Reviews with content warning for Eating disorder - Bright Young Women

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

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izzy_v's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I devoured this book — it might be the first book I ever re-read (it was that good and there were a bunch of details I might pick up on better the second time).
I’m not usually a thriller/scary book fan and there were definitely very dark parts of the book but it wasn’t so graphic and detailed or suspenseful that it kept me up at night. I really enjoyed the tone shift away from glorifying the killer, and instead empowering the women involved. Really phenomenal, would read again (which I never say).

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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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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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ahopson's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I was not ready for how much this book would put a hold on me. The descriptive writing really puts you into the narrator’s shoes. The mix of real life events fictionalization really pulls you in deep. I loved that it was focused on the victims and survivors and he is only known as the defendant on the writing to weaken his power.

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sadielouise05's review against another edition

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dark emotional informative medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

I never knew I needed a telling of this story from a female perspective, to think and feel in character of the girls hurt by The Defendant, but now I know that I did.

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jessiejonesbentley's review against another edition

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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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pomifer's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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