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A review by casstalksbooks
Penance by Eliza Clark
5.0
This is genuinely the best novel I have read in a while. A criticism of true crime as told by an unreliable narrator? Yes please!
Penance, while a fiction novel written by Eliza Clark, is presented as a true crime novel written by Alec Z. Carelli, a journalist and true crime critic (although he also writes true crime). Carelli tells us the story of Joan Wilson, a sixteen year old girl who was brutally murdered by three of her school classmates in the town of Crow-on-Sea. The novel is split into a variety of different accounts. First, we hear from Joan’s mother, Amanda, who tells us about Joan’s childhood and personality. Then, we hear from each of the three killers + their family, plus an account of another girl who was originally charged as an accomplice, until the charges were dropped as she was innocent. Finally, we hear from another journalist who is interviewing Carelli after the release of the novel.
This book is like Daisy Jones and the Six, in that I was convinced it was a true story for most of the novel. To find out that not only was the Joan Wilson murder fictional, but that Crow-on-Sea is not even a real place, is a true testament to Eliza Clark’s writing ability. This novel includes interviews, social media posts, podcast transcripts, and other forms of correspondence to build an incredibly shocking and violent story.
The characterisation in this novel is impeccable. Clark constructs intensely realistic characters, who are navigating adolescence and the dark side of female friendship groups. I was never a tumblr kid, but I was a fandom-twitter kid, and oh my, Eliza Clark clearly knows the inner workings of fandom and the dark side of online culture.
Ironically, as I listened to the audiobook, it was like I was listening to a true-crime podcast, which is the exact thing that Clark is criticising in this novel. It’s not often that I get super excited about an audiobook, but this was one that I kept wanting to find time to listen to.
And don’t even get me started on the ending!!!! It made me so angry, but in a “Oh my god, Eliza Clark’s mind!!!!” kind of way.
Penance, while a fiction novel written by Eliza Clark, is presented as a true crime novel written by Alec Z. Carelli, a journalist and true crime critic (although he also writes true crime). Carelli tells us the story of Joan Wilson, a sixteen year old girl who was brutally murdered by three of her school classmates in the town of Crow-on-Sea. The novel is split into a variety of different accounts. First, we hear from Joan’s mother, Amanda, who tells us about Joan’s childhood and personality. Then, we hear from each of the three killers + their family, plus an account of another girl who was originally charged as an accomplice, until the charges were dropped as she was innocent. Finally, we hear from another journalist who is interviewing Carelli after the release of the novel.
This book is like Daisy Jones and the Six, in that I was convinced it was a true story for most of the novel. To find out that not only was the Joan Wilson murder fictional, but that Crow-on-Sea is not even a real place, is a true testament to Eliza Clark’s writing ability. This novel includes interviews, social media posts, podcast transcripts, and other forms of correspondence to build an incredibly shocking and violent story.
The characterisation in this novel is impeccable. Clark constructs intensely realistic characters, who are navigating adolescence and the dark side of female friendship groups. I was never a tumblr kid, but I was a fandom-twitter kid, and oh my, Eliza Clark clearly knows the inner workings of fandom and the dark side of online culture.
Ironically, as I listened to the audiobook, it was like I was listening to a true-crime podcast, which is the exact thing that Clark is criticising in this novel. It’s not often that I get super excited about an audiobook, but this was one that I kept wanting to find time to listen to.
And don’t even get me started on the ending!!!! It made me so angry, but in a “Oh my god, Eliza Clark’s mind!!!!” kind of way.