Lost Souls
by Poppy Z. Brite
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Book Reviews of Lost Souls
Book Review: Repetitive and Shallow
Summary: 2 Stars
I had pretty high hopes for this book based on the Amazon reviews, but I was sadly disappointed.By the time I finished it, I felt like I'd read large snatches of the novel 3 or more times as Poppy Z. Brite repeated descriptive section after section while the plot crawled. I grew tired of kudzu, weak Bauhaus references, sticky wine, and the many flavors of spit.
And that would lead to the other fault with the novel: goth lifestlye. To put it succinctly, dyed hair, thin bodies, Bauhaus and The Cure, razor wrist scars, liberal bisexuality, and eyeliner do not a goth make. It felt like the author had dabbled in the culture and picked up only the most superficial, banal aspects for the readership to connect with. The result? Shallow and stereotypical backdrops, which is a shame since the magical history of New Orleans and the gothic subculture deserves a richer treatment.
The novel is not all bad, but it required perseverance to finish it. She does a nice job touching on the wonderment of herbal magick and the childlike vulnerability of Ghost's personality. But the novel's few small heights are not worth the long flat plateau of the read.
Looking for a well-written, intelligent novel about the gothic underworld and their fascination with the underworld? I'm still looking too.
Book Review: A decent read but doesn't go far enough
Summary: 3 Stars
I read this book on the recommendation of a friend and I wasnt' disappointed. She takes the vampires in New Orleans theme started by Anne Rice and gives them an interesting twist. I like the idea of the Vampires not being undead things but a seperate race of beings. I also think that Ms Brite introduces us to some interesting characters. But it is here where I think the story is weakest. Most of the central charas in the book have the potential to be excellent. I particularly liked Ghost. However the author never really gets below the surface of these charas. They are all portrayed very 2D and that is what I found most frustrating. I kept looking for motivations and couldn't find them. I wanted to know how and why they think and act as they do and was left in the air. The charas were just thrown out as is. I think the problem with this novel is that it is a first novel from someone who comes from a short story background. But what works in a short story doesn't come thru as well in alonger work. That aside, I think most people who enjoy vampire homoerotic fiction will like this one ok. Let me warn the reader that it is also pretty graphic in nature and I found some scenes disturbing and a bit disgusting. This is not for anyone with a week stomach.Book Review: Another Lost Soul
Summary: 5 Stars
Poppy Z Brite, the amazing Poppy Z Brite, wrote yet another amazing book, Lost Souls. Vampires, suave and scandalous, are the main characters of this book, along with two people of a different race, humans. This book smells of blood and altars, and Poppy's humid-New-Orleans-diction is truly a diamond in the ruff of other corny vampire novels. Nothing, the young teen with RIT died hair, feels like most teens, hoping that somehow he was adopted and has no relation to his parents. But his yearning for different birthparents came true when he found a note proving his 'parents' weren't blood parents. He ran away and coincidence turned to fate when he found his true father, a beautiful vampire named Zillah with chartreuse green eyes, along with two other vampires, mirror images of each other, Molochia and Twig. Everything in the book ties together, from drinking to the late Dylan Thomas, or red-x-voodoo-queens, and witches. Bauhaus music floods this book, serenading along with the Lost Souls? band of Ghost and Steve. Lost Souls is my favorite Poppy Z Brite book, along with her short story in that water erotica book (mainly because the pages of it are waterproof).I love it because of its wonderful, beautiful, horrifying bliss.Book Review: Dark Horror Fiction at its Finest
Summary: 5 Stars
Several years ago I walked into a book store and my eyes fell upon Poppy Z. Brites Lost Souls. At the time it was her only novel. I bought the book initially just based on the fact that I liked the cover art. Now my original copy is held together with duct tape. I love this book. It is fascinating, original, dark, erotic, and in my opinion one of the best horror books out there. I have re-read this book more times then any other. I still get hooked into the story line and feel for the characters that I have grown to love. This novel explores many topics that are fairly common in horror fiction. Yet, Poppy breathes new life and fascination into both vampires, misguided youth, and rock n' roll. This book is almost the modern day tale of vampires. I recommend it to all dark horror lover, vampire fans, and anyone who loves a well crafted and executed story. If this is your first time trying Brite--be warned her words are potent, strong, and filled with images. This is the original Poppy book. I urge you to give it a try, and maybe, just maybe, a few years from now you will find your copy of this book held together with duct tape from too many late night readings.Book Review: Lost angels or demons, so hard to tell....
Summary: 5 Stars
At the age of 22, I am still caught up in a bit of my teen angst, but I was never so reminded as when I stepped into the whirlwind of PZB's, "Lost Souls". Whether you were a tragic outcast or not, you will be able to understand that nuances of a small town and how it feels to be misunderstood. It's easy to fall in love with Ghost, simple yet complex, sensitive and mystical. To lust after Zillah, beautiful, passionate, green eyed, and brutal. To care so much for Nothing, to take him into your arms and show him that the world is not as fake and cruel as it seems (though it may well be sometimes).
Even though I knew the ending (unfortunately read a review that spelled it out for me), I enjoyed every moment of the book. It was at times confusing in it's madness, yet it was littered and sparkled with magic at every turn of the page.
I have not been able to get this book out of my mind. It's sensuality and overwhelming contrast of light and dark make this book an amazing read for anyone who isn't afraid of something that's a bit different.
The only problem is with letting go of the book when one is finished reading :).