Reviews tagging 'Body shaming'

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll

17 reviews

alexflagg'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? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Kidnapping, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Dementia, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Murder, Sexism, and Homophobia

Minor: Body shaming, Incest, Eating disorder, and Forced institutionalization

basicallykaitie's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

This book will live in my mind for the rest of my existence. Make no mistake that this book is heavy, but it is necessary. This is the way I have been waiting to hear true crime discussed since I was a teenager and I think a part of me was healed to know that the victims were finally centers in someone’s narrative of any event. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Murder, Sexual assault, Homophobia, Violence, Sexual violence, and Gore

Minor: Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, and Eating disorder

lisa00's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-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? No

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Murder, Sexual violence, Sexism, Child abuse, Child death, Body shaming, Violence, Rape, Sexual assault, Outing, Kidnapping, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Death, Sexual harassment, Stalking, and Blood

Moderate: Homophobia and Lesbophobia

Minor: Incest and Pandemic/Epidemic

slipp99's review against another edition

emotional reflective 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? It's complicated

4.0

feminine rage

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, and Homophobia

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

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

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 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. 

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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

amberrose1995's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective sad medium-paced

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

5.0

I loved this book! So well written and so many quotable passages. I'm so pleased that the defendant's name was never mentioned and that is was focussed on how brilliant the women were. I would absolutely recommend

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Body shaming, Blood, Violence, and Death

shacara_shacara's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Murder, Medical trauma, Lesbophobia, Violence, Rape, Body shaming, Torture, Mental illness, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

deetabz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Murder, Violence, Child abuse, Kidnapping, Pedophilia, Homophobia, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Death of parent, Confinement, Car accident, Dementia, Gaslighting, and Grief

Minor: Infidelity, Incest, and Alcohol