Reviews tagging 'Injury/Injury detail'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

91 reviews

daybreakreads's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

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

1.0

Why do I listen to coworkers’ book recs before looking up a book? I have a Criminology degree that’s collecting dust, and despite my distaste for many women’s obsession with true crime (in the sense it has made close friends and family anxious and paranoid about living in a ground floor apartment, in addition to it glamorizing or romanticizing the worst aspects of humanity) I found the concept intriguing. Ah yes, here is a novel that supposedly focuses on the real human effect of heinous crimes, rather than obsessing over the monster that committed them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Dementia

Moderate: Sexual content, Violence, Rape, and Medical trauma

Minor: Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Suicidal thoughts

achay91's review against another edition

emotional sad slow-paced

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

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Death, Murder, Sexism, Body horror, Gore, Misogyny, Grief, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Rape

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Eating disorder, Incest, Death of parent, and Homophobia

foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad slow-paced

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

4.5

This story is a fictionalized account of the Ted Bundy case, but instead focuses on the lives of his victims and their loved ones. I didn’t know anything about Ted Bundy before reading it, and I thought it was good that I didn’t have that background so I could pay more attention to the characters themselves and the impact violence has on the people left behind.  

A big strength of this novel were the dual POVs, and I think that fans of true crime will really appreciate this one. As someone who’s just gotten into true crime this year, it does give off a similar vibe to the podcasts I listen to. But it’s important to note that this book is based on real events and reflect on what that might mean for the victims, survivors and those in their lives. 

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for a gifted digital copy of this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexism, Gore, Death, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Violence, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Grief

Minor: Sexual content

debhawkins's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

5.0

This book was such a hard read but one that will stick with me. It gave great insight on the trauma that the friends and family of the victims endured. Also how lives could have been saved if law enforcement did their job. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual violence, Death, Rape, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Homophobia and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

barbarella85's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Rape, and Sexual violence

Minor: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, and Incest

abicaro17's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

2.25

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. On one hand, the story of a woman, traumatized by her best friends brutal murder, becoming a Colombia educated laywer and testifying against the man who brutalized her is so profoundly cool. On the other hand, this story lacks character. Pamela is a pretty flat character. She is organized and truth seeking but thats all she is and that never changes. Also this book did not need to be dual pov. Tina could have explained Ruths story and it could have been up to the readers to determine if she was telling the truth. The book spells out everything and anything thats a mystery. Also by writing a Ted Bundy book it just keeps his memory and crimes alive. I think the intention was the show that he wasn't clever just lucky thats everyone else was dumber but, it mostly just comes about like a retelling from fake pov. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Cursing, Homophobia, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Bullying, Classism, Gaslighting, Grief, Incest, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Lesbophobia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Torture, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Medical content, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Sexism

david_slack110507's review

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

I was really intrigued by the premise of the book and what it was going to follow and I'm glad that it did not disappoint and was just as interesting as what was promised. I really liked having the dual timelines of Pamela and Ruth, with Pamela's following on from a huge event and leading up to its eventual consequences while Ruth's was leading up to a fate that seemingly had nothing to do with her own story but we knew was going to happen regardless.  

I think having Ruth's story be something completely detached from the Ted Bundy-inspired serial killer plotline of Pamela's story made Ruth's ending all the more effective as it showcased what could happen at any moment, especially when your life is beginning to get better, but I also just really liked Ruth's story due to its focus on the acceptance of who you are and freeing yourself from the judgement of others as shown in Ruth's discovery of her sexuality when she meets and eventually falls in love with Tina. However, as much as I like Ruth's story, I think I was more invested in Pamela's search for justice against the man that had wronged her sorority house, as not only was it what the premise of the book but also because it just intrigued me more seeing the situation unfold and how that can be compared in many similar and different ways to now. 

Both storylines help present the theme of needing to put women's stories and experiences to the forefront of situations like the one in this book and its aforementioned inspiration rather than putting all the attention and sadly oftentimes subsequent idolisation on the perpetrator of horrible and sickening crimes. Keeping the perpetrator's name hidden under the nickname 'The Defendant' not only avoided giving power to the serial killer that it was based on but also allowed for it to be unilateral in not giving power to all those who have committed terrible acts of violence and violation and instead keeping the women in the spotlight when they are so often ignored even when they are front and centre like with Pamela as a witness or The Defendant's female attorney being the smartest on his team. 

I feel like this is just a really important book to read that has many important messages just beyond the criminal and legal aspects mentioned in this review and in the book, such as social issues like the way that lesbians and queer people were seen around that time, the lack of faith in women and their stories/beliefs, and I also liked how it commented on the seemingly necessary need to characterise every man that avoided the legal system due to said lack of faith in women and/or their privilege as being 'smart', essentially acting as an excuse to cover up the incompetence in the police and justice systems for letting it go on for so long. 

Overall, this raises many important questions and focuses on many necessary themes that should be discussed in more detail as well as striking a careful balance between not making it too explicit without making it seem watered down to make it easier to digest. It does not shy away from the explicit nature of the case but is not defined by having it as part of the plot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Gaslighting, Blood, Sexual violence, Grief, Physical abuse, Rape, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Body horror, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Cursing, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Gore, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Dementia, Medical content, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Gun violence, and Pedophilia

moriahleigh's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual violence, and Sexism

stilestastic's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual violence, Violence, Rape, Body horror, Death, Murder, Outing, Dysphoria, Grief, Sexual assault, Injury/Injury detail, and Blood

Moderate: Eating disorder, Gore, Cursing, and Dementia

chloeve's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Very interesting take on the women involved with Ted Bundy. I'm not sure if it's any of this book has true parts to it though. However, it was slow at times and hard for me to pick up. I really enjoyed the ending, which saved my opinion of the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Sexual violence, Murder, Blood, Grief, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Infertility, Alcohol, Pregnancy, and Kidnapping