DNF @ 9%

Since I started this book, I’ve been debating whether to DNF it and I’ve decided that’s exactly what I’m going to do for a few reasons.

After finding out that this book takes inspiration and pulls details from a real life murder that happened and there’s no mention of it anywhere in the book feels incredibly disrespectful to me. I also don’t understand how you can write a book critiquing true crime for its ethics but also how people will often use the pain and suffering of the victims and their families to profit for their own gain, when that feels exactly like what the author is trying to do with this book.

This book has a unreliable narrator which is one of my favourite tropes, however I feel like this is so pointless when the beginning of the book details how you cannot trust the narrator and why. I was expecting it to be a more gradual thing that becomes more apparent as you read on because after reading that, my guard was already up and I didn’t trust a word he said. It also made me not interested in what he had to say either.

This book is more of a tell than show. Even with what I had read, there was passages that just didn’t need to be there and felt like they added nothing to the actual plot of the book. It already was giving me the vibes of a book that could have been a lot less pages than what it is so it could have had the desired impact. However, from the looks of other reviews, it doesn’t look like it gets much better. Speaking about the writing, I just don’t think this writing style is for me. It wasn’t engaging enough for me to want to continue reading.

Details about this book just felt really off too. Like are you really trying to tell me that there was no news coverage about the torture and murder of a young white schoolgirl just because of it being on the night of the Brexit vote, when one of the perpetrators involved was the child of an 'leave' politician? If anything, I would have thought that would be more ammunition for there to be more news coverage cause surely that would have been classed as a 'scandal'? Also, white women receive a lot more news coverage than people of colour or males so I found the fact that there was no news coverage hard to believe.

As always, just because I haven’t liked a book, doesn’t mean that you won’t like it so definitely give it a shot as you might really enjoy it. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Faber & Faber and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book, in exchange for an honest review.

⚠️ CWs: murder, bullying, torture, sexual assault, suicide, child abuse; mentions racism, person with alcohol use disorder, homophobia ⚠️

For someone who is chronically online, this book hits deep. Highly compelling and, while very different from Boy Parts, showcases Eliza Clark’s skill as a writer.

Very interesting social and political context that made for really entertaining commentary throughout.

Can’t wait for Clark’s future work. I am well and truly invested.

Wow, what a book! Eliza Clark definitely is an author to look out for. In Penance she explores the ethics and elasticity of the truth in the true crime scene, and how crime, particularly shocking crime scenes, have become commodified and are almost a theme park. The book is written in a Truman Capote style of way, with the story structured as a non-fiction book with excerpts from podcasts and interviews. This was a fast and engaging read.
We’re told what the crime is from the shocking and disturbing opening. A teenage girl has been set on fire by her 3 friends. The story is set in the fictional town of Crow-On-Sea and is rundown with hard austerity. It’s a Brexit-voting town with a MP from UKIP. The story unravels what happened to the four teenage lives involved that led to such tragedy.

I wasn’t aware that story was inspired by several true events that happened in the 1990s. The story is set in the 2010s though with the crime happening on the night of Brexit. I think Eliza Clark does such a great job of showing the complicated dynamics between teenage girls and their friendships. I thought she captured the zeitgeist really well. The tumblr thing is so accurately captured and the “manifesting” thing used to bring revenge upon on others is interesting, and a dark take on the capitalisation of manifestation. Honestly so much to unpack here. Such an exceptional piece of work.

Penance is Eliza Clark's redemption from her previous work, Boy Parts.

There was something so haunting about the entire premise of Penance that despite the gruesome and shocking events that take place in the book, I could not put it down. Clark uses all her talent in this book to create a particular atmosphere of mystery and some level of anxiety.

We connect with every single character she presents to us, it is not difficult to empathize with any of them. The characters each have such distinct and unique voices, ranging from a washed-up journalist to a teenage girl writing fanfic about high school shooters. each perspective tells a different story and each story tells a different “truth” making the reader question themselves at every turn.

This is the final boss of unreliable narrators.

Eliza Clark’s PENANCE is a masterwork fulfilling the promise she showed with her debut novel BOY PARTS. Simultaneously an exploration of the exploitative horrors of true crime, a satire of contemporary Britain, a deep dive into teenhood and online communities, and a dark thriller all of its own, PENANCE snatches hood of the reader and refuses to let go, dragging them through lies and truth and something in between on the way to its incredible conclusion. I have already hand sold multiple copies of this astute, chilling novel.

As you might expect Penance, by Eliza Clark, is a dark and unflinching book. Here we have a book within a book, wherein which Clark places us within the hands of (cancelled) journalist Alec Z. Carelli who believes he is giving us the ‘definitive account’ of the events leading up to the horrific death of Joni Wilson a decade prior. That big question though becomes how much of it is true?

This is a nasty little book, and yet in many ways it seems that’s the point, which is made clear when you read the final interview at the end. It’s strange, I can’t say I enjoyed reading it especially and yet I found I couldn’t put it down.

In Penance Clark has crafted a true crime book within a book and at the same time a blistering critique of the true crime explosion itself. It raises questions about the elasticity of truth within the genre and about the complicity of the consumer within the true crime boom, especially in the darker recesses of ‘00s Tumblr. Not being a true crime reader I can’t really argue around this but I found it interesting nonetheless.

In Boy Parts Clark explored the North/South divide with a strong focus on the arts, in Penance we are engaged in an exploration of socio-economic differences within a small (fictitious) seaside town in Yorkshire. Add to this the backdrop of the political turmoil of Brexit referendum in a remainer town. In fact, the murder in question was committed on the night of the vote and one of the perpetrators was the daughter of the local UKIP ‘rent-a-gob’. I found the focus on the town and its inhabitants to be one of the most interesting parts of the book, though Clark has pushed the small seaside town stereotypes to their absolute limits, and it say this coming from a small seaside town.

Vastly different to Boy Parts, Penance further showcases Clark’s impressive talents. Though I didn’t especially enjoy reading it, it was still a compelling read that raised interesting points.

Eliza Clark has a brilliant and incisive writing style, which I absolutely loved in her debut novel Boy Parts. Unfortunately I was a little underwhelmed by this one, and I think it was because we didn't get that characteristic style in this book - as it's written as a 'book within a book'.

There was lots of interesting political commentary, and I was interested in the characters, although I did find that sometimes the character development was a bit surface level

I couldn’t wait for this book since finishing Boy Parts and though it’s a drastically different story it’s still told just as well. I absolutely love Eliza Clark’s writing and how she pulls you into a story and can’t wait for whatever she writes next.

I picked this up expecting an British version of 'I Have Some Questions For You' by Rebecca Makkai, which I loved earlier this year and also invents a crime and then builds a true crime plot around it, as a device to address larger themes. In this case: high school bullying, social media and internet use, the true crime industry.

I found this not as smart and thought-provoking as Makkai's novel - even though there is a lot to unpack in terms of references. One of the reasons it didn't really work is the frame narrative device, which results in 90% of the novel being a separate (and not great) true crime novel. That novel, Penance, is written by a journalist/writer called Carelli and he is criticized/cancelled after publication, mainly because he took a bit too much literary freedom to embellish his source material. My age may also be a reason I enjoyed this less: it is set around 15 years later than Makkai's novel and the perpetrators are a few years younger, which makes social media a very important factor to understand them.

Still, an entertaining read, 3,5

I adored Clark's last book, 'Boy Parts', especially for the clarity and boldness of its style, remaining utterly frank and specific in the strangest situations.

Penance continued this for me, with a bold look at the complicity of the audience in a huge and growing genre- true crime.

We begin the book by realising that we are reading another book entirely- the work of a journalist doing a deep dive into the horrific attack on a school girl by three fellow students.

We are led through various pieces of evidence and reportage, including the personal thoughts of the journalist, including how he came to investigate this, and his motivations for doing so.

However, the book is far cleverer than that, acting in itself as a critique of the very text(s) it provides, creating a deeper meta-narrative that makes you as the reader aware that you are, perhaps, also part of the problem.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

So this is a novel that is framed as a non-fiction book about a murder that is not real. Pseudo-true crime, if you will. I am not a true crime aficionado in any way, the genre generally makes me uncomfortable. That said, I was an adolescent girl on Tumblr which is where and how a significant portion of this story unfolds. The general set-up is that three young women set a fourth young woman on fire after kidnapping and torturing her. If this sounds unnerving, that's because it is! Clark certainly enjoys grotesque subject matter as anyone who's read Boy Parts can attest. The story is being 'reported on' by a disgraced male middle-aged journalist who intersperses testimony from the family and friends of the victim and killers and two of the killers themselves with online posts, fanfiction and extensive 'prose' sections where he imagines what the girls thought and did over the course of a year leading up to the murder. As might be expected, the prose bits were the ones I liked least (there's even a meta-commentary on the integrity of these sections at the end of the book). I did enjoy this book as a portrait of a town and community, even as Crow-On-Sea is a fiction in itself. It felt very real and alive and I read the whole thing in day so I can't pretend it isn't compelling! And I do think Clark has benefitted from the attention of a larger publisher as the pacing, dialogue and characters are all more developed than her first novel.

A thrilling, innovative novel by an exciting young writer - keen to pick up anything Eliza Clark writes, and I loved being guided through the mire of teenage girlhood and violence by Clark's confident and authoritative voice.

this was absolutely incredible -- i felt like i was living it. the author gave so many interesting perspectives of each character in the story. new favourite book!!!

This a unique and intriguing read. It started off really strong with an interesting and gripping start describing the horrific murder and torture of a teenage girl by three of her classmates. It reads as a true crime book and I loved the way it blended fiction and reality to leave the reader feeling unsettled and the story telling felt very realistic. The author really captures the feel and atmosphere of the small coastal town and sets a very realistic tone for the mindset of the characters involved.
Overall this is a unique and gripping read.

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?

Eliza Clark has reached into my head and pulled out memories of being 14/15/16 and chronically online. This was the best representation of being young and navigating a social media that went unchecked. It avoids being cliche with imitation of how girls interact and instead replicates it so vividly I feel almost as though I am remembering these instances as though they were my own experiences. So good! I loved boy parts but this was stunning.

This was an incredibly nostalgic read for me, as it follows the lives of teenage girls in a horrible seaside Yorkshire town during the 2010s. It got to a point where I was picturing my own school classrooms for scenes, and the Tumblr drama only added to the nostalgic atmosphere. It captured so much of what I remember from my teen years with complete authenticity, with everything heightened and covered with a grimy filter.

In the form of a true-crime book, it details how three school girls would go on to torture and set fire to one of their classmates on the eve of the Brexit vote. These murderous teens have all been deeply traumatised as their seaside town seems to be a cesspit of right-wing nationalism, corruption, sexual abuse and death. They even have their own version of Jimmy Savile, a family friend to one of the girl's zealously right-wing father, as its rotten cherry on top. Things get more twisted when the girls explore the rabbit hole of true crime fandoms online, with one of them writing some truly horrendous fan fiction of real life school shooters and developing a disturbing kinship with the killers. While two of the girls are tragic but still deeply unpleasant characters, I was the most disappointed with Violet. In a state of desperate loneliness, she allows and even introduces the other girls to extreme ideas that ultimately lead to murder. I feel like her main crime is that of having terrible friends and no will to hold them back just so she doesn't feel so alone. Although I did quite enjoy her Sims murder basement game mod, hilariously dark.

The true-crime commentary was excellent and really delved into why people can become so obsessed with it. The unhinged true-crime fandoms the girls take part in and the very structure of the novel as a book that shines a spotlight on a horrific murder that had been overshadowed by Brexit, highlights the exploitation of such crimes and their victims. I've read some other books that try to explore the same theme, but don't execute with the same level of nuance.

This is a gritty, twisted and yet darkly funny book that you will devour. A nostalgic read for those who were teens in the 2010s and with anyone witness to Tumblr and Discord fandom drama, although I really hope not to this extreme. It will make you remember all the worst bits of being a teenager in this era and laugh at the ridiculous pettiness of it all.

AMAZING!

This book is a standout title for me. The plot was phenomenal told through the biased narrator that can never be fully trusted. The book perfectly critiques the True Crime industry.

Written like a True Crime investigation, the book delves into the case of Joan Wilson’s murder. Journalist Alec Z Carrelli constructs an “true” account of the murder free of bias and sensationalism. Only how can this be true in the form of the True Crime industry. Including interviews, research, discussions with the killers and illustrative version of events. All create a spell binding and horrific tale.

This book was amazing. I adored every second and the psychological description of each characters approach to the murder. Clark truly showed the impact of such a tragic event whilst binding in the horrific impact one’s teen years and social media can have.

Clark artfully created a perfectly plotted story that captures you in its horrendous form of continuous tragedy and disaster. The ending was absolutely phenomenal!

100% best book of the year.

This was a savage kick in the stomach from start to finish. So compelling that I couldn't stop reading and so disturbing that certain lines gave me chills.

A book within a book framing device is used that works well to ask the uncomfortable questions about true crime.

Seemingly sympathetic, is there more to this journalist than meets the eye?

Three girls have murdered another girl, setting her on fire in a brutal attack. Girl A, B, C and D - girl D isn't involved but is dragged into the investigation.

What we see as we move from their different points of view is characters who seem real, a sea-side town in decline full of corruption and its own sense of rights and wrongs. Tragic events that unfold with an all too clear sense of reality. This could happen. It does happen. I wouldn't be a teen again if you paid me.

My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this in exchange for an honest review. Outstanding and disturbing, not for the faint of heart.

After loving Boy Parts, I was elated to find out that Eliza Clark was coming out with another novel and was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Netgalley for it. Admittedly, I did not know what I was getting myself into, only that I loved her prior work.

Within the first couple pages I had to research whether the events being told actually happened because the writing was so believable. Only then did I clue in that this is not a regular mystery/ thriller, but a fictional true crime one. It took me a while to get used to the format this type of story entails – especially because this book was an inception of sorts where the narrator is an author himself, writing a true crime novel about the account of events that took place of the murder and interviewing people closest to the victim and suspects.

The story was a little all over the place. Rightfully so, the author included background stories of many minor characters and historical stories about the town. These mostly all tied in at some later point in the book, but in the moment I was a bit frustrated trying to understand their purpose. My favourite parts were the ones that accounted for the background stories of the girls themselves, as well as the account of what happened that led to Joni’s death: the Tumblr posts, the Sims tie-in, the text messages – these were the exciting parts, but they were in between some other things that I sometimes found it a chore to get through. This book also needs major trigger warnings for so many things; especially near the end, I had a hard time getting through the gory details, but also the huge plot point of bullying was a bit triggering for me too.

Regardless of all of that, when I picked up the book, I couldn’t put it down. I was even flying through the parts I didn’t care about because I knew that on the other side, we’d get more juicy details, and I couldn’t wait for those. I’ve only been seeing hype around it, and while it’s not my favourite like Boy Parts was, it is a really interesting and engaging read.