This book really just took me for a ride. I loved the build up, the character development, and the writing. I would definitely read more from this author!

This is an interesting character driven novel. It felt like a true crime podcast and provides insight relating to the lasting impact of the infamous real case. The novel is told from the POV of one of the women victimized and a woman seeking justice on behalf of one of the victims. I liked that the novel gives the survivors and victims only a voice. We get to know their stories without them being overshadowed by killers infamy. The killer is not named and has no POV in this novel. It's a unique and intriguing perspective which I enjoyed. The killer doesn't deserve to be named. We get to know their stories who they were these Bright Young Women. It is told in alternating timelines which could be a bit confusing. The novel was very slow paced and dragged for me. I was also not all that interested in the characters which made me less engaged with the story. I enjoyed the concept but didn't love the execution.

Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll is a novel inspired by America's first celebrity serial killer. There were a lot of different timelines and different threads in this story, and they all tied up pretty well at the end. This was a well-written book, but it unfortunately was not memorable. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed the author's previous work ("Luckiest Girl Alive" now on streaming), so I requested this one... it's generally very good, centering on a serial-killer spree in Florida (and the Northwest) & the unnamed "defendant". The 70's were the real heyday of serial killers and this really captures the sense of those times very well. Of course, this is modeled on the true crime spree of Ted Bundy, but it's a work of fiction - I might have preferred it either fictionalized a bit more or written as a "true crime" story (though A. Rule did that pretty darn well already). Still very, very readable. My sincere thanks to Net Galley & the publisher for the complimentary DRC - opinions & rating my own

BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN
𝙹𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚌𝚊 𝙺𝚗𝚘𝚕𝚕
Out now

👩‍💼 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜:
I read this first before it came out and couldn’t really articulate my thoughts. So I read it this time as a buddy read and it really helped me to slow down and take everything in. I’m old enough that I remember a good bit of the crime this is based on and the subsequent events. I was 10 (IKIK) when I read Ann Rule’s book, and I was in my freshman year of college when it ended. So I went into this knowing more than the average person.

I really like that Jessica Knoll gave it a duality. It was obviously made to give the victims and survivors a voice (which, still, it’s being called the “***** book” so I don’t know that everyone caught on to that…). BUT it also was to show that he wasn’t what he was portrayed to be… that he wasn’t all that smart or charismatic. After the Netflix series people were all… I would’ve gone with him. He was so good looking. 😐 The story needed to be told from this side.

My only wish is that we had gotten an author’s note. I watched Jessica’s IG and saw her stories where she had done her research and so I had a little insight but I wish it had been put into the book. Also, the reasoning behind changing some victims names but not others. I know some people I’ve spoken with questioned why do this and should it just not be called true crime and not fictional true crime. Having researched it myself, I know that there are characters and storylines that don’t exist in real life so that is why but an author’s note would help clarify that for those who are coming to this as new to the crime. I still think the story is amazing and consider it one of the best I’ve ever read.

💜𝚁𝙸𝚈𝙻:
true crime
feminist pov
1970s
taking the narrative back

Thank you @marysueruccibooks @_simonelement @jessicaknollauthor for my review copy, I also listened to the audio version on @everand_us
These thoughts are my own.

I am a little saddened to say that this was difficult for me to get though and it was't the content material. I absolutely loved The Luckiest Girl Alive and was really looking forward to this. I've always been interested in the events surrounding the person this was based off of. There were some interesting elements and parts of this story that I really enjoyed and others were just a bore. I kept putting it down and picking it back up and it took me months to finish. For those reasons I had to go with a 2 star rating. That is not to say you should't give this book a shot. What is not for me may very well be for others! Take a chance.

I loved this take on a serial killer. I enjoyed that it was told in dual timelines and perspectives. I love the way Knoll writes especially how she writes her victims. This story was compelling and I highly recommend this read.

⭐⭐/5

• true crime fiction
• repetitive

For me, there were too many POVs/timelines which made it hard to follow. It did start out strong with an interesting premise, but I just couldn't really get into it.

🗣️ Thank you to @netgalley and Simon Element for the opportunity to read and review this book via gifted eARC! All opinions are honest and my own.

I think this book was very well written and I enjoyed it to some degree, but I also think it was terribly slow and the narrator was a bit hard to feel invested in. I don't mind a slow burn if I like being in the narrator's head and I don't always mind an unlikable narrator if the story is compelling, but a slow moving plot with a grating narrator was a little too much for me to emphatically recommend this book.

The timelines were confusing and I think a lot of Ruth's storyline could have either been removed or explained in a different way to suit the story. I loved the ending though!

Here is an amazing, beautifully written book that completely hurt my feelings. It’s essentially a criticism of our True Crime obsessed behavior, a condemnation of how often we know the names of serial killers but not their victims. It’s also a very feminist work, spanning decades of strong women breaking norms and slaying in their fields. Pamela is a terrific protagonist I feel such a kinship with. Ruth’s final chapters broke me, but Pamela’s friendship with Tina saved it all. If this book doesn’t make you angry, I don’t know what will.

I love true crime. I love domestic thrillers. I am fascinated by Ted Bundy and the way his *messed up mind worked. Bright Young Woman takes all of these and spins the chaos into the most twisted, fictional take on the Bundy murders I have read. This book is dark. This book is hard to read. This book has a lot of true crime details in it. But, Jessica Knoll takes all of these things and turns it into a masterpiece novel.

This isn’t the book I was expecting. I was expecting another thriller. This is beautiful and heavy and sad and dark and poignant. Took me longer to get through than I thought but it’ll stick with me even longer.

This was SUCH a refreshing change of pace from the typical "based on a true crime story" adaptation. So often so little attention is paid to the victims, and an even brighter spotlight is put on the perpetrators (ex: Netflix's Dahmer).

One of the quotes I highlighted as I read was this: “Right here, right now, I want you to forget two things: He was nothing special, and what happened was not random.”

It's really apparent exactly WHAT crimes are described here, though I wont focus on that or mention his name to stay in the spirit of the book, but they are handled with such care. Seeing the events from the outside-but-still-inside through the lens of both Pamela and Tina (and Ruth!) lent such clarity and emotional depth to the story. It was very female empowering, and showing what people have to grapple with and overcome to move forward when a horrific event happens.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

“Right here, right now, I want you to forget two things: He was nothing special, and what happened was not random.”

This book was well worth the wait. The way Jessica Knoll explored a narrative we should all know with care and a ruthless eye will live with me probably forever.

What I love about this book (there’s many things honestly) is how she only names the killer once. He’s instead the footnote in the story, as it should be, and unless it’s been mentioned in other reviews or you’ve seen an interview, it may take a second to pin down what true crime story this is.

It’s a slow burn, my favorite, which really lets you soak in the unfairness of it all. How these Bright Young Women (it’s the title for a reason) encountered injustice after injustice. From being murdered to later forgotten in what was always their story, this takes important steps in rectifying a decades long narrative that was incorrect from the start.

Honestly, just read this. You’ll be swept away in the words and attached to Pamela and Ruth as they navigate the harsh realities of being a woman.

💭 What are you currently reading?

REVIEW

BRIGHT YOUNG WOMEN ~ Jessica Knoll
Pages: 368
Genre: True Crime/Suspense Fiction

Gist: Pamela Schumacher and Tina Cannon are an unlikely pair. The two women are brought together by their desire to find justice against the killer that struck Pamela’s sorority house and murdered Tina’s friend and companion. Based on documentary evidence from the Ted Bundy murders, the women and their unwavering determination are the focus.

Thoughts: After seeing this on so many people’s “Best of 2023” lists, I couldn’t wait to read - but I’m torn on my feelings about it. Loved the true crime element and the writing is out of this world. Knoll is so gifted and I could appreciate this most in her ability to write horrific scenes with such finesse. In addition, her character development is strong, helping to make these women standout amongst a serial killer.

My trouble (and I think this is my fault) is I found the story hard to follow at times. Past, present, and alternating story lines got all jumbled up for me and I did a lot of re-reading to make sense of it all. I don’t think I was as focused as I should have been when absorbing details and character placement - probably should have held off on reading this when I could dedicate more attention to it.

True crime lovers and those who can appreciate a captivating story will be hooked to this one so definitely keep it in mind for your next read!

So dang good! Thought provoking and page turning, all while not giving any glory to the killer and focusing on victims. This is how every serial killer story should be told!

Honestly, I was excited to receive this book, but I found it really difficult to get invested because it was so juvenile

"On Saturday nights, we kept our doors open while we got ready." Oh no. Growing up in the area Ted Bundy came from (the PNW), I was immediately on alert. But also drawn into the narrative. I haven't seen many narratives speak to the victimized women, make them alive and rendered whole before these tragic murders. I appreciate Knoll's writing here. An important novel intervention.

In "Bright Young Women," we follow the gripping tale of Pamela, a sorority president grappling with the tragic loss of four sisters to a senseless killing. As she endeavors to uncover the truth and bring the perpetrator to justice, the narrative unveils the stories of the other victims and their grieving loved ones. The pace is swift, the plot is filled with twists, and the suspense keeps readers on the edge of their seats.

It's noteworthy that the novel revolves around Ted Bundy's victims, a realization that dawns on the reader perhaps later than expected. The disappointment of this revelation not being an original creation by Knoll lingers, yet there's a redeeming quality in the author's unique approach. Knoll masterfully crafts her own narrative, giving voice to the forgotten, dismissed, and tragically killed women. By purposefully omitting Bundy's name, she strips away the killer's notoriety and legacy, transforming the novel into a poignant exploration of female resilience.

While the ending may leave some yearning for a wholly original story, "Bright Young Women" stands as a feminist retelling of one of America's most infamous serial killers. Knoll navigates the delicate subject matter with respect for the victims, offering readers not only an engaging read but also a thought-provoking exploration of the strength and endurance of women in the face of adversity.