Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite

30 reviews

firstknight's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious reflective sad fast-paced

• 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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Drug use, Death, Blood, Alcohol, Addiction, Murder, Rape, Gore, Body horror, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Cannibalism, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Moderate: Homophobia, Police brutality, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, and Medical content

Minor: Infidelity, Hate crime, and Incest

books_onthe_ground's review against another edition

challenging dark funny tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

See, this is the kind of book that you can’t just say “I loved it!” because you will get concerning looks but I did, in fact, love this book. I enjoyed reading it immensely! Which is strange to say because of the absolute horrendous and extremely graphic things that happen in this book, but that’s the point!! It’s supposed to be one of the most uncomfortable and graphic things you’ve ever read and it boy does it succeed in that!! This is probably the most graphic thing I’ve ever read and it FASCINATED me. As a horror reader and writer it was so interesting to see how much Billy was able to put in the book and it’s definitely going to be a book that stays in my head throughout my career. It’s not a book I would recommend for everyone because of the extreme content warns however I will absolutely be yelling about this book for YEARS to come. I’m so so so happy I finally read it and I can’t wait to read more of Billy’s work!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Body horror, Cursing, Excrement, Alcoholism, Sexual content, Addiction, Blood, Drug abuse, Kidnapping, Torture, Vomit, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racial slurs, Gore, Sexual assault, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, and Violence

Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death

waverlyloyd's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Homophobia, Incest, Addiction, Excrement, Physical abuse, Self harm, Kidnapping, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Chronic illness, Body horror, Racial slurs, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Police brutality, Rape, Sexual harassment, Murder, Pedophilia, Torture, Toxic relationship, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Vomit, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Violence

smilingsammie's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Addiction, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Drug use, Physical abuse, Suicide, Blood, Cannibalism, Rape, Sexual assault, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Torture, and Violence

Moderate: Addiction, Police brutality, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Self harm, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Terminal illness, Cursing, and Injury/Injury detail

sammysamsam's review against another edition

dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Stalking, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Racism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Torture, Toxic friendship, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Child death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Racial slurs, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Rape, Sexual content, Gore, Incest, Outing, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Death of parent, Excrement, Misogyny, Colonisation, and Slavery

booksofautumn's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Addiction, Incest, Kidnapping, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Alcohol, Murder, Pregnancy, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Toxic relationship

desertlurker's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cursing, Gore, Outing, Sexual content, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Chronic illness, Blood, Toxic relationship, Alcohol, Vomit, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Rape, Drug use, Violence, Suicide, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Death, Cannibalism, and Body horror

Moderate: Racial slurs, Police brutality, and Self harm

Minor: Incest and Slavery

pippakendrickk's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Homophobia, Rape, Suicide, Torture, Drug abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Hate crime, Body horror, Gore, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Racial slurs, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Police brutality, Racism, Terminal illness, and Alcohol

thesawyerbean's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I have never had a book cause such a visceral reaction in me before, it literally made my stomach turn - I had to stop reading it in moving vehicles to settle the nausea.

This was absolutely repugnant to read, and frankly not enjoyable. The characters all sucked in their own ways, some more than others obviously - the discourse on HIV/AIDS was heinous and the grotesque descriptions of carrion and murder were horrifyingly indulgent. The love affair with abuse that all the characters (even the good ones) seemed to foster was gross as well. 

I’m not naïve in expecting this book to be pleasant reading, but it could’ve been done in such a better way. This was just literal torture porn. In addition one of the fundamental plot points is just… unbelievable? Andrew somehow managing to basically die without actually dying, getting the better of actual medical professionals and then coming back to consciousness at the exact right time? Sure. Made the whole book even more ridiculous.

I wouldn’t recommend this even if it was good, but it wasn’t. So what’s the point?

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Addiction, Classism, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Outing, Police brutality, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Excrement, Gore, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Torture, Vomit, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Murder, Racism, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexism, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, and Violence

mh_books's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

The Silence of the Lambs is a thriller - this is a horror novel.  

It is quite simply the most violent novel I have ever read.  It is an extraordinary experience of being in the head of more than one psychotic serial killer who finds art, pleasure, and beauty in rape, torture, and murder.   

The book obviously gets its title from the art form (vhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exquisite_corpse) and brings its protagonists all together into one violent but grossly beautiful scene at the end.  

Not for the faint-hearted!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Self harm, Drug abuse, Cannibalism, Sexual violence, Gore, Murder, Toxic relationship, Body horror, Sexual content, Sexual assault, and Rape