Reviews with content warning for Murder - Bright Young Women

This is one of the books that got me back into reading after a bit of a slump. A well written, women-centered, victim-centered novelization of one of the most well known crimes of one of the most infamous serial killers in America’s history - without ever saying the nose picker’s name. A true crime novel that reframes the narrative to lift up the women affected and poke holes in the media driven narrative of a charismatic, brilliant man who was anything but. A powerful look at the way that societal expectations and misogyny -not charisma - enabled a mediocre man to target brilliant women, escape prison, elude capture, and continue killing (while getting glorified in the press)

A great book for anyone who likes true crime - but is sick of True Crime.

Content Warnings

kayleestout's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious 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? No

4.0

Content Warnings

nicolebliss's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-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

5.0

Content Warnings

lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I was very excited to pick this up because of how much I enjoyed "Luckiest Girl Alive" last year.
"Bright Young Women" follows two women, who have never met, but who are bonded by their determination to uncover the truth. Pamela is the president of the top sorority at Florida State University. She is bright, driven, and on track to become a very successful lawyer after she graduates Florida State and enters law school. Tragically, in January 1978, she is awoken from her sleep at the sorority house to discover that several of her sisters were brutally murdered. Around the same time, in Seattle, Tina is finally making peace with her life. She meets an interesting woman named Ruth, who captures her attention. Unfortunately, Ruth disappears one day, and Tina is determined to seek the justice for Ruth in spite of Ruth's family's insistence to sweep it under the rug.
I was entirely captivated by this story, and I did not want to put it down. Though quirky, Pamela is such a strong character, and reading about her pragmatic approach to this horrible event was strangely calming. I was rooting for her, and I wanted to see her seek the feminist justice she deserved. Her ease of detachment from what was happening near her was impressive.
My heart broke for Ruth at every turn. She had such a rough life with her mother's constant criticism, and just when she was finally gaining some happiness, it was cruelly taken from her. I wanted more for her.
I loved how the story ultimately came together and I really enjoyed how the characters became connected. It is interesting to think about how people we have never met, are connected to our stories. I also think it is fascinating that the author used a real-life crime as inspiration for this story.
I have not stopped thinking about this story since I finished it, and I highly recommend it!

Content Warnings

florecita_lectora's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective tense 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? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

shakira19's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.0

Content Warnings

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