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reaperreads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Cannibalism, Abortion, Self harm, Gore, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Blood, Rape, Homophobia, Death, Sexual assault, Violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Murder, Domestic abuse, Alcohol, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Incest, Body horror, and Cancer
essie85's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Rape, Child abuse, Death, and Drug use
menderash's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Mr Brite has a knack for writing books about horrible people doing horrible things, often for little to no reason, with minimal plot except to make the next horrible thing happen. His main characters are all murderers, rapists, cannibals, necrophiles, or the people who love them anyway. The prose is a means to an end; the end being the reader's hopeful erotic satisfaction of reading someone get nearly decapitated in vivid, lovingly described detail.
Brite's books (the two I've read) seem to hold no greater point than to either turn you on or gross you out, probably both. The violence is pointless, the plots are pointless, the morals are hopeless. 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. Will read again.
Graphic: Rape, Car accident, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Murder, Blood, Cannibalism, Death, Drug use, Gore, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, and Incest
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Animal death, and Self harm
chersonese's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
There are themes in this book that are dark and while I don't agree with them and don't like reading about specific topics the book features, most were handled well, the depictions making you uncomfortable without feeling too gratuitous. The book has an interesting take on the vampire mythos that I commend it for and honestly wish there had been a sequel.
But would I recommend this book? I'm not sure, I don't know if the good outweighs the bad.
Graphic: Violence, Murder, Gore, Toxic relationship, Death, Incest, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, and Child death
Moderate: Abortion, Drug use, Alcohol, Body horror, Rape, and Miscarriage
Minor: Cancer, Racial slurs, and Vomit
kalira'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
1.75
I've seen a number of people say they might have liked this book if they'd read it as a teenager, or similar; someone else commented that 30 is too old to start reading Poppy Brite. I'm in my 30s and I can fairly confidently say that I wouldn't have enjoyed this as a teenager either . . . and the heavy content might have been enough to screw with my head more than it did reading it now.
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Death, Self harm, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Rape, Violence, Alcohol, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Stalking, Body horror, Ableism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Vomit, Animal death, Cannibalism, Death of parent, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Suicide, Animal cruelty, Terminal illness, and Gun violence
loz_ange's review
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Toxic relationship, Violence, Abortion, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Blood, Pregnancy, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Child death, Death, Alcoholism, Car accident, Gore, Child abuse, Cannibalism, Cancer, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Infidelity, Pedophilia, Sexual content, and Vomit
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
highkingmargo's review
- 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
2.5
if you like darkfic and nasty grungy bisexual disaster vampires though, give this a try.
Graphic: Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Incest, Miscarriage, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and Vomit