Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

Boy Parts by Eliza Clark

140 reviews

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

dark 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

3.75

I really dont know how to feel the only bit i think i liked of this was the very end

‘My mam always used to tell me that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. And Eddie from Tesco is a fly, but he's got a taste for vinegar. It's like vinegar is all he's ever had from people, and now he doesn't even know what honey tastes like.’

‘I wonder what the fuck I have to do for people to recognise me as a threat… 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?’

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Cancer, Fatphobia, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal death, Gaslighting, Gore, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Drug abuse, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Classism, Cursing, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Mental illness

haleeanns's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny inspiring reflective medium-paced

• 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

This book has altered my personality for the worser. This is my Joker. In all reality, Eliza Clark really made her character’s voice shine through. It was genuinely funny and unique without trying too hard. I’m not even sure I can do the praise I want to give justice. Anyone interested in reading should def know this book deals with horribly dark humor and literal crimes. The protagonist is a ~*horrible person*~ and sometimes that’s #goodforher but most of the time it is absolutely heinous.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Blood, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

littlebug's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad fast-paced

• 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

This book might’ve had the most unlikable main character i’ve ever encountered. While I can appreciate the way the author unapologetically showcases a psychotic, unhinged, dangerous woman in a way that most books don’t, I don’t think it comes off as progressive & as “girl power” as it could’ve. MC is a horrible person, from borderline pedophilia to assault to outright murder, she really does it all. There was one line along the lines of “I almost killed him, what does it take for me to be seen as a threat?” after MC almost kills a man during “kinky sex” that struck me a bit hard. I suppose this book shows how flippantly female rage & insanity is taken in society, which is why I added the .75 to my rating. MC is twisted, dark & does the most irredeemable things to those around her. The way she treats her so called “best friend” is mind boggling. I truly think the idea of having an unapologetically psychotic woman character is a good one, but it really fell flat for me here. I didn’t find myself caring about the characters nor was I rooting for the MC. Also the amount of pop culture references dragged. The dark cinema being used to show how disgusting she is wasn’t the best way to do it. It read as if the author googled “Dark cinema” & went down the list. TD;LR 
Good idea. Poor execution, extremely unlikable characters. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Mental illness, Toxic friendship, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, Self harm, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Addiction, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Adult/minor relationship, Fatphobia, Animal death, Sexual content, Body horror, Gore, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, and Eating disorder

nicoleherz's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

3.75

Never hated the main character/narrator so much. Wish everyone who knew her could realize how awful and toxic she was and cut her off forever.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Blood, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Violence, Body horror, Animal death, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Vomit, and Sexual violence

jessg17's review against another edition

challenging dark funny tense fast-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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Body shaming, Dysphoria, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Violence, Bullying, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

mth2flme's review against another edition

dark 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

2.75

Very white.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Addiction, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Drug use, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Self harm, Alcohol, Death, Rape, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Animal death

rouxpiacentini's review against another edition

dark emotional relaxing 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

4.0

truly haunting

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Gaslighting, Murder, Drug use, Eating disorder, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Mental illness, Torture, Sexual violence, Blood, Body horror, Dementia, Drug abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Animal death, Gore, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Violence, and Vomit

kellyung's review against another edition

challenging dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Drug abuse, Rape, Alcohol, Animal death, Body shaming, Drug use, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Sexual content

samdalefox's review against another edition

challenging 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

3.75

This book is a hot mess but I really enjoyed it. I don't think this book is 'good', as in I don't think it's particuarly well researched, written, or thought out, but it was still engrossing to read and I tore through it quickly. I was genuinely surprised by the narrative which is a rarity for me and the ending was left completely open.

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.

Mr B, Irina's haunting/sexual sadism fetish of glass in the eye, and the 'breakdown/murder'

. 

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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder, Physical abuse, Rape, Eating disorder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Sexual violence, Biphobia, Drug use, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship

Minor: Classism

boookerlover33's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Sexual violence, Violence, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Sexual harassment