Girl Parts was a very interesting novel. I received an ARC of it a while back, but after a few false starts trying to read it, I gave up and put it back on the shelf. I only recently discovered it again, and decided to pick it up and give it a good shot this time. What really drew me in is the cover: the girl on the front has the NICEST color of red hair!The book begins with a suicide scene. The girl committing the act does get a name, and while this is her only real appearance in the book, she is crucial to the story. I liken her to Drew Barrymore’s character in the movie Scream: she is only in the beginning, but she is really the catalyst that sets the whole plot in motion. In this case, the girl committing suicide is doing it online, via webcam. Many of her classmates come across her webcast, watching her die right there, live on their computers at home.
David’s parents find out via his computer history that he took part in viewing this webcast. Even though David came across this webcast by accident, he didn’t call the cops or anything to report what he was seeing; he just watched it, the same as everyone else. His parents get in touch with his school therapist, who diagnoses David as “dissociative” and prescribes a very strange solution: a sort of living doll, created to be a companion to David and help him have become less dissociative. Of course, David sees this as a different kind of companion, and keeps interacting with it in hopes that it will eventually become a sex doll. This takes him a while, however, as Rose (the companion) is built with a reward-and-punishment system: good behaviour is rewarded, but bad behaviour (such as kissing before Rose is ready) is punished with an electric shock. Eventually, David gets to the point he wants with Rose, but is enraged by a discovery about her and sends her away. Enter Charlie, another dissociated boy who is very different from David. Rose connects with him, and they begin a friendship.
Girl Parts has some flaws, as most books do, but was an overall well-written book once you get into it. The ARC I was given describes the book as "hilarious", which I don't agree with. I went into this book expecting some sort of a comedy, but it was instead mostly serious. As for characters, they all came across the way they were meant to, I think: Rose was my favourite, gaining her own personality and feelings as the book went on, and coming-of-age in her own right. Charlie was nice and sweet, though a bit strange sometimes, and David was - well - a jerk.
The technology in the book was well-described, and it was a nice little satire of the age we live in today. A robot designed to help teens become more social? Ironic, but Cusick makes it work. The book was clearly well thought-out, and managed to give its message without cramming it down your throat.
The ending, however, left something to be desired. With the fates of the boys pretty much given to us (though still somewhat ambiguous), I was left wondering what happened to Rose. Will there be a sequel, or are we just supposed to forget about her? "Okay, we've explained what's happened to David and Charlie. Maybe they'll just forget about Rose."
A good book overall, with some reread value. But this isn't one that I'll keep I think - I have too many books that I like more that need a space on my shelf.
SCORE: 6.5/10
IF YOU LIKE: Flip (Martyn Bedford), Absolute Boyfriend (Yuu Watase)
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