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hippieonsteroids's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Self harm, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Body horror, Cannibalism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Violence, Murder, Death, Drug abuse, Torture, Grief, Blood, Chronic illness, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, and Vomit
hijinxed's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Sexual violence, Murder, and Medical content
erica_reads_things's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Cannibalism, Body horror, Murder, Suicide, Terminal illness, Blood, Death, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, Torture, Rape, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Violence, Grief, Drug use, Sexual violence, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Racial slurs, Racism, Classism, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Incest and Stalking
zeej92's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Body horror, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Sexual violence, Suicide, Vomit, Addiction, Cannibalism, and Blood
issymaae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Terminal illness, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Drug use, Drug abuse, Addiction, Blood, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Self harm, Homophobia, Gun violence, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Vomit, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, and Violence
savykw's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Drug use, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Death, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Mental illness, and Kidnapping
agravereader's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
I loved it. Not sure what that means for me.
It was character-driven in a way I absolutely cannot resist. Four points of view from four (arguably three) terribly flawed and deranged men in their own ways, but with such love amd obsession interwoven that I felt... something? Toward them. Additionally, the AIDS commentary, specifically how the disease and the tragedy of the people who contracted HIV were treated by society was not what I was expecting from this book.
Graphic: Addiction, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Self harm, Xenophobia, Sexual content, Body horror, Blood, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Racial slurs, Incest, Homophobia, Rape, Murder, Kidnapping, Drug use, Vomit, Terminal illness, Racism, Grief, Gore, Drug abuse, Death, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Alcohol, Violence, and Torture
venpyre's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
It was like…. if you were to take a metal detector to a polluted swamp. You’d have to drudge through the gunk and bear the claustrophobic humidity at the chance of finding even a bit of treasure. But somehow that makes what you <i>do</i> find all the more valuable? Not that anyone would advise you to go metal detecting in a swamp but I digress.
I feel like this book has aged particularly well in time for our era. In a post-NBC-Hannibal world we can more openly study depictions of love and lust in literature that splinter into death, obsession, and the need to consume/meld into one.
Brite’s ability to conjure these characters, the vilest people you could never dream up in your worst nightmares, is nothing short of astounding. Without comparing the texts too heavily (as I believe they exist for starkly different reasons) Andrew’s inner monologue reminded me somewhat of the eloquent but absolutely atrocious musings of Nabokov’s infamous protagonist, Humbert Humbert. The gleam of poetry and intelligence in the prose is enough to propel you forward despite the horrors you have to endure on page.
I wish the book was comprised mostly of Andrew’s perspective rather than switching between his and a summary of Jay. I did, however, appreciate Tran’s chapters, as it humanized him and made him much more than just an object/victim.
That being said, I’m not sure how to parse the descriptions of Asian men in this novel. While not excusing the racist remarks of the book’s characters, I did have to remind myself it was written in the 90s, and depicts the time period faithfully. The way Tran is described is undoubtedly fetishistic. That may be the point. EC treads a fine line that unfortunately holds it back from landing its otherwise graceful pirouette.
Not sure if I knew EC was splatterpunk before diving in, but I’m glad I waited until I was a little older and more versed in horror before reading it. Trigger warning for about everything imaginable and then some. Your mileage may vary to the extreme. If you feel like you can find beauty in near senseless chaos, and have the stomach for its graphic descriptions, you might enjoy Exquisite Corpse.
Graphic: Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Death, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Suicide, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide attempt, Torture, Homophobia, Addiction, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Body horror, Blood, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Self harm, Confinement, Medical content, Excrement, and Outing
Minor: Vomit, Eating disorder, and Police brutality
menderash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
But you know what? Brite is such an emotionally charged, evocative, talented writer, that I can't help but be hypnotized by his ability to make me sit down and devour a novel in one sitting. He makes me care about the few morally sound characters even though I know something unspeakable is about to happen to them. He explores the nuance of monstrosity in his uhh. Less morally sound characters.
I think my most sound, least hypocritical criticisms of Brite's work is a) his exploitation of real victims of real tragedies and b) his handling or lack thereof of characters of color. The few non-white characters in his work are relegated to the occasional dead body, future victim, or stereotyped backdrop. Then again, considering the kind of character Brite centers as his protagonists, do I really want him, as a white man, to portray a character of color that way? I'm fine with Brite's beloved monsters being mostly white men.
TL;DR: Absolutely disgusting. Awesome ride. I've read all my Brite books I own at least twice.
Graphic: Drug use, Rape, Terminal illness, Blood, Chronic illness, Addiction, Death, Torture, Cannibalism, Homophobia, Violence, Sexual violence, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and Racism
Moderate: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Police brutality and Incest
racl's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Kidnapping, Death, Drug use, Rape, Sexual content, Gore, Grief, Abandonment, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Blood, Confinement, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse
Moderate: Excrement, Vomit, Cancer, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Incest, Police brutality, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Pandemic/Epidemic