A review by tyreadsbooks_
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.5

⁕ 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 : 

-feminism + female empowerment

-true crime + crime fiction

-based on true events

- emotional writing

-nonlinear timelines

-multiple POVs
-character driven plots
-LGBTQIA+ Representation

-psychological suspense

-Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka 

 ⁕ 𝙈𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 :

Bright Young Women is an absolute gem of a book I let sit on my TBR for too long. 

Knoll blends facts with fiction seamlessly with a clever combination of true crime, 1970s historical fiction, thriller, & psychological suspense. She tears apart the narrative that this killer was some sort of “brilliant mastermind” & exposes him for what he was - a mediocre, incompetent misogynist - without ever saying his name. 

This story highlights the exceptional women whose lives were cut short rather than sensationalizing the man behind their vicious attacks. It’s complex & chilling, it's graphic without being exploitative, it’s disturbing & heartbreaking & poetic. It was so completely believable that at times I was convinced I was reading a memoir. I was blown away by how emotionally invested I was in these characters. 

The nonlinear timeline & multiple POVS made following the plot a bit confusing at times, but that didn’t stop me from being completely engrossed in the story. I highly recommend it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Sexual assault, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail