Read this on the bus in what was perhaps a bold act of exhibitionism itself.

Reading Clark is like reading how people pretend you can still read Jane Austen. Sure Mrs Bennet is the archetypal social climber you can still laugh at, but Irina’s mum is a social climber we all recognise, and Irina tells Flo to ‘get fucked lmfao’. It’s acerbic in a meaner and funnier way that deeply rewards you being Queer Online.

Signalling that Eddie from Tesco is autistic by having him do the abed ‘cool… cool cool cool’ and having Irina absolutely never notice is a masterstroke, as is almost every page. My Only Gripe is in the final ten pages where it feels like Clark goes ‘And Here Is The Theme Of The Book’ sort of out of nowhere, suddenly filling in the interesting void at the centre of Irina with something equally interesting, but imo written a little bit on the nose.

I also don’t want the big take away from what is an immense book to be ‘damn I need to read American Psycho’ but Irina is in such active conversation with Bateman that I really do.

tldr; hhhhhhhh need a 6ft photographer baddie to beat me up on camera, 5 stars (almost).