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A review by carojust
Boy Parts by Eliza Clark
dark
funny
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I keep saying I won't read more books like this, and I end up only reading books like this -- model-like waif girls who stumble through drugs, alcohol, vomiting (so much vomiting), questionable sex, and with smeared mascara and broken faces, always stare in the mirror to see how relentlessly beautiful they are.
See: The Guest by Emma Cline, My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon
What redeems "Boy Parts" from this tiring blueprint is the Gen Z sense of humor that gives the unreliable narrator, Irina, some personality. She's self-aware, albeit narcissistic, damaged, abusive and horrible, and going through her mental circus with her is incredibly entertaining and honestly thrilling. Eliza Clark gives structure and purpose to the mania, and her general commentary on pretty privilege, consent, sexual violence, and women's shift in power, is really well done.
I recommend this if you're okay with hateable and gross characters, graphic content, and moral ambiguity.
See: The Guest by Emma Cline, My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Ottessa Moshfegh, Fruit of the Dead by Rachel Lyon
What redeems "Boy Parts" from this tiring blueprint is the Gen Z sense of humor that gives the unreliable narrator, Irina, some personality. She's self-aware, albeit narcissistic, damaged, abusive and horrible, and going through her mental circus with her is incredibly entertaining and honestly thrilling. Eliza Clark gives structure and purpose to the mania, and her general commentary on pretty privilege, consent, sexual violence, and women's shift in power, is really well done.
I recommend this if you're okay with hateable and gross characters, graphic content, and moral ambiguity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail