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Exquisite Corpse
by
To serial slayer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art. After feigning his own death to escape from prison, Compton makes his way to the United States with the sole ambition of bringing his "art" to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, and drawn to possess and destroy young boys, Compton inadvertently joins forces with Jay Byrne, a dissolute
...more
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Paperback, 240 pages
Published
August 20th 1997
by Gallery Books
(first published 1996)
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it has been decided: 3 "i don't know what the fuck this book was" stars!!!
y'all, this plot was WILD. i don't know if, technically speaking, exquisite corpse was all that great. it was really a whole mess, but also metal as fuck, and i can wholeheartedly say that i've never read anything quite like it lol. if ur a hardcore horror lover, maybe u should read this (if u aren't...for the love of god, don't start here). it's splatterpunk, so *very* weird, dark, and downright disgusting most of the tim ...more
y'all, this plot was WILD. i don't know if, technically speaking, exquisite corpse was all that great. it was really a whole mess, but also metal as fuck, and i can wholeheartedly say that i've never read anything quite like it lol. if ur a hardcore horror lover, maybe u should read this (if u aren't...for the love of god, don't start here). it's splatterpunk, so *very* weird, dark, and downright disgusting most of the tim ...more
Dec 10, 2020
Lyn❤Loves❤Listening #AUDIOBOOKADDICT
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Audio 5+++ Stars
Story...5 Stars??? 🤷🏽♀️
Trigger warning: Too many to list so let's just go with all of them, including don't eat while reading or listening to this book. 😬🤢
Lots of POVs in this serial killer meets serial killer...um...romance?
This is the progression of my experience with this book:
The end ...more
Story...5 Stars??? 🤷🏽♀️
Trigger warning: Too many to list so let's just go with all of them, including don't eat while reading or listening to this book. 😬🤢
Lots of POVs in this serial killer meets serial killer...um...romance?
This is the progression of my experience with this book:
The end ...more
Oct 18, 2007
Paul Bryant
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
goths of all ages between 10 and 15
Shelves:
novels,
verysleazyfun
Why didn't I review this one before? Probably because I'm a leetle bit embarrassed - okay, more than a leetle bit embarrassed - to have read it at all. I remember reading this on a jolly family holiday in Dorset, a short walk away from Thomas Hardy's cottage. Georgia was making sandcastles and bouncing on trampolines and there was I reading about gay serial killers who eat their victims and then each other. It was inappropriate. No other word.
As stupid books go this was insanely gruesome but it ...more
As stupid books go this was insanely gruesome but it ...more
Favorite book of all time. Lucky to have read it because I stumbled on to it by accident. I was looking for a book at a book store in Nashville. I read the jacket and was intrigued by the serial killer meets serial killer plot. I was even more interested when I saw that it was written by a women. But when I opened it and saw that the author dedicated the gruesome book to her mom I had to get it. I wasn’t disappointed. Some of the most shocking things I have ever read. Shocking in a gross, murder
...more
Dec 31, 2020
Char
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
addiction,
lbtgq,
body-horror,
dark-fiction,
new-orleans,
london,
audio-book,
crime,
wickedly-disturbing,
corruption
What can be said about EXQUISITE CORPSE that hasn't already been said? Even though this read is all the things everyone says it is, (gross, disgusting, explicit), it's much more than that.
Set in the time when HIV and AIDS were just becoming known terms, two men were destined to meet in New Orleans. Andrew, a serial killer recently escaped from prison in a way Edmond Dantes would have admired; the other a wealthy, long time New Orleans resident named Jay whose tastes mirror Andrew's. They prowl t ...more
Set in the time when HIV and AIDS were just becoming known terms, two men were destined to meet in New Orleans. Andrew, a serial killer recently escaped from prison in a way Edmond Dantes would have admired; the other a wealthy, long time New Orleans resident named Jay whose tastes mirror Andrew's. They prowl t ...more
Grossest book I've ever read. After not finishing Asylum, I wanted something scary. Brothers and sisters, that's what I got with Poppy Z. Brite's Exquisite Corpse.
I have an exceptionally weak stomach, which is why I usually avoid gore. I've never seen the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. I've never seen the Freddy Kruger films. Gore's just not my thing; I'm more of a psychological terror guy. Horrors left offscreen are more effective on me. This book is quite scary psychologically, but it also r ...more
I have an exceptionally weak stomach, which is why I usually avoid gore. I've never seen the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movies. I've never seen the Freddy Kruger films. Gore's just not my thing; I'm more of a psychological terror guy. Horrors left offscreen are more effective on me. This book is quite scary psychologically, but it also r ...more
It appears that 2008 is going to be the year I plunge blindly into the ever-growing morass of uninspired and weak drivel that is gay literature. Every other book I pick up concerns one recurring element; completely unbridled homosexual revelry. And I’ll be honest; I’m disappointed. One would think that in all that time that the homosexual minority is busy being shunned, alienated, and whatever else they gripe about in their heart-wrenchingly ‘honest and unbiased’ tales of ostracism (generally be
...more
Mar 07, 2011
Bark | Ladies Of Horror Fiction
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
horror,
hardcore-horror
Poppy Z. Brite's EXQUISITE CORPSE is darker and infinitely more disturbing than any of her previous works. This is an unflinching, unapologetic love story between two cannibalistic serial killers.
Brite's writing is done so well you can almost smell the scents of the decadent French Quarter. Her dialogue is clear, cutting and painfully honest, her imagery so vivid when that first slice is made into the delicate human abdomen you feel your own guts begin to churn. The story is made all the more ch ...more
Brite's writing is done so well you can almost smell the scents of the decadent French Quarter. Her dialogue is clear, cutting and painfully honest, her imagery so vivid when that first slice is made into the delicate human abdomen you feel your own guts begin to churn. The story is made all the more ch ...more
This book is demented. It reads a bit like a bad joke, two serial killers walk into a bar.... But actually it's the most obscene and grotesque thing I have ever read. Like looking at crime scene photos and being unable to look away. And yet I enjoyed it so much it made my teeth ache. But I very much feel the need to wash out the inside of my skull now. It is definitely not for the squeamish.
...more
Mar 18, 2019
Michael Sorbello
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
horror-books,
all-book-reviews
Synopsis: To escaped serial killer Andrew Compton, murder is an art, the most intimate art to ever exist. After feigning his own death to escape from a life sentence in prison, he makes his way to America with the intention of bringing his art to new heights. Tortured by his own perverse desires, he inadvertently joins forces with Jay, a dissolute playboy. They set their sights on a young Vietnamese-American runaway, whom they deem to be the perfect victim. An orgy of blood and madness ensues.
Re ...more
Re ...more
i read the ultra-dark gothic erotic thriller exquisite corpse for the first time in a mad 24-hour fever dream, while hopped up on vicodin and cold medicine; and maybe this is the best way to get through the book, in fact, in that this atmospheric yet disturbingly violent tale takes some getting used to. don't get me wrong; i love this book! be aware, by the way, that author poppy z. brite has gone through a big change in her career since then; she's now much more known for a series of funny rela
...more
I first read this book aout ten years ago. I had read two other books by Poppy Z. Brite, and was a big fan of them (Lost Souls and Drawng Blood). Exquisite Corpse took me into a place that was darker than I had ever been, and disturbed me like no book I had read up to that point. The writing, as always with PZB, is first-rate. She is extremely talented, and a master of her craft. The book manages to be both violent and sexy; the super-graphic blood and gore may prove to be turn-off for some read
...more
I very, very rarely quit on a book halfway through. I always feel guilty and have to slog through it just so I can feel like I gave it a fair chance. This was one of the few books I couldn't stand to finish. Now, I'm not squeamish, so the gore and sociopathy described in the book didn't bother me at all. What did was the lack of dimension in the characters (Brite seems to think that writing characters who are evil and disturbed will automatically give them some sort of depth - it doesn't) and th
...more
wow I honestly don't know what to think with this book or where to start.
I spent most of the book wondering how many stars to even give it because in all honesty I am not even sure I liked it. The best way to describe this book its to liken it to a pile up on the M1, you don't want to keep reading/watching but you have to you hope its not to gory but you keep reading when it it.
Sometimes I was like....
then I was....
However the story line/plot was fantastic and the way poppy tells the story reall ...more
I spent most of the book wondering how many stars to even give it because in all honesty I am not even sure I liked it. The best way to describe this book its to liken it to a pile up on the M1, you don't want to keep reading/watching but you have to you hope its not to gory but you keep reading when it it.
Sometimes I was like....
then I was....
However the story line/plot was fantastic and the way poppy tells the story reall ...more
I made it through the entire book. I feel dirty. I guess thats a good thing. While this book is not for everyone,(possibly me) the writing is solid, with the exception of some pov problems at the end, and the characters are well drawn. Exquisite Corpse is definitely of its time (mid 80's) I'd forgotten how horrified people were about AIDS and serial killers. Both subjects seem thoroughly explored even overdone today. But I do see why its become a classic of its genre. It captures a moment in tim
...more
I set out to read a horror for the season, knowing nothing about the author, but having his name and some books dropped on several groups. What I got was a gay grotesque, horrible I suppose if one were a victim, difficult to identify with the needs of the victimizers (thank the gods). This is a psychosexual horror without any occult elements. It is quite straight forward, requiring little work on the reader's part.
Others have summarized the plot (see below). His style is effective, the characte ...more
Others have summarized the plot (see below). His style is effective, the characte ...more
I read this in one sitting. If that explains ANYTHING. I read this based on the supposition that this is the grossest book a lot of people have read... but... unfortunately (or fortunately lol) that was not the case for me. I have read FAR grosser books (like Carlton Mellick a Chandler Morrison). But the grossness is not what I focused on because the perpetrators see it as art and there are so many other themes prevailing here.
So let me back up. Andrew Compton is a serial killer in a mirror imag ...more
So let me back up. Andrew Compton is a serial killer in a mirror imag ...more
Nov 22, 2007
Noah Soudrette
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
Brite fans, horror fans, grossout lovers, GBLT enthusiasts
Shelves:
horror
Poppy Z. Brite's hardcore horror opus is not for everyone. This story, while very compelling and dark, also features some rather gruesome imagery and is not for th faint of heart. That said, we end up with a really strong character study of four men, in two relationships. One is the soon to be victim and his ex, the other, two serial killers. If that sounds like a good hook, it is. However, this is not really a thriller, so if your looking for a smash bang ening, look elsewhere. Still, for those
...more
It's extremely gruesome and truly morbid, but inexplicably charming. The relationship of the two serial killers is fascinating. Where this felt just a little bit unbelievable was the portrayal of their ultimate victim (view spoiler), but even so I have to give it five stars just for being so off-kilter and unforgettable.
...more
Well this was different.
Four characters, each with their own POV, make up this little book of gore and death. It begins with Andrew's story, a necrophiliac serial killer from London. We follow him as he shrewdly escapes prison and makes his way to New Orleans to start over. Next, it's Tran and Luke, an estranged gay couple dealing with the aftermath of an HIV diagnosis and renouncement from a very traditional Vietnamese family. Last is Jay, an attractive and very sophisticated cannibal who preys ...more
Four characters, each with their own POV, make up this little book of gore and death. It begins with Andrew's story, a necrophiliac serial killer from London. We follow him as he shrewdly escapes prison and makes his way to New Orleans to start over. Next, it's Tran and Luke, an estranged gay couple dealing with the aftermath of an HIV diagnosis and renouncement from a very traditional Vietnamese family. Last is Jay, an attractive and very sophisticated cannibal who preys ...more
"Your life collided with mine...and you simply failed to survive the wreckage."
I don't even know what to say about this book. This is probably the grossest book I've read (maybe), and it was disturbing on all the levels, but oddly enjoyable. It's like if Jeffrey Dahmer fell in love. If that doesn't sound interesting to you, definitely don't read this book 😂. It's graphic, and gruesome as hell, but it was definitely interesting. It's even kind of campy (yet so so disgusting). This was my first Po ...more
I don't even know what to say about this book. This is probably the grossest book I've read (maybe), and it was disturbing on all the levels, but oddly enjoyable. It's like if Jeffrey Dahmer fell in love. If that doesn't sound interesting to you, definitely don't read this book 😂. It's graphic, and gruesome as hell, but it was definitely interesting. It's even kind of campy (yet so so disgusting). This was my first Po ...more
When I was 13 I attempted to read this book, and now, I distinctly remember throwing it away in disgust after the first chapter.
WARNING, WARNING, WARNING
This novel truly is *disgusting*, vile, extremely disturbing, putrid. Feel brave? Come on in.
This would be equivalent to a scratch and sniff garbage pail kid sticker, labeled bloody fart.
But....SERIOUSLY this retched story sucks you right in, twists and turns you all around, has you writhing in gore, wincing through DETAILED rough gay sex, an ...more
WARNING, WARNING, WARNING
This novel truly is *disgusting*, vile, extremely disturbing, putrid. Feel brave? Come on in.
This would be equivalent to a scratch and sniff garbage pail kid sticker, labeled bloody fart.
But....SERIOUSLY this retched story sucks you right in, twists and turns you all around, has you writhing in gore, wincing through DETAILED rough gay sex, an ...more
Though I was naked and he was clothed, though he still held a weapon and I had only my flesh, I felt his world’s foundations tremble as he realized that he was in the presence of a creature worse than himself.
Violence comes in many forms, as does love.
Violence comes in many forms, as does love.
Gay cannibals in love! So okay, this is some warped stuff, but if you can get over the serial killing, cannibalism, and necrophilia, all rendered in loving detail, it's a compelling little read.
I don't know that it's aged especially well since it was published in 1996. A lot of Poppy Brite's stories from that period explore themes of homosexuality and gay sexuality, and subsequently there's a certain "OH MY GOD LOOK HOW WE'RE HAVING TEH UBER GAY SEXSSS!!!" exuberance that seems kind of quaint in ...more
I don't know that it's aged especially well since it was published in 1996. A lot of Poppy Brite's stories from that period explore themes of homosexuality and gay sexuality, and subsequently there's a certain "OH MY GOD LOOK HOW WE'RE HAVING TEH UBER GAY SEXSSS!!!" exuberance that seems kind of quaint in ...more
This is my first--maybe last--Brite book, especially if they're as uninteresting as this one. A co-worker explained the book like this: It's like a book written by a high schooler who knows how to write pretty well. Sums it up for me. The writing, while trying to be daring and disgusting, just came off as juvenile.
...more
...more
I asked the two administrative assistants at my work if they were interested in a genre based book club. It would alternate between horror and science fiction. The last bit was crucial, as those were the areas of interest for them. They said sure. I thought this will force me to read outside my comfort level. Force is a strong term, though very appropriate under these circumstances. Before we broach the lurid and gruesome thematics of Brite's novel, allow us to pause and consider Montagne on can
...more
5 stars audio
4.25 twisted as fuck stars story.
4.25 twisted as fuck stars story.
This was a brutal read. I give the author props for certainly putting me into a murderer's POV, to the point where it was uncomfortable at times. I didn't feel much for the characters, except for one who...well, things didn't go well for him.
If you're into extreme reading, go for it, just know you've been warned. I gave it three stars because it was one hell of an experience and I am glad I read it. I may even read it again someday, but I'm in no damn hurry. ENJOY! ...more
If you're into extreme reading, go for it, just know you've been warned. I gave it three stars because it was one hell of an experience and I am glad I read it. I may even read it again someday, but I'm in no damn hurry. ENJOY! ...more
Dec 31, 2020
Vee
rated it
liked it
Recommended to Vee by:
Janice Williams Garcia
Shelves:
dark,
horror,
lgbtqiap-themes,
romance,
whaaaaat-the-fuck,
gross,
lusty-lust,
adult,
multi-pov
[6.86/10]
Janice made me read this. Almost forced it into my hand actually by gifting me the audiobook. And, I'd like to say that I was prepared in advance, I'd love to say that I read the blurb beforehand, but it was coming from a trusted friend recommendation so why would I do any research? That was my first mistake.
My second mistake was the idea to start listening to this book as I went to sleep last night. Within the first few pages, I learned that the protagonist was fond of a taking a penis ...more
Janice made me read this. Almost forced it into my hand actually by gifting me the audiobook. And, I'd like to say that I was prepared in advance, I'd love to say that I read the blurb beforehand, but it was coming from a trusted friend recommendation so why would I do any research? That was my first mistake.
My second mistake was the idea to start listening to this book as I went to sleep last night. Within the first few pages, I learned that the protagonist was fond of a taking a penis ...more
This book is repulsive, no question, and yet Brite can still be defended as an artful poet of murder and obsession.
The title, Exquisite Corpse, refers to a unique literary style originated by the surrealist school of writing. This machination is used to describe a method of writing through collaboration where each writer will tack on their narrative to the end of the last, without necessarily knowing what came before. This particular story was not written in that way by multiple authors, instea ...more
The title, Exquisite Corpse, refers to a unique literary style originated by the surrealist school of writing. This machination is used to describe a method of writing through collaboration where each writer will tack on their narrative to the end of the last, without necessarily knowing what came before. This particular story was not written in that way by multiple authors, instea ...more
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| Fraud! | 10 | 82 | Nov 19, 2018 07:10PM |
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Poppy Z. Brite (born Melissa Ann Brite, now going by Billy Martin) is an American author born in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Born a biological female, Brite has written and talked much about his gender dysphoria/gender identity issues. He self-identifies almost completely as a homosexual male rather than female, and as of 2011 has started taking testosterone injections. His male name is Billy Martin.
He ...more
Born a biological female, Brite has written and talked much about his gender dysphoria/gender identity issues. He self-identifies almost completely as a homosexual male rather than female, and as of 2011 has started taking testosterone injections. His male name is Billy Martin.
He ...more
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“It was like discovering that your innermost fires and terrors, the things you believed no one else could fathom, were in fact the basis of a recognized philosophy. Some part of you felt intimately invaded, threatened; some other part fell to its knees and sobbed in gratitude that it was no longer alone.”
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“I'm your nightmare. Did you think you were done with nightmares, now you've become one?”
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