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 playboy who has pushed his “art” to limits even Compton hadn’t previously imagined. Together, Compton and Byrne set their sights on an exquisite young Vitenamese-American runaway, Tran, whom they deem to be the perfect victim. Swiftly moving from the grimy streets of London’s Piccadilly Circus to the decadence of the New Orleans French Quarter, and punctuated by rants from radio talk show host Lush Rimbaud, a.k.a. Luke Ransom, Tran’s ex-lover, who is dying of AIDS and who intends to wreak ultimate havoc before leaving this world, Exquisite Corpse unfolds into a labyrinth of murder and love. Ultimately all four characters converge on a singular bloody night after which their lives will be irrevocably changed – or terminated.
Poppy Z. Brite brings us an inside look at a serial killer’s mind in this daunting novel… Brite gives reference to famous killers like Dahmer and Gacy in this twisted tale, filled with depravity, rapes, murder, and even necrophilia. (This novel is not for the faint of heart, please look into triggers for this novel on your own accord). This novel immediately introduces you to famous killer Andrew Compton who has finally been convicted for his unspeakable crimes against young men. While in prison awaiting punishment, Andrew uses a self-taught trick to escape and once again bring terror to the land. Andrew flees his home, finding himself in the US where he is unknown and unfeared. Andrew soon finds himself entangled with Jay, a man who shares the same desires as Andrew. Andrew and Jay soon join forces leading them down a road of unforeseen mayhem, violence, and death. Brite brings us deep within the minds of these two killers leaving out no detail as we learn of their unspeakable rain of torture.
Wow, wow, wow, was this novel brilliant! I absolutely loved everything about it from the characters to the writing. Since childhood, I have been fascinated with serial killers (a bit odd maybe, but I’m a psychology nerd) making this read a standout. I found myself immediately captivated by the stunning writing style flowing across the pages. I also found it rather neat how many references to Dahmer Brite brought to her novel, there were a few scenes that could have been pulled straight from the headlines. There were also quite a few Gacy comparisons throughout the novel, which were fun to see. One of my greatest interests is the inner workings of serial killers’ minds, what are they thinking, what motivates them, and what causes them to do what they do. I felt like I was given a front-row seat to the inner workings of a killer’s mind reading this masterpiece. There were some incredibly intense parts scattered among the plot, but they gave such a perspective it only made the story more fulfilling. I could not stop reading this once I started, the pace was quick and suspenseful, leaving me needing what madness was about to happen next. The characters were rich, bold, and unapologetically real leaving you hating them, yet intrigued by them. The writing was flawless and flowed with dark ease making for a combination of perfection.
If you are a fan of extreme horror, fascinated by the evil mind, or looking for an out-of-the-box read look no further. This novel has all of that plus some, leaving the reader filled with endless mixed emotions. I would recommend this novel to any horror lover or anyone who would like to take the plunge into more extreme/dark horror as well. I can not say enough good things about Brite and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Pages: 240
Published: January 1rst, 1996
Genre: Horror – Adult Fiction – LGBTQ – Dark – Splatterpunk
Ali’s Book Nook Corner 📚 