Take a photo of a barcode or cover
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
(#gifted @influxpress) Don’t be fooled by this pretty pink picture - this book goes to some dark places and I was here 👏 for 👏 it 👏
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I was reminded of a mash up of Julia Armfield and Jessica Andrews with Eliza Clark. Andrews for the impeccable sense of place and depicting life as a young woman up North, the clichés and stereotypes they're subjected to when they leave the North East. Armfield for the darkness that permeates the pages. But Clark is also something else that is entirely her own. I was unaware that she'd had previous short horror fiction published but upon finishing this it made total sense and now I desperately want to read it.
.
In Boy Parts, we're in the head of Irina, a photographer from Newcastle who scouts men on the streets to use as models in explicit photos. It's very uncomfortable being in Irina's head. She lies, she manipulates, she thinks terrible things and does worse besides. But through her, Clark also offers an unerring critique of modern life in Britain. She takes gender roles and power dynamics and flips them on their head before booting them out the door. She mercilessly tears apart the art scene, particularly the divide between north and south. She questions the gentrification of the working class.
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Clark also has an exacting eye for dialogue, text talk, and blog posts, all of which are scattered throughout Boy Parts to great effect. I loved reading Flo's 'secret' blog posts because honestly who has not overshared on the internet at some point? I did find it a bit slow going at the start, particularly all the drug stuff as that tends to just make me roll my eyes, but after 50 pages I couldn't tear my eyes away from Irina's destructive spiral.
.
The dedication at the front made me laugh: 'For my mother and father. Please don't read this.' Let that be your warning - Boy Parts pulls no punches and looks the dark and seedy right in the face. But if you like your fiction on the dark side and want to celebrate Northern literary talent, then get your preorders in now!
.
I was reminded of a mash up of Julia Armfield and Jessica Andrews with Eliza Clark. Andrews for the impeccable sense of place and depicting life as a young woman up North, the clichés and stereotypes they're subjected to when they leave the North East. Armfield for the darkness that permeates the pages. But Clark is also something else that is entirely her own. I was unaware that she'd had previous short horror fiction published but upon finishing this it made total sense and now I desperately want to read it.
.
In Boy Parts, we're in the head of Irina, a photographer from Newcastle who scouts men on the streets to use as models in explicit photos. It's very uncomfortable being in Irina's head. She lies, she manipulates, she thinks terrible things and does worse besides. But through her, Clark also offers an unerring critique of modern life in Britain. She takes gender roles and power dynamics and flips them on their head before booting them out the door. She mercilessly tears apart the art scene, particularly the divide between north and south. She questions the gentrification of the working class.
.
Clark also has an exacting eye for dialogue, text talk, and blog posts, all of which are scattered throughout Boy Parts to great effect. I loved reading Flo's 'secret' blog posts because honestly who has not overshared on the internet at some point? I did find it a bit slow going at the start, particularly all the drug stuff as that tends to just make me roll my eyes, but after 50 pages I couldn't tear my eyes away from Irina's destructive spiral.
.
The dedication at the front made me laugh: 'For my mother and father. Please don't read this.' Let that be your warning - Boy Parts pulls no punches and looks the dark and seedy right in the face. But if you like your fiction on the dark side and want to celebrate Northern literary talent, then get your preorders in now!