A review by sleaterkenneth
Penance by Eliza Clark

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

Like Devil House but worse. I had similar issues with Boy Parts and I think they both just need a stronger edit, granted this is an ARC but there were parts where the same thing was repeated with only slight alterations in the same paragraph. Overall... I think it lacks empathy? A decent narrator? I understand that the narrator is unreliable but that doesn't excuse the complete lack of emotional investment and teenage slang that doesn't fit the time period/era of tumblr. I did tear through it and was interested in how everything would shake out so that has to count for something, begging everyone to read Devil House yet again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Drug abuse, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Antisemitism, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol