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essie101'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
3.75
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol
Minor: Homophobia and Incest
meaflowr's review against another edition
- 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
2.0
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder
goldilocks420's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Cannibalism
kibernick'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
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Murder, and Gaslighting
madituck3r'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
4.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder
isaiahh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
When I say Exquisite Corpse is unhinged, please know I mean it with all my heart. It has got all the Trigger Warnings, Content Warnings—it is full of disgusting things... And I adored it.
Before writing this review, I was asking myself how to possibly do so without seeming weird myself for saying I truly, deeply enjoyed a book that deals with such dark themes. Then I reminded myself fiction is exactly that, fiction. And if reading about a gay serial killer faking his death to get out of prison and kill more boys is what floats my boat, then so be it. Reminder for everyone: what we like to read is not necessarily a reflection of our values and morals! This was my PSA!
Now, I'm obligated to tell you, ask you, BEG you, to please check TWs for this crazy little gem because it truly is full of disgusting, gruesome, vile things, some described in ghastly details.
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal death, Homophobia, Incest, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Xenophobia, and Vomit
simpag's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Addiction and Sexual violence
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: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Confinement, Self harm, Excrement, Medical content, and Outing
Minor: Eating disorder, Vomit, and Police brutality
emmanayler_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder
deitydad'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
The epilogue really gave this book the closure it needed. I was most fascinated with Luke and his story, and it was him that I felt most sad for in the end. He was incredibly flawed, but I suppose we could blame it all on the black, looming cloud marked "AIDS".
As a member of the LGBT+ community, I have a particular... softness you could say? with the AIDS epidemic. It was prevalent in this story, yet skulked in the background like a third, hidden character in each chapter.
Despite this being about murdering, I thought most of the characters were likeable. Am I going to leave this book feeling sorry for them or reasoning with them though? Absolutely not.
Graphic: Death, Drug use, Gore, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder