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A review by funnylittlejester
Exquisite Corpse by Poppy Z. Brite
dark
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
1.25
I know it was written in the 90s but it is painfully 90s especially when it comes to HIV and AIDS, it really stigmatizes the diseases and paints everyone who has the diseases as ‘evil’
SPOILERS/LONG RANT
i can see why ppl enjoy it (to an extent but not really), but someone who’s favorite book is tender is flesh i understand how it feels to have a book with sexual assault and cannibalism in it and trying to be like ITS GOOD GUYS I SWEAR
but exquisite corpse, wasn’t that. it was just a splatterpunk’s wet dream with slurs sprinkled in that the author CANNOT SAY BTW………
the book is paced reallt weird like we get introduced to all the characters and their lives and then 60% into the book the actual plot plot starts to yaknow, be written. 60% explanation 40% execution… and that’s being generous
it felt very low key racist at times…. the main cast is 3 white men and 1 vietnamese man. guess which one is framed as ‘innocent’ and ‘exotic’ and is the only one that is violently raped and murdered 😑 yeah…… the Vietnamese character
ALSO. HIV AND AIDS IS A VERY VITAL PART OF THE BOOK????? i can sort of see why but like then everyone brushes it off but also like, idk, the author frames ppl with HIV and AIDS as monsters… even going so far that the 3 horrible abusive murderous main characters have AIDS and the ‘pure and innocent’ POC character doesn’t <- he is almost given AIDS several times in the book in sexual ways and it comes off as borderline fetishy at times ?!
it also rubs me the wrong way that all the characters are gay when this happens, like cool gay men but also WHY ARE TOU PORTRAYING THEM AS MONSTERS…. HUH⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️
i don’t know, it’s a fucked up book which is fine to write, things can and should push people’s comfort levels, but challenge them in meaningful ways not just
GORE GORE MURDER RAPE GORE CANNIBALISM GORE .. fuck it got exhausting after a while, i had to put the book done and just drink some water bc it was just, so edgy, i think i got cut while reading it
REVIEW WRITTEN BY TRANS POC LESBIAN
SPOILERS/LONG RANT
but exquisite corpse, wasn’t that. it was just a splatterpunk’s wet dream with slurs sprinkled in that the author CANNOT SAY BTW………
the book is paced reallt weird like we get introduced to all the characters and their lives and then 60% into the book the actual plot plot starts to yaknow, be written. 60% explanation 40% execution… and that’s being generous
it felt very low key racist at times…. the main cast is 3 white men and 1 vietnamese man. guess which one is framed as ‘innocent’ and ‘exotic’ and is the only one that is violently raped and murdered 😑 yeah…… the Vietnamese character
ALSO. HIV AND AIDS IS A VERY VITAL PART OF THE BOOK????? i can sort of see why but like then everyone brushes it off but also like, idk, the author frames ppl with HIV and AIDS as monsters… even going so far that the 3 horrible abusive murderous main characters have AIDS and the ‘pure and innocent’ POC character doesn’t <- he is almost given AIDS several times in the book in sexual ways and it comes off as borderline fetishy at times ?!
it also rubs me the wrong way that all the characters are gay when this happens, like cool gay men but also WHY ARE TOU PORTRAYING THEM AS MONSTERS…. HUH⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️
i don’t know, it’s a fucked up book which is fine to write, things can and should push people’s comfort levels, but challenge them in meaningful ways not just
GORE GORE MURDER RAPE GORE CANNIBALISM GORE .. fuck it got exhausting after a while, i had to put the book done and just drink some water bc it was just, so edgy, i think i got cut while reading it
REVIEW WRITTEN BY TRANS POC LESBIAN
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Violence, Drug abuse, Drug use, Physical abuse, Murder, Torture, and Toxic relationship