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A review by ellaellaellaetc
Penance by Eliza Clark
5.0
BITCH!!!! FUCK!!!! SLAY!!!!! BEST FUCKING THING EVER!!!!! oh my god the way I would die for eliza clark. like, she just gets it!!!! like she gets everything. she's the best. I love her so so much. this is book is fiction but it's written as if it's a true crime journalist type book. at the start of the book there's a (fake) warning that the book was taken out of print because of mass outrage as people who gave interviews say that he deliberately misconstrued their words and because he also illegally obtained some of the materials, but it is now getting rereleased. the fake crime in the book is a murder that three girls in a small northern english seaside town commit where they set on fire to a girl.
the book is split up in "girl a", "girl b" and "girl c" sections so you learn about each girl individually as you slowly start to piece together what's happened - all the while not really knowing what information is actually true vs what the author has made up/exaggerated. and guys. this was just done masterfully. it genuinely did feel like a non-fiction book that had an agenda! The author plays with perspective in such a fun way that I was so impressed by! this book was about so many things (true crime and our unethical obsession with it, the internet, bullying, serial killers worship, brexit, female friendships, class - and so many more) but still felt focused and wove everything together so so perfectly.
I feel like I got so much from this book and it said a lot about how we view true crime but guys... it was also so so fun! guys I loved reading this!!!!! I got so so addicted! the mixed media format was so engaging and eliza clark just creates such real characters. like I found myself forgetting that I wasn't just reading an actual journalist's book about a real crime about real people.
and another thing! eliza clark really understands the internet, at the least the niches that I'm into😭😭 it's not even just the slang or whatever, she perfectly understands the mindsets of people with different exposure levels to different areas of the internet and perfectly gets into their heads and talks through them. like genuinely I am so so impressed because that is not easy😭😭 I think this book is so so fresh and I will read it in 10 years and be like yep, this book is so 2024 but like in a positive way.
eliza clark is genuinely such a talent and is a real mouthpiece for our generation!! she gets it, she's commentating on it, she's being fucking hilarious and she's slaying. I have not criticisms whatsoever. please, PLEASE read this book!!! (SEE TRIGGER WARNINGS THOUGH OH MY GOD) 5 FUCKING STARS!!!!!!
the book is split up in "girl a", "girl b" and "girl c" sections so you learn about each girl individually as you slowly start to piece together what's happened - all the while not really knowing what information is actually true vs what the author has made up/exaggerated. and guys. this was just done masterfully. it genuinely did feel like a non-fiction book that had an agenda! The author plays with perspective in such a fun way that I was so impressed by! this book was about so many things (true crime and our unethical obsession with it, the internet, bullying, serial killers worship, brexit, female friendships, class - and so many more) but still felt focused and wove everything together so so perfectly.
I feel like I got so much from this book and it said a lot about how we view true crime but guys... it was also so so fun! guys I loved reading this!!!!! I got so so addicted! the mixed media format was so engaging and eliza clark just creates such real characters. like I found myself forgetting that I wasn't just reading an actual journalist's book about a real crime about real people.
and another thing! eliza clark really understands the internet, at the least the niches that I'm into😭😭 it's not even just the slang or whatever, she perfectly understands the mindsets of people with different exposure levels to different areas of the internet and perfectly gets into their heads and talks through them. like genuinely I am so so impressed because that is not easy😭😭 I think this book is so so fresh and I will read it in 10 years and be like yep, this book is so 2024 but like in a positive way.
eliza clark is genuinely such a talent and is a real mouthpiece for our generation!! she gets it, she's commentating on it, she's being fucking hilarious and she's slaying. I have not criticisms whatsoever. please, PLEASE read this book!!! (SEE TRIGGER WARNINGS THOUGH OH MY GOD) 5 FUCKING STARS!!!!!!