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Debbie W.'s Reviews > Bright Young Women
Bright Young Women
by
by
Debbie W.'s review
bookshelves: own, 2024-reads, american-pacific-northwest, american-south, biographical-fiction, mystery, true-crime, broke-my-heart, realistic-fiction
Jan 22, 2024
bookshelves: own, 2024-reads, american-pacific-northwest, american-south, biographical-fiction, mystery, true-crime, broke-my-heart, realistic-fiction
Why I chose to read this book:
I received it as a Christmas gift from my daughter. She sure knows how to pick them!
Praises:
1. part fiction, part true crime, with POVs from an eyewitness as well as a victim of an infamous serial killer, this book kept me invested throughout. I broke down at the end, angry with myself for buying into the media hype;
2. clever writing, never naming the serial killer, but like the court reporter, only referring to him as the "Defendant". This reminded me of a fictional "true crime" that I recently listened to called The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard, where a chapter features a speaker who reads aloud a list of several names that the audience easily recognizes as names of serial killers, but no one recognized any of the names from a second list, which happen to be the names of their victims. So POWERFUL, yet so SAD! How many of us can name at least ONE victim?
3. author Jessica Knoll successfully showcases the incompetence of law enforcement to the "admiration" for the Defendant by the media, groupies, and the presiding judge, enough to sicken me of the societal sexual double standards displayed; and,
4. thoughts, actions, and dialogue were all so believably realistic!
Niggles: None!
Overall Thoughts:
This book really hit me hard and made me think.
It's a must-read for EVERYONE, if only to adjust our mindsets about who really are the "bright young people" in these horrific crimes. These animals are NOT "bright young men". They are narcissistic, unexceptional, misogynistic failures. In essence, they are "nothing men". Society must stop "glamourizing" their names and actions.
Let's honour the victims by remembering them with a voice and a name!
I highly recommend a nonfiction read that would go well with this book (I need to reread it myself!) It's titled The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker. Trust your gut!
I received it as a Christmas gift from my daughter. She sure knows how to pick them!
Praises:
1. part fiction, part true crime, with POVs from an eyewitness as well as a victim of an infamous serial killer, this book kept me invested throughout. I broke down at the end, angry with myself for buying into the media hype;
2. clever writing, never naming the serial killer, but like the court reporter, only referring to him as the "Defendant". This reminded me of a fictional "true crime" that I recently listened to called The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard, where a chapter features a speaker who reads aloud a list of several names that the audience easily recognizes as names of serial killers, but no one recognized any of the names from a second list, which happen to be the names of their victims. So POWERFUL, yet so SAD! How many of us can name at least ONE victim?
3. author Jessica Knoll successfully showcases the incompetence of law enforcement to the "admiration" for the Defendant by the media, groupies, and the presiding judge, enough to sicken me of the societal sexual double standards displayed; and,
4. thoughts, actions, and dialogue were all so believably realistic!
Niggles: None!
Overall Thoughts:
This book really hit me hard and made me think.
It's a must-read for EVERYONE, if only to adjust our mindsets about who really are the "bright young people" in these horrific crimes. These animals are NOT "bright young men". They are narcissistic, unexceptional, misogynistic failures. In essence, they are "nothing men". Society must stop "glamourizing" their names and actions.
Let's honour the victims by remembering them with a voice and a name!
I highly recommend a nonfiction read that would go well with this book (I need to reread it myself!) It's titled The Gift of Fear: Survival Signals That Protect Us from Violence by Gavin de Becker. Trust your gut!
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Reading Progress
December 26, 2023
– Shelved
December 26, 2023
– Shelved as:
to-read
December 26, 2023
– Shelved as:
own
January 14, 2024
–
Started Reading
January 16, 2024
– Shelved as:
2024-reads
January 16, 2024
– Shelved as:
american-pacific-northwest
January 16, 2024
– Shelved as:
american-south
January 16, 2024
– Shelved as:
biographical-fiction
January 16, 2024
– Shelved as:
mystery
January 16, 2024
– Shelved as:
true-crime
January 21, 2024
– Shelved as:
broke-my-heart
January 21, 2024
–
Finished Reading
January 22, 2024
– Shelved as:
realistic-fiction
Comments Showing 1-44 of 44 (44 new)
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Canadian Jen
(new)
Jan 22, 2024 02:51PM
No niggles?! Wow! Glad this one was an all around winner for you, Debbie! Great review
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Awesome review, Debbie, and well-done, Debbie's Daughter! I hadn't been interested in this book, until now.
Jen CANADA wrote: "No niggles?! Wow! Glad this one was an all around winner for you, Debbie! Great review"Woohoo! Thanks, Jen!
Jenna wrote: "Awesome review, Debbie, and well-done, Debbie's Daughter! I hadn't been interested in this book, until now."Thanks, Jenna! I've noticed it recently on Goodreads, but until I was gifted it, I didn't pay too much attention to it.
Great review Debbie on a great read. I think I read this one too quickly and intend to reread it this year as well.
Tracy wrote: "Great review Debbie on a great read. I think I read this one too quickly and intend to reread it this year as well."Thanks, Tracy! Sorry that it didn't appeal to you initially. This one especially hit me hard, since I remember my mom reading The Stranger Beside Me: Ted Bundy: The Shocking Inside Story by Ann Rule and explicitly warning me (as I was heading off to University) to not help anyone wearing a cast! I read this same book years later. Well-written, but again, the focus was on him, not the 30+ young women whom he brutally murdered.
So happy it was a five star read for you. No niggles! That's impressive. Books as gifts can be hit or miss. So glad this one was a big hit. I love your observation about knowing the names of the victims. Well said! Fantastic review.
No niggles well how could one not add 😁 Fabulous review Debbie 💖
Jonas wrote: "So happy it was a five star read for you. No niggles! That's impressive. Books as gifts can be hit or miss. So glad this one was a big hit. I love your observation about knowing the names of the vi..."Thanks so much, Jonas! It's time we really need to quit "glorifying" these serial killers and start naming the victims instead.
Margaret M - Away until Feb - wrote: "No niggles well how could one not add 😁 Fabulous review Debbie 💖"Thanks, Margaret! I do hope you get the chance to read it.
Your daughter did a great job gifting you, so happy to see 5 stars Debbie! An important read. Fab review. 🤍
Esta wrote: "Your daughter did a great job gifting you, so happy to see 5 stars Debbie! An important read. Fab review. 🤍"Thanks, Esta!
How wonderful that your daughter gifted you with a perfect read!Thanks for the recommendation for The Gift of Fear.
Lisa wrote: "How wonderful that your daughter gifted you with a perfect read!Thanks for the recommendation for The Gift of Fear."
Thanks for your comments, Lisa! Both this fictional book and the nonfiction recommendation are worthwhile reads.
No niggles for the win. And a Christmas gift, too. Your daughter is an astute book purchaser! 🥰
Darla wrote: "No niggles for the win. And a Christmas gift, too. Your daughter is an astute book purchaser! 🥰"She sure is! She also bought Strange Sally Diamond for my birthday - another winner!
Chris wrote: "wonderful review!"Thanks, Chris!
What a great review Debbie. I so agree with you regarding honoring the victims and not the serial killers. The media and society sensationalizes these monsters/ they talk about them, write about them and years later they are still not forgotten.You’re right it is very sad.
Carol wrote: "What a great review Debbie. I so agree with you regarding honoring the victims and not the serial killers. The media and society sensationalizes these monsters/ they talk about them, write about th..."It's just so wrong! At least this book puts that into perspective.
Great review Debbie. I love those books that resonate and leave lasting impression, or give something to think about.
Annette wrote: "Great review Debbie. I love those books that resonate and leave lasting impression, or give something to think about."This one sure did that for me! Thanks, Annette!
What a convincing review! I think I need to add this one. Looks like your daughter got you an excellent book for Christmas. A magnificent review Debbie!!! ⭐️
Tina wrote: "What a convincing review! I think I need to add this one. Looks like your daughter got you an excellent book for Christmas. A magnificent review Debbie!!! ⭐️"Thank you very much, Tina! I highly recommend it!
Great review... This is on my tbr list.
Lisa wrote: "Great review... This is on my tbr list."Thanks, Lisa! I'm definitely not sorry that I got to it sooner rather than later.
Great review. From it I can completely understand your frustration
Nada wrote: "Great review. From it I can completely understand your frustration"Thank you so much, Nada!
Exceptional review, Debbie. That's a powerful thought that the victims' names aren't recognizable. That really does say something about society!
Kat wrote: "Exceptional review, Debbie. That's a powerful thought that the victims' names aren't recognizable. That really does say something about society!"Thanks, Kat! Society really needs to rectify this!
Yay for no niggles! I hope my library copy comes available soon.
Nancy wrote: "Yay for no niggles! I hope my library copy comes available soon."I hope so too, Nancy, and I hope you like it as much as I did.
Great review, Deb, and I would probably be angry if I read this.
Joe wrote: "Great review, Deb, and I would probably be angry if I read this."Thanks, Joe! It should make everyone angry, and rightly so! Too much attention is given to serial and mass murderers, yet so many of us cannot name any victims.
Yay!!! Moving it up on my list! Great review, Debbie!
Sandy wrote: "Yay!!! Moving it up on my list! Great review, Debbie!"So good to see that, Sandy! Thanks for checking out my review.
Hooray on a 5 star read Debbie! 👏 (and kudos to your daughter too, for picking out a winner! 📚)
Catherine wrote: "Hooray on a 5 star read Debbie! 👏 (and kudos to your daughter too, for picking out a winner! 📚)"A winner all around for me! Thanks, Catherine!
A second vote for following up with Gavin de Becker's book. That was really informative and I still think about parts of it years later.
Your review is one of the most motivating reviews Debbie. I agree, we don't remember victims, only the "defendants". Excellent review Debbie!
Barbara wrote: "Your review is one of the most motivating reviews Debbie. I agree, we don't remember victims, only the "defendants". Excellent review Debbie!"Thanks, Barbara! It's such a memorable read for me!
❀ Juliet ❀ wrote: "I greatly appreciate your review. I have been noticing this book frequently recently, and I was unsure about buying it. However, your review has convinced me to add it to my reading list. Thank you..."Thank you, Juliet, for your very kind words! Women need to empower themselves and this book makes this very clear.
yes! 100% yes! To read The Gift of Fear. A perfect recommendation as follow up on this. I got the book for my daughter years ago and mention this book to so many women.
Lisa wrote: "yes! 100% yes! To read The Gift of Fear. A perfect recommendation as follow up on this. I got the book for my daughter years ago and mention this book to so many women."Thanks for your comment, Lisa, as well as endorsing that book! I truly hope more women read it.
