Reviews with content warning for Incest - Bright Young Women

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.

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summerofsoaps's review against another edition

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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

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pollyem's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

4.0

“Law enforcement would rather we remember a dull man as brilliant than take a good hard look at the role they played in this absolute sideshow, and I am sick to death of watching them in their pressed shirts and cowboy boots, in their comfortable leather interview chairs, in hugely successful and critically acclaimed crime documentaries, talking about the intelligence and charm and wiliness of an ordinary misogynist."

This book is a peak behind the curtain into 'impossible grief'. Pamela loses her best-friend to someone whom reporters portray as a cunning, attractive man who used these skills to his advantage when women fell at his feet. This couldn't be further from the truth.
A page-turning dive into the misogyny towards victims and the discovery that there is no perfect way to be a victim. This is a fictionalised account of the story that is so often glossed over in the obsession with 'The Defendant'. The power of survivors and their hunger for truth and justice.
Knoll's writing style was captivating, leaving me wanting to read on, even as rage boiled within me. If you want a read with a darker side, that will light a spark in your belly, this book could be for you.
To my fellow survivors, I see you.
Tread carefully.

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spicycronereads's review against another edition

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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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hannahduda's review against another edition

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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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fancyjess_party's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? No

4.25

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