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haleeanns's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
james1star's review against another edition
- 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
3.75
What is the plot? I still don’t really know but basically we follow the main character Irina who gets invited to showcase her photography at a gallery in London in a few months so she sets out looking through her archives. In doing so she thinks back to different times in her life. There’s also her just going about her days, partying, picking up boys to photograph, seeing friends and family and things. Irina has a penchant for photographing ‘average’ looking young men in different but primarily submissive, vulnerable positions. She wants to view them via a female gaze, be in charge and have power over them. I liked how the men were all different in how they looked, not the typical model aesthetic, and it was refreshing seeing males viewed in this light. There’s a point where the story just kinda turns real weird (even more so) and you’re left like proper wtf? Eyes flicking left to right. Super uncomfortable.
Whilst she’s reminiscing, past trauma comes to light and this book is jam packed, literally overflowing with trigger warnings, explicit depictions of drug abuse, sexual content, sexual assault, rape, injury details, cursing, perversion, adult/minor relationships, blood and gore, body horror, alcoholism and just so many more. So definitely not for the faint hearted, it gets super intense. I would also say that each are not explored in a good light or positively at all. It’s refreshing in the blunt and millennial I guess writing style and inclusion of such topics but I would by no means take what the characters say and do as a guide - if anything do the opposite. This was a very uncomfortable read but oh my it was extremely captivating, I read it in basically two sittings because you are hooked. The pages literally turn themselves, you’re so invested and intrigued and constantly questioning everything. I dunno defo a strange one - reminiscent of when I read My Year of Rest and Relaxation by Otessa Moshfegh and so is my next bit.
The characters. Oh my good lord above me was Irina so detestable!! Ahhh nope, ewww she was like the epitome of just horrible. She badmouths and doesn’t care about her friend Flo (she also talks about Irina on a blog and still has a crush on her which isn’t good but like nothing compared to how she’s treated) and the men she encounters. She’s super manipulative and doesn’t take people’s trauma into account, just using people as dispensable props in her story. She definitely thinks she ‘it’ reinforcing her good looks, skinniness, big breasts and how aesthetically pleasing she apparently is. This leads on to the disgusting fatphobia she spews and omfg it’s horrible to read at times. There’s also a subtle racist and paedophilic rhetoric at times. I’m not done here but she is so misandristic like she definitely views men as lesser, a play thing, her property - this is super refreshing but it’s still not nice. My defence of Irina: she was groomed and abused when younger, has dealt with past trauma, extremely likely someone dealing with an undiagnosed mental health problem and addiction to drugs and alcohol so many of the things she does/says/thinks are not dismissible but there are underlying factors and causes for some - I think. It’s not explicitly stated but you need to really not be paying attention to not consider this. Whilst she is disgusting and depraved, hence very unloveable, Irina is by far the most developed and complex character and this exploration is another factor keeping you hooked to read on. Flo was alrightish, I dunno to be honest. She was wronged and caught between Irina and her boyfriend but she didn’t really do much to help herself, accosted mistreat and Yhh did some things that were not good. Our FTM trans character, Finch, was a great addition but I did want more development of his character because there’s little we actually know. Eddie from Tesco was kinda adorable I think. He was super under appreciated, used and abused by Irina and just I felt so bad for him. He did have an objectification outlook at times and whilst it’s not okay he was by far the most likeable and I desperately wanted good things to come his way. Most of the other characters we come across are slightly developed and heavily unlikable.
The writing was good. I liked the blunt, witty and straightforward way it was written, it’s very real, characters and places are brought to life. As stated, it’s difficult and uncomfortable to read but is very readable. I would say there is maybe an overuse of italics softening their impact at times. I did like the inclusion of texts and emails and the various forms of dialogue again adding realism. The UK specificness was an added bonus too like shops such as Tesco, Waitrose and British Heart Foundation, place names, universities and just a lot that was very much appreciated. The formatting and how the story develops is mostly good, but it does take a few tangents and spiralling moments - maybe to emphasise Irina’s deteriorating mental health and sanity - which picks up towards the end. The pacing is fast which again forces you to read on, it’s enjoyable and despite being so quick you still pick up on all the plot points.
Overall, I am very conflicted on this book. It fully captivated me, certainly a refreshing story with complex characters. But… it was an uncomfortable read, the many trauma and TW topics are not explored well and Yhh it’s a strange, depraved tale.
Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gore, Pedophilia, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Classism
Minor: Cancer, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, and Sexual harassment
littlebug's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Good idea. Poor execution, extremely unlikable characters.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
nicoleherz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
jessg17's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
mth2flme's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Blood, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death
june_haya's review against another edition
2.5
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Addiction, Biphobia, Body shaming, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Self harm, and Blood
samdalefox's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
There are clear influences (in some cases direct lifting) from American Psycho and includes a great many other contemporary references to pop culture which I don't think will age well. I think it's interesting to view the themes through both the artist (Irina) and her art. Irina is a menacing unreliable narrator who embodies some really interesting themes also expressed in her art: rape culture, consent, boundaries, self hatred [diet culture, disordered eating], control, the male gaze and social hypersexulisation of girls and women, the 'female gaze', the impact of trauma to a person, narcissism, biphobia, women's anger and wanting to be seen, cruelty to others, manipulation (of others, of the truth), attachment issues, and some pretty interesting commentary on the British class system within the arts world. Her art comments on many of these things in the subject matter, Irina's process of how she makes the art, and how it is recevied by others.
There were many subplots (or redherrings, or mental dillusions, who knows!) that I was quite interested in but disappointingly never went any further e.g.
Favourite quotes:
"I look at the photos again, the ones I didn't delete. I look at his purple face, his bloody chin and nipple, his swollen cheek. I wonder what the fuck I have to do for people to recognise me as a threat, you know?"
"Do I have to smash a glass over the head of every single man I come into contact with, just so I leave a fucking mark?
I like this review from the following Reddit thread:
I love this review because it thoroughly examines the flaws of the book. I see what you are saying, however I loved the book for exactly those reasons. Irina is insufferable and a horrible person. She’s not that great at much, except for being shocking and vile in acceptable ways. She gets lucky and abuses any of her power. I don’t think we’re supposed to fully grasp everything in the book. I admit the plot could be better, but her deliriousness really disillusions our hopes for her to change her ways. I wish there was maybe a clear point about gender dynamics or power, but I think there doesn’t need to be. I found it wildly entertaining to hate Irina and be excited by her reckless behaviors at the same time. Anyways, i just really like the points you made!
https://www.reddit.com/r/books/comments/vetecw/boy_parts_by_eliza_clark_is_an_utterly_terrible/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Moderate: Biphobia, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Blood, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Classism
addie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape
britrcup's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail