The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Clark, Eliza. Boy Parts. Influx Press, 2020.

Eliza Clark's novel Boy Parts is told from the first person point of view of the protagonist Irina Sturges. The narrative is written in the present tense and traces the six weeks of Irina's life leading up to her gallery showing at Hackney Space. Although the author takes some liberties with structure and form, the following summary abides by a primarily linear mode of explanation.

Irina Sturges is working at a bar in South England, living alone, and pursuing a career in photography. For a time, Irina's professional work was going well. However, after she killed a young boy she invited back to her apartment to photograph, Irina let her artistic dreams dwindle. She stopped working and moved in with her parents. Once she found her footing again, she got her own place and returned to her work. In the narrative present, Irina is doing her best to forget the past altogether and to focus on her current pursuits.

One day, Irina receives an email from a junior curator named Jamie. Jamie works at Hackney Space, a renowned gallery in London. Having followed Irina's career and online presence for some time, Jamie is eager to include Irina's work in an upcoming Contemporary Fetish Art showing. Irina is so thrilled, she arranges a celebratory evening with her friends.

Irina goes out on the town with Flo and Finch. After visiting several bars, the friends end up at Irina's model Will's house. The group of friends continues drinking alcohol and using drugs. Irina wakes up hours later, realizing that she blacked out at some point. Slowly, patchy memories of the evening return. When she recalls Will trying to rape her with his flaccid penis, she is horrified and contacts Flo to pick her up. When she tells Flo what happened, Flo is apologetic, which only angers Irina.

Irina starts looking through her old photos from over the years. She needs to find work to send to Jamie. Each album or box that she opens unleashes a new series of memories from her past. She finds it intriguing to study the evolution of her work over the years.

Irina meets a new potential model: the checkout boy at the local grocery store. His name is Eddie and he is perfectly awkward. Irina loves photographing ugly, uncomfortable men.

Almost immediately after Irina's first shoot with Eddie, she realizes that looking at his photos is arousing her. She showers and goes out to a bar. She meets a man named John and goes to his hotel with him. The night goes poorly, as John does not listen to what Irina wants during sex.

The next time Irina and Eddie see each other, Irina initiates sex though she is breaking her own rule. When she hits and strangles Eddie, he starts crying. Irina blames him, insisting he could have told her to stop.

Irina continues searching through her old photos and projects. Flo is ignoring her because of their argument. However, when Irina starts feeling nostalgic about their past, she contacts Flo. They get into a texting argument which ultimately inspires them to make amends.

Irina travels to London for the opening. During the show, the artist Remy with whom she is sharing the screening room joins her on a bench. After complimenting her work, he starts touching her. She invites him to her hotel. During sex, she slaps him and cuts him with a letter opener. She is furious the next morning when he texts her apologetically. She does not understand why no one responds to her the way that she wants.

Irina goes out for dinner with Remy's uncle Stephen. During the outing, she tells Stephen she once killed someone and that she hurt his nephew. Stephen either laughs, thinking she is joking, or ignores her altogether. Irina smashes a glass and leaves. She wanders around barefoot and bloody. She delivers a monologue to a homeless man about the meaningless of life. She goes to the pond where she thinks she sees the head of the boy she killed. It is only plastic bags.