Another Book, Another Annotation-Horror Style!

 Hi again!  This week I read a horror book-my first!  It wasn't exactly horrifying, but it was an interesting and good read none the less!  Warning-This book is not for the faint of heart as it contains foul language, sex, drug use, rape, and incest, among other potentially offensive material.  Overall though, it typified the horror genre fairly well, other than that it didn't give me nightmares or frighten me.  A solid read.  ~OH

Title: Lost Souls

Author: Poppy Z. Brite

Genre: Horror

Publication Date: 1992

Number of Pages: 359

Geographical Setting: New Orleans, Missing Mile, N.C., small town Maryland

Time Period: 1977, 1992 (majority of the story takes place here), 2042 (epilogue only) {I think…}

Series (If applicable): Drawing Blood, Brite’s second novel, features reappearances of some characters but is not a direct sequel.

Plot Summary: Jason has never felt like he truly belonged-not to his uptight parents, not with his group of friends.  When he discovers an old, yellowed note he realizes he was not adopted as his parents told him, rather left on their doorstep many years ago by a stranger-perhaps his real parents.  He knows he must leave small town Maryland in seek of himself and his lineage.  Along the way he discovers his true nature…a much darker one than even the all-black wearing gothic teen could have imagined…  

Subject Headings: Vampires -Fiction, Youth - Psychology - Fiction, Bisexual teenagers, Sexuality, Murder, Psychics, Rock groups, Problem youth, Alienation (Social psychology) (From Novelist & WorldCat)

Appeal: Atmospheric, Gruesome, and Stylistically Complex (from Novelist)

3 terms that best describe this book: Descriptive/Detailed, Supernatural Elements, Multilayered plot with multiple points-of-view

Similar Fiction Works:  

-French Quarter Fiction: The Newest Stories of America's Oldest Bohemia: An Anthology of the Best Works by Living Writers on the Heart of New Orleans, Edited by Joshua Clark: This anthology of short stories features Poppy Z. Brite and dozens of other New Orleans writers in short stories that may vary in terms of genre and appeals but are all related through setting- New Orleans.  Those who found Lost Souls’ French Quarter/New Orleans setting interesting might like to explore the area more through these short stories.

-Necroscope by Brian Lumley: “Follows the story of Thibor Ferenczy, a vampire from the mountains of Romania; Boris Dragosani, a Soviet spy who craves the secrets of the undead; and Harry Keogh, who seeks to stop them both” (summary from Novelist).  This is another vampire and psychic based horror story that is suspenseful and also features an intricate plot.  This is the first in a series of at least 16, so it would be good for those looking to start a related series.   

-Bite by Laurel K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks, and Ruth Glick writing as Rebecca York: This horror anthology features four novellas in which “Otherwordly pleasure and dangerous desire stalk the night as immortal creatures, ravenous and unforgiving, tak[ing] their prey to the brink of ecstasy and fear in four stories of love and dark magic” (description from Novelist).  Those interested in the paranormal and romance aspects of Lost Souls might like this collection of works, some of which are also part of series. 

3 Relevant Non-Fiction Works and Authors:

-All on a Mardi Gras Day: Episodes in the History of New Orleans Carnival by Reid Mitchell: “Chronicles the history and meaning of Mardi Gras through a collection of true stories of Carnival, telling of the first Rex parade, the organization of Comus, the 1908 brawl between African-American and white New Orleanians, and other memorable events” (summary from WorldCat).  Mardi Gras is mentioned several times in Lost Souls; this book would offer information for those looking for a better understanding of the carnival. 

-Vampires: Legends of the Undead by Rob Shone: “With the smash success of contemporary vampire stories such as “Twilight” and the explosion of Young Adult vampire books, this graphic nonfiction compendium brings readers back to the folkloric origins of these macabre tales and the semi-historical sources for vampire mythology. Collecting three lesser known but deeply chilling vampire stories from seventeenth century England, eighteenth century Serbia, and nineteenth century Rhode Island, this book draws the reader into a world of shadows, suspense, menace, and pure terror. Vividly illustrated in rich, saturated colors and almost unnervingly atmospheric, these stories remind readers of just how dangerous the vampires of ancient legend were. They were indeed a far cry from the sensitive and serenely beautiful, angst-ridden adolescent versions popular today. Chilling and hair-raising tales told in artfully wrought full-color graphic panels, coupled with scrupulous historical, cultural, and sociological context, this book is a treasure trove of fascinating and frightening folklore” (summary from WorldCat).

Goth: Undead Subculture by Lauren M E Goodlad and Michael Bibby:

“Since it first emerged from Britain's punk-rock scene in the late 1970s, goth subculture has haunted postmodern culture and society, reinventing itself inside and against the mainstream. Goth: Undead Subculture is the first collection of scholarly essays devoted to this enduring yet little examined cultural phenomenon. Twenty-three essays from various disciplines explore the music, cinema, television, fashion, literature, aesthetics, and fandoms associated with the subculture. They examine goth's many dimensions - including its melancholy, androgyny, spirituality, and perversity - and take readers inside locations in Los Angeles, Austin, Leeds, London, Buffalo, New York City, and Sydney. A number of the contributors are or have been participants in the subculture, and several draw on their own experiences” (summary from WorldCat).  This book would provide more information about the Goth culture, which Nothing seems to be a part of in Lost Souls.