Does Eliza Clark’s global sensation set in Newcastle really hold up?
It’s exciting to see a book set in Newcastle—I just wish it wasn’t this one.
When it was suggested that we read Boy Parts by Eliza Clark as part of my friendship group’s attempt at starting a reading club, I was surprised to learn that the book, which has amassed global sensation, is set near where I live in Newcastle. I have rarely come across a book set here, and I was shocked that one would have reached my friends from Canada.
My initial excitement was unfortunately short-lived. I did not enjoy the book. I did want to. It was interesting to read about places I know, disguised as pseudonyms. Additionally, I believe that books featuring characters with diverse narratives, set in places that don’t typically appear in publishing, should be encouraged and supported.
However, despite my hopes, Boy Parts left me unsatisfied. A large part of this was that none of the characters, especially the protagonist Irina, were likeable at any point in the novel. Very little backstory is provided for them, and even Irina could have been more developed. As a result, it’s hard to relate to or root for anybody as the story progresses. I also found myself actively disliking Irina; to me, she comes across as a dull narcissist, making it difficult to continue reading from her perspective. She has two main friends in the novel, Flo and Finch, who seem to cater to Irina’s inflated and delusional sense of self. They are upset with how Irina treats them, but they don’t stand up for themselves at any point and scarcely impact the plot. While I admit it may have been intentional to reveal little about them since the novel is from Irina’s perspective, and she lacks interest in her friends and family beyond how they can serve her, it still made it harder for me to enjoy.
When the characters are uninteresting and you can’t root for them, naturally you turn to the plot. Thankfully, the plot of Boy Parts is easy to follow and engaging, with enough drama to keep you wanting to know what happens next. I enjoyed how the author plays with format, presenting parts of the narrative through text messages and blog posts, which makes it feel modern and fun. However, by the end, I felt frustrated because I didn’t feel anything significant happened. The characters didn’t develop much, and the plot didn’t lead to any substantial changes or achievements. I believe I could enjoy a book with minimal plot if I liked the characters, but because I didn’t, I felt unsatisfied.
There are some positives to the book: the general premise of the novel is interesting, the author plays around with stereotypical gender roles by having a female character who is cold and borderline sociopathic and there is an interesting intersection of art, the artist and the muse explored. This does something I haven’t seen other novels do, which I believe in itself is worthy of praise. I also loved the author’s witty rhetoric, there are some clever lines which made it enjoyable to read. To cite one example, “she’s looking at me like I clawed my way here out of a fucking coal mine,” after Irina, who is from Newcastle, has a frustrating conversation with a Southener. It’s sharp, it’s fresh, and wholly Northern. It tells the story of a working-class character in a working-class city. The points where the narrative touches upon the dynamic between North and South, as well as the biases and assumptions often faced when interacting with Southerners, are a real highlight of the novel.
However, despite this story being set in the North and telling a working-class story, it isn’t breaking any stereotypes. Throughout the novel, the characters drink heavily and take a lot of drugs—this is the main image we get of the setting and the characters, which doesn’t exactly challenge any assumptions about the North. Coupled with my previous criticisms, I felt this novel didn’t fully reach its potential for me, despite the author’s obvious talent for storytelling.
When I expressed my dissatisfaction with the book to friends, they recommended her most recent novel, Penance, which they said was much better. I agree. Penance has the same wit and storytelling ability as Boy Parts, but the plot is much clearer, and I found it compelling to read despite its similarly dark themes. The characters are also much more fleshed out and multidimensional, which made me more invested in where the story was going. After reading Penance, I would definitely read another book by this author.
Creds: Interview with Eliza Clark – New Writing North
