yes, depraved. Yes, likely traumatized in ways that are inexplicable and depriving of child-like innocence. And still, they grew up to be dangerous and vicious, whereas so many others do not become violent ensuing abuse, et cetera.
BYW had me enthralled from the jump. I read a sample on Libby, desperately in search of something to pull me in, and I was immediately enamored with Knoll’s descriptive writing style. Most of all, her storytelling mechanics were phenomenal. The resolution, especially, truly felt as though all my questions were answered, which does not always ring true with every novel.
Admittedly, this book is not easy to digest. I found myself dreading a particular chapter towards the end, a puddle of tears in its aftermath. There is such humanity in Knoll’s women, and I am so grateful to have experienced it, however devastating.
I, myself, am guilty of succumbing to the popularization of true crime sensationalism. Between YouTube videos detailing grisly murders while applying makeup, blockbuster films and series hitting the Netflix screen, and tell-all books, it is nearly impossible not to become wrapped up in the fanaticism. There’s a common excuse of wondering about the abnormal psychology of serial killers; however, Knoll makes one thing clear: there is nothing notable about these men. Yes, depraved. Yes, likely traumatized in ways that are inexplicable and depriving of child-like innocence. And still, they grew up to be dangerous and vicious, whereas so many others do not become violent ensuing abuse, et cetera.
BYW had me enthralled from the jump. I read a sample on Libby, desperately in search of something to pull me in, and I was immediately enamored with Knoll’s descriptive writing style. Most of all, her storytelling mechanics were phenomenal. The resolution, especially, truly felt as though all my questions were answered, which does not always ring true with every novel.
Admittedly, this book is not easy to digest. I found myself dreading a particular chapter towards the end, a puddle of tears in its aftermath. There is such humanity in Knoll’s women, and I am so grateful to have experienced it, however devastating.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
erinjeanette's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-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? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexism, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Forced institutionalization
Minor: Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Medical content, and Death of parent
bestkasescenario's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
inspiring
sad
fast-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
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. An excellent read, I love that this didn’t romanticize Bundy & respected the victims - even though it’s considered to be fiction. This is the story telling about murder victims & their families that needs to be in the world, not those bullshit Netflix shows that glorify murder. Well done - best book I’ve read all year
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Gaslighting
hjb_128's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Incest, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism and Alcohol
amyvl93's review against another edition
dark
reflective
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
3.5
This novel was everywhere last year and so I was excited to be picking up this novel at last; and was left having had a good reading experience but not one that I think will stay with me in the way that I wanted it to.
Bright Young Women is a fictionalised look at the final murders and arrest of Ted Bundy, told from the perspective of women whose lives were changed forever by him - one, Pamela - the president of the sorority shaken by the murders of their friends and the other, Ruth, who is learning to find herself and her identity away from her overbearing mother after the death of her father.
Knoll clearly has a message that she wants to share through this novel - which is that a fascination with serial killers and the rise of true crime risks further magnifying and amplifying men who were not that special, and whose stories shield those of the people whose lives they have either ended or affected forever. Bundy goes unnamed within the text, and his smart suaveness that we've come to hear as a given from numerous stories about him is consistently disrupted through the pages of this novel.
However, Bundy is not the only man who comes out poorly within this novel. There are bad boyfriends, journalists who see the potential of a career gain as of greater importance than reporting the truth, police forces who want to take the most straightforward way out and members of the judicial system who struggle to see a charming man as anything other than a potential victim. Knoll is excellent at building this just pile-up of male incompetence throughout the novel, in direct contrast to the women who are coming together to support each other and never let the truth go. Knoll also brings to life the pain of women with bright lights and lives ahead of them being cut short which are usually buried in our considerations of true crime narratives.
I did feel that there was a lot going on within the pages of this novel though, and did feel like there were opportunities for it to be tighter. The fictionalisation also didn't necessarily always work for me, it was slightly distracting knowing we were talking about a real man but that the women in the story were largely creations. Whilst I'm sure this was out of respect for the real victims, it felt that the narrative was almost saying that their real stories were not of interest enough for a novel to be created about them. I would have almost preferred Knoll to create an entirely fictitious scenario, with nods to Bundy, instead.
Bright Young Women is a fictionalised look at the final murders and arrest of Ted Bundy, told from the perspective of women whose lives were changed forever by him - one, Pamela - the president of the sorority shaken by the murders of their friends and the other, Ruth, who is learning to find herself and her identity away from her overbearing mother after the death of her father.
Knoll clearly has a message that she wants to share through this novel - which is that a fascination with serial killers and the rise of true crime risks further magnifying and amplifying men who were not that special, and whose stories shield those of the people whose lives they have either ended or affected forever. Bundy goes unnamed within the text, and his smart suaveness that we've come to hear as a given from numerous stories about him is consistently disrupted through the pages of this novel.
However, Bundy is not the only man who comes out poorly within this novel. There are bad boyfriends, journalists who see the potential of a career gain as of greater importance than reporting the truth, police forces who want to take the most straightforward way out and members of the judicial system who struggle to see a charming man as anything other than a potential victim. Knoll is excellent at building this just pile-up of male incompetence throughout the novel, in direct contrast to the women who are coming together to support each other and never let the truth go. Knoll also brings to life the pain of women with bright lights and lives ahead of them being cut short which are usually buried in our considerations of true crime narratives.
I did feel that there was a lot going on within the pages of this novel though, and did feel like there were opportunities for it to be tighter. The fictionalisation also didn't necessarily always work for me, it was slightly distracting knowing we were talking about a real man but that the women in the story were largely creations. Whilst I'm sure this was out of respect for the real victims, it felt that the narrative was almost saying that their real stories were not of interest enough for a novel to be created about them. I would have almost preferred Knoll to create an entirely fictitious scenario, with nods to Bundy, instead.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Sexism, Violence, and Grief
sweetbean's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was a bit slow for me, but I was hooked. That is, until I realized the author simply took real life tragedy and repurposed it into a novel. It is one thing to take inspiration. It is another to use the exact stories of victims of unspeakable violence. I felt sick once I realized. Whatever message she wanted to share is ruined by the lack of respect for the real woman who were harmed.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Sexual violence, and Murder
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, and Alcohol
uniquelymace's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, Outing, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
kaylo88's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
Wow!!
I am a huge true crime fan and have been since as far back as I can remember. However, one of the things that always annoys me in the telling of these stories, whether that be fiction, non-fiction, film or podcasts,s, is how the perpetrator is usually the person talked about. The victims are a sidenote, and we're lucky if we get a short introduction to their background.
This has been the case throughout history. Even looking at cases like Jack the Ripper. The other thing that has always got under my skin, and I feel like it's come to light more in recent years, is that when there is a serial killer or rapist on the loose, it's always women who are told to change.
Don't wear certain clothes, don't go out at night, don't run alone, don't walk in the dark, don't get in taxis until you confirm they are legit, don't be overly sexual, don't entice men etc and there is often an othering of women especially in the press making them seem less human and at times deserving of what happened to them.
This is why I absolutely loved reading this book. It was an absolute breath of fresh air. I loved the storytelling, and despite being a fictional account, it's obvious that Knoll has researched the case extensively and has gone to great depths to keep as much of the story as factual as possible.
I loved the complexity of the main characters, who seemed incredibly real. Women with complex personalities with both likeable and disagreeable qualities.
I also love the fact that the killer isn't named, and when they are referred to, it is only as the defendant. I can honestly see him rolling in his grave to think that a female author has written such a compelling story about some of the women in this case and highlighting just how incompetent and forgettable he is.
I loved it!
I am a huge true crime fan and have been since as far back as I can remember. However, one of the things that always annoys me in the telling of these stories, whether that be fiction, non-fiction, film or podcasts,s, is how the perpetrator is usually the person talked about. The victims are a sidenote, and we're lucky if we get a short introduction to their background.
This has been the case throughout history. Even looking at cases like Jack the Ripper. The other thing that has always got under my skin, and I feel like it's come to light more in recent years, is that when there is a serial killer or rapist on the loose, it's always women who are told to change.
Don't wear certain clothes, don't go out at night, don't run alone, don't walk in the dark, don't get in taxis until you confirm they are legit, don't be overly sexual, don't entice men etc and there is often an othering of women especially in the press making them seem less human and at times deserving of what happened to them.
This is why I absolutely loved reading this book. It was an absolute breath of fresh air. I loved the storytelling, and despite being a fictional account, it's obvious that Knoll has researched the case extensively and has gone to great depths to keep as much of the story as factual as possible.
I loved the complexity of the main characters, who seemed incredibly real. Women with complex personalities with both likeable and disagreeable qualities.
I also love the fact that the killer isn't named, and when they are referred to, it is only as the defendant. I can honestly see him rolling in his grave to think that a female author has written such a compelling story about some of the women in this case and highlighting just how incompetent and forgettable he is.
I loved it!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, and Murder