Reviews tagging 'Pedophilia'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

37 reviews

reverendmix's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Bullying, Child abuse, Body horror, Child death, Torture, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Rape, Violence, Kidnapping, Gore, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Sexual assault

rex15's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

5.0

An amazing book I do recommended to everyone (but do be conscious of sensitive material discussed). As a casual enjoyed of true crime this book is such a necessary read. It centralizes victims and demistifies serial killers that are often put in a pedestal. It very masterfully showcases the harm that society imposes unto victims and survivor  by expecting a perfect victim and speaks of the harm of these expectations. The pain, grief and humiliations created not only by what they have been through but also by the justice system and media. It also touches on more casual examples of misogyny and sexism that are equally as infuriating as they are validating to everyone that has experienced it. It is so easy to fall in love with these women and the prose makes it so you cheer for their wins and cry for everything else. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, Homophobia, Pedophilia, and Murder

meh697's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-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

I appreciated how the plot was framed around the women, and the perpetrator was only addressed as "The Defendant". As someone who has been learning about true crime cases for most of my life, I recognized the prominent case early on in the book. It still held my attention and presented the side of crime that rarely gets justice.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Murder

Minor: Incest

tnociti's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Pedophilia

summerofsoaps's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad 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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexism, Pedophilia, Blood, Misogyny, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Dementia, Murder, Rape, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Violence, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Death of parent, Eating disorder, Adult/minor relationship, and Grief

Minor: Incest

katndrsn's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Murder, Violence, Grief, and Death

Moderate: Pedophilia, Gore, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Dementia, Physical abuse, Death of parent, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Outing and Vomit

vicious's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad 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? No

4.75

I can't stop thinking about this book. It has left an indelible impression on me.

I listened to it via audiobook which may have been to my advantage as I never felt bogged down by the writing style (it's also very much my style anyway, so it's plausible reading it physically would have been fine). The narrators were incredible.

It's true that Pamela is a bit insufferable in the beginning; there were times where she could be grating, but I think that's the mark of a dynamic character. Over time, she really grew on me, and I think that's partly because she herself went through significant growth. I eventually began eagerly looking forward to her chapters.

Ruth could also be equally as insufferable; again, this isn't a flaw of the book. Quite the opposite. Characters with distinct flaws are, in my opinion, easier to adore. 

I love that the book never called the killer anything but "the defendant," robbing him of a name and the fictional fame tied to him. Yes, he is reminiscent of Bundy, but that's not what matters. The book is about the victims, both those who died and those who survived. And it's about the mark left on the survivors for the remainder of their lives. It's a bittersweet tale. Not happy, certainly sad, but definitive and concise. It's not supposed to be a happy tale, but neither does it need to be a tragedy.

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Lesbophobia, Violence, Homophobia, and Sexual violence

Minor: Sexism and Eating disorder

spicycronereads's review

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.5

Ack! Audiobook loan expired before I finished! So I ended up listening to most of this book and then having a pretty long gap between when I heard the last two hours or so. Thinking back to my initial listen and thoughts, I didn’t really find the characters likable. There was enough of a mystery to keep me engaged though.

It’s a thriller with no romance elements. The story is narrated from two points of view over multiple time periods. So that gets a little confusing. And then at the end suddenly there’s a male narrator which really felt like it came out of left field. A lot of the narrative hinges on women bonding together over the violence done by men and forming support networks among systems that failed them.

In terms of diversity there are a few lesbian characters. No racial diversity that I can tell. And obviously no spice or swooniness. 

Overall, it was an entertaining listen. The mystery of how everything fit together and the larger themes of society failing women were pretty engaging. Don’t know that I’ll ever need to listen to it or read it again.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Toxic relationship, Homophobia, Misogyny, Violence, and Lesbophobia

Moderate: Sexual assault, Rape, and Stalking

Minor: Incest, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, and Child abuse

Police incompetence; police gaslighting

abbyrose333's review

challenging emotional medium-paced

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

4.5

This is either a 4.5 or a 5 star book. The writing is impeccable, the story is flawless.
I listened to this book on audio and I found myself zoning out and missing parts but that is not a flaw of the book or audio. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Pedophilia

oz2021's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Body horror, and Grief

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, and Gaslighting