Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

130 reviews

lazstearns's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, and Murder

Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, and Kidnapping

Minor: Car accident, Death of parent, and Dysphoria

jesscad's review against another edition

dark emotional medium-paced

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

4.0

Based upon the true story of Ted Bundy, Jessica Knoll tells of the famous Chi Omega murders from the perspective of a fictionalized survivor and witness. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

maggies's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

5.0

This is not a fun book. It took me significantly longer than usual to finish it because I never looked forward to reading it. And yet I think it may be among the best books I'll read this year. I was consistently angry while reading, but as Tina explained to her patient at the conference, sometimes anger is justified. Misogyny and bigotry cost us so much, and my heart broke over and over for Tina, Ruth, Rebecca, Pamela, and all the sorority sisters. Such a well written and important story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Rape, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

biladhaa's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, and Blood

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Misogyny, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

jazzmarie22's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

wow wow wow—this book was so much more than i was expecting. it feels like being seen (as a woman) in a major way even if this isn’t explicitly something that a person has had to deal with. it’s the idea of being constantly questioned and not believed because of who you are. this book was AMAZING.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Outing

bellsdixon's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Pedophilia, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Toxic friendship, and Pandemic/Epidemic

Minor: Gun violence, Stalking, and Pregnancy

lapuce1006's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Rape, and Kidnapping

ashley_turch's review against another edition

dark mysterious reflective slow-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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Child death and Death of parent

kjlewis494's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Kidnapping, and Lesbophobia

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