Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

Boy Parts by Eliza Clark

475 reviews

documentno_is's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I went into Boy Parts largely blind and was better for it, the shock factor and depravity of the slow unveiling of the nature of our protagonist was more impactful than had I known what to expect. I hated every moment of being in this character's head and yet grapple with

the ways in which she can be both predator and victim.  Our main character is a master of manipulation and drowning in her own narcissism yet we see the multitude of ways she is failed by those around her, fueling her perversions.

In many ways reading this novel felt unbearable, both in the situations conjured up and the thought processes we are made privy to. This book felt cutting and revolting in the same ways

Lolita does

. My only complaint was the plot post London visit, for as shocking and fast paced as it was for the first 4/5ths of the story it puttered out

rather ungracefully to an unsatisfying ending of repetitions as is common of unveiling your central underlying "secret" too early on. We are left in liminal space of not knowing how much of our character's recollection is psychosis and how much is sociopathy, undoing much of the suspense of earlier on.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Physical abuse, Eating disorder, Drug use, Death, Biphobia, Sexual violence, Blood, Transphobia, Toxic relationship, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Body horror, Alcoholism, Vomit, Rape, Violence, Torture, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Dysphoria, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Body shaming, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Self harm, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Alcohol, and Abandonment

bethniamh's review

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This was uneven but showed a lot of the promise that was realised more fully in Penance, which I read first. The last 100ish pages were very reminiscent of American Psycho, although lacking a lot of its humour (much like Irina). Definitely one to check trigger warnings for before reading; I have a fairly strong stomach but parts of this book definitely made me feel a bit off.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, Physical abuse, Blood, Body horror, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Adult/minor relationship, Drug abuse, Drug use, and Alcohol

lizziepat's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

• 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

2.0

I think I may have had a different experience of this book had I read it, rather than listened. I had the vague sense that it read like Georgia Nicholson had taken a turn for the worst and never got over her own self-importance. I think I’ll have to try it again. I appreciate what the book was trying to achieve but I don’t think it hit the mark for me.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Stalking, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Gore, Addiction, Vomit, Eating disorder, Toxic friendship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Murder

liketheainapple's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

I swear I heard that Rachel Sennott audio where she goes, “You’re the murderer! I knew it I knew it! You’re such a bitch! You’re such a fucking bitch!”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Alcohol, Body horror, Sexual assault, Rape, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Murder, Violence, Toxic friendship, and Vomit

Moderate: Racism and Self harm

Minor: Abortion and Trafficking

keirahelena_'s review against another edition

challenging dark sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Self harm, Animal death, Eating disorder, Sexual assault, Rape, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, and Murder

issymaae's review

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

Moderate: Eating disorder, Animal death, and Adult/minor relationship

jil_m's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Rape, Body horror, Sexual content, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, and Vomit

oywiththepoodles's review

dark medium-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Sexual violence, Rape, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Animal death, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Self harm

hjb_128's review against another edition

challenging dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug use, Vomit, Toxic relationship, Violence, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Pedophilia, Self harm, Physical abuse, Drug abuse, Torture, Cursing, Body horror, Blood, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, and Animal death

Moderate: Biphobia, Fatphobia, and Classism

sofiaboebia's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

this book was intense with a lighthearted “nothing matters” tone, in the creepiest way. The last chapter sums this up completely and is a stunning ending to such a gripping book. It almost feels stereotypical but not, it feels like it relies on shock but it doesn’t, it’s well written but almost not. The last line leaves you mouth open, but not particularly shocking. The book follows a deeply attractive woman’s sabbatical from a bar job she was forced to take. excessive drug use, mania, and clearly phycopathic behaviors leave her recollection of the story questionable and unreliable. The first 200 pages are a slow build of a clearly messed up woman living here life as a photographer and partying but the last 100 pages take a dark and gorey turn. This book follows her vengefulness and almost rage, and as awful as she is, she is an compelling and (for some of it) almost forgivable main character(this obviously has to do with her narration as well). This book is almost entirely character driven, nothing “just happens” to her except for the reason she is on a sabbatical in the first place. Although it is plot driven there is no positive character development to speak of, throughout the book she looks through her archives of photos and reflects, but clearly she has been a similar person for a long time and will continue to be.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Cursing, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Vomit, Self harm, Alcohol, Torture, Sexual violence, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Gore, Rape, Addiction, Body horror, Drug use, and Sexual assault