Reviews tagging 'Body horror'

Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite

121 reviews

lydialou419's review

challenging dark emotional 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

3.5

This book was absolutely disgusting. The author uses beautifully chosen words to paint a picture of absolutely disgusting and horrific scenes. I listened to this as an audiobook and sometimes wanted to vomit while I was driving, not gunna lie. 

But like I said, the author wrote beautifully and there were many thought provoking storylines that accompanied the other characters. This book DID make me wanna vomit sometimes BUT it also made me think, made me cry, and made me scream at my radio. 

If you’re into horror and shock value, give it a go. But it’s definitely not for everyone and helped me to realize that horror novels may not be for me!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Sexual violence, Torture, Blood, Cannibalism, and Murder

Moderate: Addiction, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Toxic relationship

rosesofthespring's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, and Classism

Minor: Child abuse, Gun violence, Incest, and Infertility

Explicit descriptions and discussion of HIV/AIDS in the 80s gay scene. Significant anti-Asian racism. Granted it all comes from characters who are meant to be despicable, but it is still constant.

wormariwood's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racism and Medical content

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Racial slurs, and Vomit

peytonliveslife's review against another edition

dark 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Police brutality

lovelylilelle's review against another edition

dark emotional sad 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Cannibalism, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

natreviews's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

So another BookTok recommendation. I found this on a video labelled most disturbing books I've ever read and thought I would give it a go. To be honest, I didn't find it too disturbing. Pretty much, if you know the more gruesome details of the Jeffery Dahmer case (including pictures, I highly recommend the Murderous Minds episode on Dahmer) then you can handle this book. Speaking of, Dahmer was a huge inspiration for this story. Without going into too many details from the book, you have the picture taking, younger victim pool, PoC as victims, cannibalism aspects, plus an entire short scene that is pretty much straight from one victims account. (If you want to know the exact victims situation that got translated into this book, the victims name is Konerak Sinthasomphone)

It's told from four different perspectives. Three third-person, one first. Two murderers, one victim, and one the victims ex-lover. It was really interesting to read it this way. It was an interesting stylistic choice that actually ended up working. With also having the background set in 1990's New Orleans during the AIDs crisis, it's an interesting read just from a historical standpoint. 

I will give you the warning that you will need to read the last 60-100 pages in one sitting. On the final day/night the book takes place, it really ramps up and is just better in one sitting.

I gave this book a 5/5 not only for the story (because even though it's extremally disturbing, it still is a good story), but for how it's written. It's a read that is worth it if you can handle it, but, like Tender is the Flesh, is a book that I don't think I will read again. Once was enough in my opinion.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

usemeinasentence's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and Police brutality

cahealwa's review against another edition

dark funny medium-paced

• 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

4.75

It was horrifyingly beautiful and I both hated and loved it simultaneously. It is much more enjoyable to read than other grotesque fiction, like 'American Psycho', and the descriptions of their bloody enjoyment are so well-written, it's hard to put the book down

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Death, Drug use, Gore, Violence, Cannibalism, and Murder

necrophilia !!

mxreyn0lds's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Violence, Cannibalism, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Homophobia and Self harm

Minor: Racial slurs and Police brutality

queserasara's review against another edition

challenging dark tense medium-paced

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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Alcohol

Minor: Incest