Bright Young Women
Ratings132
Average rating4.2
I want to be into it, but I just can't get into the sorority scene even when it's based on a true story.
Heartbreaking story, fantastic writing, excellent social commentary on sexism, loved the protagonists.
When I first finished this I thought about the things I enjoyed. The focus of the crimes being on the victims and how some stood against him and how he wasn't “clever” and a genius. But the longer I've sat on this review the more things started unraveling. To be honest, it started when she mentions the movie with Zac Efron and how we didn't need any other story about “the suspect”, but what exactly is it that the author is doing? Just because she doesn't write his name doesn't mean he isn't the story. The book is described as “inspired by” but this was too close to the actual events for it to feel as if she stole this. She changed some things, which almost at this point felt disrespectful. Erasing a victim and completely while including others felt gross. If I had known how close this was to the real crimes I wouldn't have read it. Bundy holds no allure for me. I am in the camp of he is not, nor was he ever, worth our time. So, this isn't really a book I'll be recommending to friends.
For the love of all things holy, read this book! It's captivating and a great commentary on the role of the media and the glorification of serial killers. Wonderfully written and not giving the killer a name throughout the book - I AM HERE FOR IT.
wow wow wow—this book was so much more than i was expecting. it feels like being seen (as a woman) in a major way even if this isn't explicitly something that a person has had to deal with. it's the idea of being constantly questioned and not believed because of who you are. this book was AMAZING.
This was a cover read. Sort of. One of my friends had read it and enjoyed it, but going into it I didn't know what to expect.
It's fiction, but it read like a true crime which I thought was really neat.
I know it was inspired by true events which probably contributed to that true crime feeling.
I definitely didn't want to put this one down as I read it. I couldn't get enough.
Once I finished it I went out and bought Jessica Knoll's other two thrillers I liked this one so much.
This is not the typical story about one of America's most infamous serial killers (who will remain nameless as he does in the book) in which the criminal is portrayed as a brilliant mastermind. Instead, this book tells the story through a different lens with the focus on the women he victimized and those who helped to bring him to justice. In that sense, it reminds me a bit of Notes on an Execution. Knoll creates a highly engaging, female-centered narrative that leaves the reader feeling both frustrated at society's glorification of the criminal and encouraged by the strength of the women impacted by his actions.
The book is told from the perspectives of Pamela Schumacher and Ruth Wachowsky in two separate timelines. Pamela is the president of the sorority attacked by the Defendant (as he is called in the book) in January of 1978, and Ruth is one of his victims in Washington state in the summer of 1974. Pamela and Tina, Ruth's friend, join forces after the sorority attack to find evidence that the police will take seriously in order to catch this killer.
This version of the well-known story seeks to actively diminish the image of this infamous killer and highlight the strength and innocence of his victims. The book criticizes the way in which the women are often portrayed as having invited violence by their behavior. Knoll correctly displays them as blameless, though not perfect, and focuses on their courage.
This is a really interesting book that reads quickly and effortlessly. I would recommend it to anyone, especially readers looking for a different take on over-glamourized serial murderer.
Took me a while to pick up and come back to this one. An excellent telling of a terrible time. Absolutely despicable to know the details of what happened. This was all before my time, but to know that times haven't changed much is sad.
Riveting. Devastating. So sad.
I really love how this story unfolds. It had such a grasp on me trying to uncover the mystery of what happened, what's going on, what needs to be uncovered.
I kept wondering how are these women connected? It left me on edge, reading FURIOUSLY towards the end.
These are such intelligent women, I love how the story highlights not only the shortcomings of these characters but their reason for why they are the way they are. The characters were humanized so well, you could deceive me and tell me these are real people.
The ending feels so sad, the vivid memories remind me of The Lovely Bones movie. I won't spoil it any further, but I thought the ending was a special touch; the closure was much needed.
UGH SO GOOOOOOOD
Flew through this book in two sittings (would have been one if sleep wasn't unfortunately necessary at 6am)
I don't have a lot to add to the other positive reviews, the things I liked about the book are well covered. Based on the more negative or lukewarm reviews, I think the main sticking point is what you want to get out of the book. I don't really consume true crime content, and I picked this up because in general I mostly read books focused on women's perspectives. I suspect that many of the people who did not enjoy this book so much were fairly familiar with the case going in, and I can see why a blend of true crime and fiction would be offputting or lack tension in that context, but I didn't have that issue.
I think if you're looking for a traditional thriller, this probably is not a book for you, because it is not that. But if you enjoy books focused on women, their perspectives and inner lives, the ways in which male violence and incompetence affects them, etc, then you will get a lot out of this book.
This was a heavy read for me, and knowing that this is based on real life events just felt like a bottomless pit in my stomach the whole time.
I love the feminist commentary, the fact that he is never named, and the beautiful way the book portrays the victims, because they were humans with complete lives too, not just numbers on a board.
Also wonderful commentary about the incompetence of the legal system, sensationalisation of serial killings by the media, and the absolute trauma of having to live through your terrible experience over and over again.
Chosen by my book club. Overall, a good read/listen. The characters were well-developed, and you got a good sense of why they behaved the way they did. I got a little tired of the back and forth between Ruth and Pam, and the different time periods. I understood that it was necessary, but sometimes these books take more effort than others.
I didn't like the way the book ended. It seemed that the book was so full of detail, and caught up in a lot of minutia. The book's ending was just like... plop! Here you go.
2.5 stars
Let's start with the good. I liked how the author didn't name the “bad guy” (although it was clear who the story was based on) of the book and instead referred to him as the Defendant. Too often with true crime we focus on the crime and the person who committed it. We give them the attention they are seeking while the victims stories are forgotten. This is very much the story of the victims and it humanized them. We saw the impacts of the crime rather than focusing on the crime/violence itself which I thought was important.
I just felt like it was slow and I was bored reading most of it. At one point I felt I could have skipped to the end and I wouldn't have missed much. I guess I was hoping for a fast paced story.
Wow! I can't believe this is the same author who wrote “The Favourite Sister.” That was abysmal. Bright Young Women on the other hand is smart and sensitive, giving the victims of a monster a voice and autonomy. Bravo Jessica Knoll.
Wow, I started this kind of unsure if I'd be into it and wondering how it would stay interesting after the first couple of chapters. But I was engrossed by the different stories and relationships and it really made me feel both seen and furious reading about the treatment of women throughout the decades. A very beautiful look into the lives of women fighting to be heard and find their place in a society that makes both things difficult.
it's a difficult book to read. to be honest, who in their right minds would choose to read something like this. I was interested in it because of its claim of being told from the perspective of female victims. I'm not sure sure how I feel about the whole inspired by a real story premise. it's difficult to know what is real and what isn't, so I'm just going to assume that everything is fictionalised. it's well written. the author does a great job of describing the gory details without detailing the gory acts.
the author has a tendency to introduce an event early on while describing it in a way that feels monumental. but when she finally gets to describing the event, it doesn't feel as large in scope. the alternating perspectives kept things interesting and served as a good way to break up more difficult to swallow events.
SUCH a breath of fresh air & wonderful take on a thriller. Every character was so real. Flawed but so fleshed out.
The reading slump is OVERRRRR
fuck fuck fuck fuck, i am so glad i took this off my dnf list and gave it another chance, but i'm genuinely not okay after ruth and pamela's last chapters, i am so not okay, but this book is sooo good. There is a bit of a pacing issue but it's all worth it at the end.
oh boy.
Let's start with what's good - it is a page turner, the writing is dynamic, and the characters compelling. I could easily see myself liking it quite a lot, if only!
If only.
Knoll should've made the story completely fictionalised. As it is, there are too many details literally lifted from reality and inserted into the story. For example, I don't understand why some names were changed to fictional ones, and some left as they really are. It was uncomfortable, until I read that, according to the author, Caryn Campbell was killed in 1973, and I saw white.
This was the moment when the name should have been changed. You can't - CAN'T - move the actual murder that happened two years forward because it fits your plot better this way. To say it's disgraceful and improper is to say nothing.
I was certain that it can't get worse after this, and yet Knoll still managed to! Quite impressive, honestly. I was raising my brows at the fact that she replaced one of the women that disappeared at Lake Sammamish from the beginning. But I was not ready to see Janice Ott removed completely and having a fictional character inserted in her place. Down to the bike. To what Janice was wearing that day. To have her conversation with Ted quoted literally word for word. Seriously, I have checked. Because nothing says more to concentrate on the victims and their perspective than erasing the real, actual victim, putting a puppet in her place, and keeping every single detail about her encounter with her killer.
I was going to list some minor things that irritated me, but you know what, I'm done. It could've been really good, instead I'm disgusted more with the author than the killer she describes, which is an achievement.