i'm having a full wwe smackdown going on in my head about my overall thoughts. in the left corner: this is a beautiful diverse book blending modern and old-world latinx culture, and navigating one's world to find acceptance and community. from the top rope: it's got some pretty clear-cut YA elements that came off more as convenient that endearing (especially at the end). and although i enjoyed the plot and thought the twist was a nice foil to yadriel's character, it was slow moving and a bit scattered. there were these really fantastic characters (rio, enrique, flaca, luca, etc.) who more or less existed, but they could've contributed so much more. with that being said, the deep dive into yadriel and julian was fantastic and lil feet kicking-ly cute. it kept me engaged and interested, and it was so enjoyable that i'm considering their journey and growth to outweigh most of my qualms.

it seems this book could be a fantastic introduction to trans stories especially for people of color navigating old customs/traditions. from that perspective, i think it works to have gone down the YA feel-good route that gives positive examples of interaction and community support. it might not be the most realistic and/or complex story and sure it might have some cliche aspects, but i think it's a good book for anyone for anyone looking to learn more about the trans experience whether they are in the trans community, want to learn more to better support a friend/family member, or just looking for a fun unique read.

Bright Young Women is an incredibly well-written story that centers the experiences and lives of victims and survivors. While marketed as a thriller, it's more literary crime fiction. Knoll's mission of antisensationalism is accomplished well through the humanization of the women at the heart of the story; both victims and survivors were allowed to be messy and human instead of the picture-perfect angels that culture requires them to be. I enjoyed the journey of each woman involved and vacillated between disliking them and rooting for them in such a true-to-life way that they feel real.

But the reason this isn't a 5-star read is partially because of the realness of this book. While Knoll's mission was, I think, accomplished overall, there were some choices, such as using real details and even the name of a real victim, that, unfortunately, contribute to the massive amount of media surrounding the events that inspired the book. While using some real details served the purpose of the book in demonstrating exactly how pathetic the real killer was, the type of specifics that were used went too far, to the detriment of her mission.

It is, however, disingenuous to claim that the author was intentionally grandstanding while claiming innocence; we can have differences of opinion about which details should have made the cut, but it is undeniable that this book, imperfect or not, is incredibly humanizing and validating for victims and survivors.