Reviews tagging 'Stalking'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

40 reviews

thissagreads's review

challenging dark sad tense slow-paced

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

1.75

Loved that the author did not glorify or glamorize the killer. But The Place was too slow. Additionally, when listening to the audio, there were too many time jumps back and forth without clarification, and I felt the story dragged out much longer than needed. Basically this is a story based on

Ted Bundy and the monstrous murder crimes he committed at a FL girls sorority house,

but no one really figures out how to move forward or heal, and it’s realistic and quite saddening. I think the book got caught in the weeds of how much men and misogynistic viewpoints by the general public are total garbage, because I feel like it’s common knowledge now. And I could be wrong, but glorifying a murderer because of his looks is terribly wild and sadistic. So while I’m glad the characters were fighting against stupid judicial systems, looking for justice, I wish the focus was more on the healing and grief journey. Lots of trauma too so reader be wary.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Stalking, Rape, Misogyny, and Body horror

Moderate: Homophobia

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

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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

litbrett's review

dark emotional informative sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Lesbophobia, Stalking, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Dementia, Grief, Blood, Death, and Murder

lollymac's review against another edition

reflective 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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Grief, Child death, Death, and Homophobia

Minor: Sexual harassment, Stalking, Torture, Murder, Rape, Infidelity, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, and Sexism

crystalclearfairytales's review against another edition

medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? N/A

4.75

"Sometimes I think The Defendant is just another old wives' tale. That law enforcement backed up his self-purported claims of brilliance to cover up their own incompetence -- in interviews they have the media, in testimonies they made before the judge -- and it all cemented from there, hardening into a generational truth passed down from mother to daughter. Consider this my own warning: The man was no diabolical genius. He was your run-of-the-mill incel whom I caught picking his nose in the courtroom. More than once."

This book did such a good job at demonstrating how the media and law enforcement have painted well-known serial killers as charismatic geniuses to cover up their own negligence. The way the author completely stripped away serial killer's identity by labelling him as 'The Defendant' perfectly conveyed how small he was. The author did not hold back in describing the misogyny, carelessness, and deceit that was heavily involved in this case which really goes to show how serial killers have had the spotlight for so long. It was satisfying that a book about crime did not glamorize the murderer or hearings in any capacity for once.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Rape, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Death, Grief, Sexual violence, and Sexual assault

hanhantap's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

4.25

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Suicide, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Forced institutionalization, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Child abuse

kelsimarirobb's review

challenging dark reflective 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

Based on Ted Bundy

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Stalking, Death of parent, Grief, Kidnapping, Rape, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Blood, and Murder

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.

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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

frannieman's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Stalking, Kidnapping, and Violence

hannahduda's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Violence, Rape, Stalking, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Homophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Incest, Sexual content, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Blood, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Sexual assault