Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

10 reviews

bella_cavicchi's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

4.5

Stunning and startling in equal turn. I greatly admire how Knoll weaves the theme of sisterhood throughout, not in an icky "girl boss"/white feminism way but, rather, in a profound call to reconsider—to remember—the shared responsibility we hold to do better for each other. A true sucker punch of a novel, one that I'd think would pair well with A Tiny Upward Shove.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Violence, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Rape, Child death, Cursing, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Infidelity

Minor: Pregnancy and Eating disorder

pastlifetragedy's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious 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

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Religious bigotry, Homophobia, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Rape, Medical trauma, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Misogyny, Blood, Gore, Kidnapping, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Dementia, Gaslighting, Grief, Murder, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Minor: Religious bigotry, Stalking, Infidelity, and Pedophilia

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. 

---

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 against another edition

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. 

---

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

stilestastic's review

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

---

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

sailormegan's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

Bright Young Women was an incredible read that highlighted the amazing women who survived and then conquered the serial killer Ted Bundy. 

We see the strengths and intelligence of these women and not just as victims or letting authorities brush them aside. We see Bundy displayed as the despicable, gross, human he always was and not this distinguished, attractive, made-a-wrong-decision man that the media and Judge made him out to be. 

These women really are brought to life in a way that was never done at the time of the trial. 

I don’t typically notice or care when an author chooses a POV but Jessica’s use of first-person was the correct one. I was living the life of a woman who was dragging herself from a hole and into a beautiful new life only to have it taken from her too soon. I was in that sorority house witnessing the defendant run out the front door, standing by what I saw without a doubt no matter who challenged and questioned me. My heart clenched, my blood boiled. I had nightmares….

Anyways…. I hope I got it across that this was truly a fab book. Maybe I over-hyped it. But if you ever looked at this book and thought you’d like to read it, here’s your sign to just do it!  Don’t come at me if you hate it because I will not listen 🤣 jk… ?

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Death, Medical trauma, Murder, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual assault, Dementia, Cursing, Grief, Lesbophobia, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Blood, and Rape

Minor: Alcoholism, Pedophilia, and Addiction

honeybeewitched87's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense 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

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Biphobia, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Misogyny, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Bullying, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Gun violence, Cursing, Death, Gore, Murder, Physical abuse, and Rape

imstephtacular's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Toxic relationship, Violence, Sexism, Blood, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Misogyny, Lesbophobia, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual violence, Mental illness, Body shaming, Death of parent, Rape, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Classism, Cursing, Sexual content, Dementia, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, and Alcohol

Minor: War, Vomit, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gun violence, Racism, Kidnapping, Incest, Religious bigotry, Stalking, and Physical abuse

augustinedreams's review against another edition

dark reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? N/A
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

2.75

I like the theme & motifs of this book, about sexism & glorification of murders against woman. Very powerful. But this is more of a law/court drama than the thriller I wanted or thought it was.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Eating disorder, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Death, Grief, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Vomit, Murder, and Rape

bookishbabe93's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

5.0

A refreshing and important perspective on a story we’ve heard a thousand times. Beautifully written.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, and Cursing

Moderate: Misogyny, Sexism, and Murder

Minor: Vomit, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape