Bright Young Women - Jessica Knoll

  

“They will call you hysterical no matter how much dignity you have. So you might as well do whatever the hell you want.” 

I went into this book knowing that it was a fictional story about the Ted Bundy murders and trial. But once I finished the book, it grew into something so much more than just the man who killed. It was knowing the hurt and despair that his victims and their families went through. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Started: January 19th, 2024

Finished: February 2, 2024

Synopsis: This book follows two perspectives. Those of Pamela and Ruth.  The story starts off with Pamela as she witnesses the assailant leave her sorority house in Florida. This begins the long process of witness statements, interviews, and research where Pamela is adamant to prove that the assailant was not her best friend's ex, but a completely different person. No one believes her, of course, because she is a woman and doesn't know the ins and outs of police work (intense eye roll).

The story then transitions to Ruth's story, a young woman a few years before the murders took place. In the beginning, she is shown to be a bright girl with an unfortunate skin affliction which has caused her to be guarded all of her life. But when she goes to a grief therapy group, she meets Tina, a friend who take special interest in her and helps her gain confidence and independence. 

The story goes back and forth between the two stories, carefully creating an incredible narrative that shows how much women were tossed to the side (and this was only 50 years ago!) and placed on the back burner. If you want a book that will make you feel all of the feminine rage, this is it. 

My Review (Spoilers): I really enjoyed this book! This was actually chosen as our Book Club book for January. I have seen this book all over Booktok and talked about through other reviewers and I'm glad that I had a concrete reason to pick it up. 

I will admit that it took me awhile to get into the story at first. The writing style is different and introspective, which I needed to get used to. Pamela's story also shifts in time many times which made it hard for me to keep track. That is why I deducted one star from my review. I am not a fan of constant time jumps from the beginning, so that pulled me out of the story for a little bit. 

However, I absolutely adored Ruth's story. Her whole struggle was heartbreaking and when it is revealed about what happened to her father at the end, I felt endless compassion for her and what she went through. Her mother...was a piece of work. If I could jump into a story and give someone a piece of my mind, it would be Ruth's mother. 

I also loved how, not once, was the murderer's name mentioned. I was not alive during this trial, but from what I heard from my parents, the community and the world was captivated by his beauty and intelligence. This story portrays his actual demeanor and his sub-par intelligence without giving him any identity. The concentration is on the women and their struggles to reclaim their lives after this. Epecially with Ruth's story. Once the end of the book came, I was very emotional. It felt like everything she worked towards was just erased because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It kills me that she went through such an ordeal with her family and no support (other than from Tina) and in the end, she was one of his victims. 

Final Thoughts: I think this is powerful story that everyone should read. While true crime aficionado's might be obsessed with his part of the story, there is always the side of the victims that never get to see the light of day. Why aren't we celebrating these women whose lives were cut short, or these women that fought to make justice happen? This book celebrates them. And I urge you, if you are interested in learning more, to pick up this book.