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A review by travelseatsreads
Penance by Eliza Clark
4.0
Boy Parts was one of my favourite books in 2021 so I was equally nervous &excited to get my hands on a copy of Penance. Could it possibly live up to my expectations or would I be left feeling meh? Well first things first, Penance is a whole other book to BP but wow does it stack up as a gripping &stomach churning read.
Following the decade old story of the horrific murder of 16 year old Joan Wilson in the tattered seaside town of Crow-on-Sea, Clark looks at the tumultuous life of being a teenage girl, the ever popular true-crime genre &questions the concept of what really is the truth.
While looking at the lives of the girls involved in that infernal night, Eliza shows just how chaotic the reality of teenage female friendship can be. Every single character is richly &meticulously crafted, so much so that I felt my level of empathy &attitude towards each girl fluctuate greatly, creating a constant sense of discomfort. The concept of a ‘pocket hell’ is prominent &Clarks clever portrayal of the girls' dynamics &their experiences could easily be seen as each of their own little pocket hells.
The book is awash with pop culture references. Glimpses of The Sims, Andrew Lloyd Webber &indeed the often depraved rabbit hole of Tumblr were expertly written with a cosy familiarity often taking the harsh edge of the gruesome topic at hand. However, wait for the slapping side eye of the Vance Diamond subplot!
The format is a reality blurring cocktail, part metafiction, part (fictional) true crime story which Clark has executed flawlessly. True crime fans may flinch at Eliza’s gaze but I felt it more explored the premise of truth behind true crime. Whose truth is true? Whose story are these stories to tell?
While it may be quite different to her first novel it equally flaunts the insanely brilliant writing ability of Clark. Another enthralling, ingenious &unsettling page turner.
Read If You Like
•True Crime
•Meta Fiction
•Unreliable Narrators
•Unlikeable Characters
For Fans Of
•True Crime Story
•I Have Some Questions For You
•True Story
Favourite Moment
•The Sims torture dungeon! Didn’t we all remove the swimming pool ladder or lock Winston the butler in the freezer, no?
Following the decade old story of the horrific murder of 16 year old Joan Wilson in the tattered seaside town of Crow-on-Sea, Clark looks at the tumultuous life of being a teenage girl, the ever popular true-crime genre &questions the concept of what really is the truth.
While looking at the lives of the girls involved in that infernal night, Eliza shows just how chaotic the reality of teenage female friendship can be. Every single character is richly &meticulously crafted, so much so that I felt my level of empathy &attitude towards each girl fluctuate greatly, creating a constant sense of discomfort. The concept of a ‘pocket hell’ is prominent &Clarks clever portrayal of the girls' dynamics &their experiences could easily be seen as each of their own little pocket hells.
The book is awash with pop culture references. Glimpses of The Sims, Andrew Lloyd Webber &indeed the often depraved rabbit hole of Tumblr were expertly written with a cosy familiarity often taking the harsh edge of the gruesome topic at hand. However, wait for the slapping side eye of the Vance Diamond subplot!
The format is a reality blurring cocktail, part metafiction, part (fictional) true crime story which Clark has executed flawlessly. True crime fans may flinch at Eliza’s gaze but I felt it more explored the premise of truth behind true crime. Whose truth is true? Whose story are these stories to tell?
While it may be quite different to her first novel it equally flaunts the insanely brilliant writing ability of Clark. Another enthralling, ingenious &unsettling page turner.
Read If You Like
•True Crime
•Meta Fiction
•Unreliable Narrators
•Unlikeable Characters
For Fans Of
•True Crime Story
•I Have Some Questions For You
•True Story
Favourite Moment
•The Sims torture dungeon! Didn’t we all remove the swimming pool ladder or lock Winston the butler in the freezer, no?