Reviews tagging 'Alcoholism'

Изысканный труп by Поппи Брайт, Poppy Z. Brite

28 reviews

katelynalice's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Murder, Blood, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Addiction, Classism, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Cannibalism, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Sexual content, Death, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit

Minor: Incest and Stalking

isaiahh's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-paced

• 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

Horror is not my preferred genre of literature (or of anything, for that matter), and gore makes me feel like my bones and organs are too big for my body. But when a book promises me unhinged gay serial killers and cannibalism, what can I do but give in?

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. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Terminal illness

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Rape, Self harm, and Suicide

Minor: Alcoholism, Xenophobia, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Vomit, Animal death, and Incest

racl's review against another edition

challenging dark medium-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

4.25

It's not an easy read, and not one I can recommend to many people in good conscience. It's graphic in many ways - gore, sex, disease, anger - all of which is beautifully and carefully written. Each character feels distinct and well formed as they enter the story and begin to intertwine with each other throughout the novel. I didn't know much going in, but I enjoyed the reality and different perspectives of gay men dealing with the AIDS epidemic (and how it wasn't the motive for either of the murderers). I felt it was handled well.

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Content Warnings

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

remghoul's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Cannibalism, Body horror, Torture, Violence, Death, Murder, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Gore, Physical abuse, Rape, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Drug use, Alcoholism, and Drug abuse

Minor: Police brutality, Racial slurs, Cursing, and Outing

quietlex's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

I have no complaints. As twisted as it is, I was cheering inside when Andrew and Jay finally found each other. To be able to know another so deeply at their core, and have your fleeting time together ripped away so soon. This is a beautifully written dark horror, eloquent and right to the point. The ending feels a bit rushed and sad, such is death. Very fitting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Police brutality, Rape, Drug use, Pedophilia, Racism, Suicide, Grief, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Dementia, Drug abuse, Mental illness, Murder, Classism, Confinement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Incest, Kidnapping, Abortion, Addiction, Self harm, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Chronic illness, Death, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Cannibalism, and Cursing

niccolowilliam's review against another edition

dark sad tense fast-paced

• 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

2.0

It started out horrible then got slightly better towards the end. Dont get me wrong i love disturbing and grotesque things. It honestly wasnt the way they talked about cannibalism and necrophillia it was the weird was they talked about asians and the fact that its clearly Jeffery dahmer 'inspired' (im using the nicer word) which made me really uncomfortable. His victims were real people and the author is definitely not in the demographic that dahmer went after to say the least so ot just feels tone deaf. Every gay charecter is a negative stereotype and

jay and andrew dont even meet until near the end of the story but the summary makes it seem like the main point of the book will be them together not just the mediocre conclusion

Even the sexual and gory stuff (so every other page) felt more for the sake of being shocking and disturbing than weaving an actual plot sometimes. I gave it two stars because there are definitely some moments i liked but i dont even have the energy to write every single issue i had with this story down

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Body horror, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Xenophobia, Addiction, Chronic illness, Death, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Alcohol, Medical content, Murder, Racial slurs, Rape, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Gore, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, and Violence

Moderate: Outing, Stalking, Slavery, Incest, Emotional abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Vomit, Domestic abuse, and Police brutality

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

emmablue's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Homophobia, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Suicide, Murder, Death, Racism, Terminal illness, and Torture

Moderate: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Alcoholism, Confinement, Excrement, Incest, Outing, Racial slurs, and Vomit

winsomefish's review against another edition

challenging dark funny medium-paced

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

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Cannibalism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Excrement, Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Medical content, Mental illness, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, and Drug abuse

Moderate: Homophobia, Addiction, Ableism, Body shaming, Grief, and Incest

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