EXQUISITE CORPSE by Poppy Z. Brite - A Review

aecardenas · 07-11-2013, 10:35 PM

A review of Poppy Z. Brite's Exquisite Corpse

Rating: Four Stars

I used to buy multiple copies of this book and keep them on my shelf for the sole purpose of giving them to friends and acquaintances, telling them "You should read this book". I wanted to see if they ,too, would experience what I did, which was to become utterly and irrevocably fascinated with the appalling beauty of this book. I had been a fan of Poppy Z. Brite's work for a while but Exquisite Corpse was and remains her best work.

The novel is about two serial killers, operating on different prey, who inevitably cross paths and form a--I hesitate to use the word "romantic"--perhaps we should call it a "Necromantic Relationship". The subject matter is a sublime gore-fest. There are scenes of such unabashed violence and carnal destruction that it's almost a Feast of Death. But what sets this book apart from other splatter punk works is the beauty of Brite's language. I don't think I've ever seen such beautiful descriptions of graphic violence, of sexual terror, of human dissection, of blood…the prose is a heady mixture of poetry and clinical facts. At one point when a dead man is cut open…the horror of his disease-riddled innards and entrails is a veritable banquet of succulent and devastating power to the killers who performed the act.

For those who feel that this matters: the (necro)romantic relationships in this book are primarily homosexual in nature. So if this offends you, then best go elsewhere. Actually, I think this may have been intended by the author. For she seems intent of supplying an endless variety of things that most conventional readers would find offensive--human cannibalism, homosexual serial killers, insane violence and intense graphic sex and violence. She seems to want to put the reader through the meat grinder and see what comes out on the other side.

And so what you have is a book that is gleefully perverted, resolute in breaking taboos, and perhaps one of the most wonderfully sexually explicitly novels in the genre. It's a book that will divide its readers between extremes of Love and Hate. There will be no in-betweens here.

My only complaint with this book, and what prevents me from giving it a 5 Star rating, is that the ending feels altogether rushed and unsatisfying. It's as if Brite simply didn't know where to go or how to end her macabre masterpiece and so just gave up. I don't blame her, really. I had no idea where the story would go, either. But despite the flawed ending, the book itself is an incredibly powerful work of horror and deserves to be experienced.

caleb72 · 07-12-2013, 04:07 AM

I enjoyed this book too. The book certainly sexualised death in a way which was unsettling and I did find my jaw dropping on several occasions. But I agree with you that it was the writing that made it worthwhile.

I found myself turning the pages in both eagerness and trepidation, not wanting to know, but having to know at the same time.

orlok · 07-12-2013, 04:31 AM

I've only read a few of her his short stories, as far as I can recollect, but I will now add Exquisite Corpse to my reading list. Thanks for the recommendation.

caleb72 · 07-12-2013, 10:09 AM

Good luck orlok.

BenBanned · 07-12-2013, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aecardenas

For those who feel that this matters: the (necro)romantic relationships in this book are primarily homosexual in nature. So if this offends you, then best go elsewhere.

Ha!

Darn, I only read straight nec-romance.
I have tried reading some of this splatter stuff before, its just a little too rich for my blood.
I do thoroughly enjoy Lovecraft's The Loved Dead.
I'm a sucker for good prose, and about due a read out of my comfort zone.
Thanks for the recommendation.

CWatkinsNash · 07-12-2013, 04:44 PM

I've been meaning to seek out more of Poppy's stuff for a while, but like so many others, he constantly gets shifted down the list. I first discovered him via the anthologies he edited, and from there found some of his short work in other anthologies. I'll check this one out first. Going to wishlist it RIGHT NOW so I don't let it get forgotten again.

Catlady · 07-12-2013, 04:53 PM

Just the other day I noticed something by this guy that piqued my interest a bit and I made a mental note to check it out. Now I know not to bother. No way, no how.

caleb72 · 07-12-2013, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

Just the other day I noticed something by this guy that piqued my interest a bit and I made a mental note to check it out. Now I know not to bother. No way, no how.

I would certainly avoid this particular book if you find the description not for you. There wasn't any exaggeration.

However, I don't know enough about the author to advise whether content of his other novels is similar. This is the only book of his that I've read.

aecardenas · 07-12-2013, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

Just the other day I noticed something by this guy that piqued my interest a bit and I made a mental note to check it out. Now I know not to bother. No way, no how.

If you want a good sampling of Poppy Z. Brite's writing and don't want to dive head first into the perverse darkness of Exquisite Corpse which, admittedly, is probably the most extreme book in her oeuvre...then I highly recommend Swamp Foetus. A great collection of short stories and a good representation of the type of themes he/she explores (sorry, I still remember when Brite was a She and still revert to using that pronoun, but I hear she's undergone some changes since then...)

Catlady · 07-12-2013, 11:16 PM

Thanks, but no thanks. This is just not my thing.

AlexBell · 07-13-2013, 02:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catlady

Thanks, but no thanks. This is just not my thing.

Nor mine, and I don't care how beautiful the writing might be.

The description given above is the biggest and reddest of flags for me.

caleb72 · 07-13-2013, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

The description given above is the biggest and reddest of flags for me.

Perhaps you should put "Necromantic Relationship" in the red flags thread under General Discussions.

odiakkoh · 07-14-2013, 02:44 AM

I liked Lost Souls. I didn't realize Poppy was a man. The sample looks interesting enough, it'll have to go on my wish list.

tompe · 07-14-2013, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by odiakkoh

I liked Lost Souls. I didn't realize Poppy was a man. The sample looks interesting enough, it'll have to go on my wish list.

I did not think Poppy Z Brite was a man either but checking wikipedia made me realize that the question is complicated. Born as a woman but self-identifies as a man. Wikipedia mentioned something about a process of gender re-assigning.

rkomar · 07-14-2013, 08:29 PM

I remember a song called "Exquisite Dead Guy" by They Might Be Giants. Looking it up, it seems to have been inspired by the name of a Surrealist party game called "The Exquisite Corpse". I'm not familiar with the game, but the write-up for the song mentioned something about each guest adding a word to a sentence after only looking at the last few words, and then seeing what evolved afterwards. Does the book have anything to do with the game?

07-11-2013, 10:35 PM	#1
aecardenas Kafkaesque Posts: 104 Karma: 1149770 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: California Device: Kindle	EXQUISITE CORPSE by Poppy Z. Brite - A Review A review of Poppy Z. Brite's Exquisite Corpse Rating: Four Stars I used to buy multiple copies of this book and keep them on my shelf for the sole purpose of giving them to friends and acquaintances, telling them "You should read this book". I wanted to see if they ,too, would experience what I did, which was to become utterly and irrevocably fascinated with the appalling beauty of this book. I had been a fan of Poppy Z. Brite's work for a while but Exquisite Corpse was and remains her best work. The novel is about two serial killers, operating on different prey, who inevitably cross paths and form a--I hesitate to use the word "romantic"--perhaps we should call it a "Necromantic Relationship". The subject matter is a sublime gore-fest. There are scenes of such unabashed violence and carnal destruction that it's almost a Feast of Death. But what sets this book apart from other splatter punk works is the beauty of Brite's language. I don't think I've ever seen such beautiful descriptions of graphic violence, of sexual terror, of human dissection, of blood…the prose is a heady mixture of poetry and clinical facts. At one point when a dead man is cut open…the horror of his disease-riddled innards and entrails is a veritable banquet of succulent and devastating power to the killers who performed the act. For those who feel that this matters: the (necro)romantic relationships in this book are primarily homosexual in nature. So if this offends you, then best go elsewhere. Actually, I think this may have been intended by the author. For she seems intent of supplying an endless variety of things that most conventional readers would find offensive--human cannibalism, homosexual serial killers, insane violence and intense graphic sex and violence. She seems to want to put the reader through the meat grinder and see what comes out on the other side. And so what you have is a book that is gleefully perverted, resolute in breaking taboos, and perhaps one of the most wonderfully sexually explicitly novels in the genre. It's a book that will divide its readers between extremes of Love and Hate. There will be no in-betweens here. My only complaint with this book, and what prevents me from giving it a 5 Star rating, is that the ending feels altogether rushed and unsatisfying. It's as if Brite simply didn't know where to go or how to end her macabre masterpiece and so just gave up. I don't blame her, really. I had no idea where the story would go, either. But despite the flawed ending, the book itself is an incredibly powerful work of horror and deserves to be experienced.

07-12-2013, 04:31 AM	#3
orlok Close to the Edit! Posts: 9,797 Karma: 267994408 Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Amazon Fire 8", Kindle 6"	I've only read a few of her his short stories, as far as I can recollect, but I will now add Exquisite Corpse to my reading list. Thanks for the recommendation. Last edited by orlok; 07-12-2013 at 05:01 AM. Reason: gender correction

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07-12-2013, 04:07 AM	#2
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	I enjoyed this book too. The book certainly sexualised death in a way which was unsettling and I did find my jaw dropping on several occasions. But I agree with you that it was the writing that made it worthwhile. I found myself turning the pages in both eagerness and trepidation, not wanting to know, but having to know at the same time.

07-12-2013, 10:09 AM	#4
caleb72 Indie Advocate Posts: 2,863 Karma: 18794463 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Melbourne, Australia Device: Kindle	Good luck orlok.

07-12-2013, 04:44 PM	#6
CWatkinsNash IOC Chief Archivist Posts: 3,950 Karma: 53868218 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Fruitland Park, FL, USA Device: Meebook M7, Paperwhite 2021, Fire HD 8+, Fire HD 10+, Lenovo Tab P12	I've been meaning to seek out more of Poppy's stuff for a while, but like so many others, he constantly gets shifted down the list. I first discovered him via the anthologies he edited, and from there found some of his short work in other anthologies. I'll check this one out first. Going to wishlist it RIGHT NOW so I don't let it get forgotten again.

07-12-2013, 04:53 PM	#7
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,346 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	Just the other day I noticed something by this guy that piqued my interest a bit and I made a mental note to check it out. Now I know not to bother. No way, no how.

07-12-2013, 11:16 PM	#10
Catlady Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,346 Karma: 52398889 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kindle Fire, Kindle Paperwhite, AGPTek Bluetooth Clip	Thanks, but no thanks. This is just not my thing.

07-14-2013, 02:44 AM	#13
odiakkoh Guru Posts: 823 Karma: 1818344 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: iPhone 5s	I liked Lost Souls. I didn't realize Poppy was a man. The sample looks interesting enough, it'll have to go on my wish list.

07-14-2013, 08:29 PM	#15
rkomar Wizard Posts: 2,989 Karma: 18346231 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	I remember a song called "Exquisite Dead Guy" by They Might Be Giants. Looking it up, it seems to have been inspired by the name of a Surrealist party game called "The Exquisite Corpse". I'm not familiar with the game, but the write-up for the song mentioned something about each guest adding a word to a sentence after only looking at the last few words, and then seeing what evolved afterwards. Does the book have anything to do with the game?