Exquisite Corpse

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - North Yarmouth Academy, Yarmouth, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: March 8, 2016

Review

Bagieu's illustrations are the star of this R-rated graphic novel (for sexual scenes and adult language). Her drawings capture the ennui of the 20-something European women working dead-end jobs, and the world of the literary recluse presumed dead, but happily writing his next great novel. The story is where these two worlds intersect, and while it could have been great, it falls flat. Zoe is a naive young woman who stumbles across Thomas Rocher, one of the literary geniuses of the 21st century. She has no idea who he is or that his books sell far better now that he is "dead". Thomas is intrigued by this sexy, sweet woman who doesn't expect anything from him and the two start an affair. The heart of this novella-style GN is the way that people treat one another in relationships; the way that we communicate, or don't; and how we can hurt those we love. Rocher should have taken advice from another literary great: "hell hath no fury like a woman scorned". With a predictable, but satisfying twist at the end, this GN is worth reading for a light diversion.

Overall Book Score: good