Poppy Z. Brite’s inspiration for her novel, The Crow: Lazarus Heart, was James O’Barr’s graphic novel, The Crow. However, the only real similarity is the story’s premise. With her unique style Brite takes the story in a whole new direction. Jared Poe is accused of murdering his lover Benjamin DuBois and sentenced to death. As in O’Barr’s graphic novel Jared is resurrected by a crow to hunt down Benny’s true killer and exact his revenge. Though I did like this novel and I was extremely excited to read it I don’t think it is up to Brite’s usual level of greatness. I enjoyed reading The Crow: Lazarus Heart but, as was said in a previous comment, Brite seems to do a much better job when she uses her own story lines. I was expecting the novel to be dark and bloody—which it was—but it felt very rushed and a bit jumbled. I did love that fact that Brite added her own distinct style and her usual homosexual twist. I would recommend this book to Poppy Z. Brite fans! ( )

Benny DuBois is viciously slain by a serial killer. His lover, controversial S&M photographer Jared Poe, is wrongly blamed for it by the heavily biased New Orleans justice system. Poe is then stabbed to death in prison and comes back from the dead to pursue vengeance against Benny's real killer--with help from Benny's transsexual twin, Lucrece DuBois, and a crow that not only fosters his passage from death back to life, but also stays by his side and offers insight into his purpose. During his quest to find the killer, Poe becomes consumed by his anger for those who condemned him and seeks them out one by one to inflict his own interpretation of justice. All the while, Jared still doesn't know the identity of Benny's still-active killer.

As the plot progresses and nears the end, its twists become increasingly vague. Lucrece's role in the story is vital, but too much of her involvement, especially at the end, is unexplained. It just didn't feel cohesive.

I didn't care about any of the characters, least of all Benny DuBois. While he is mentioned frequently, the reader isn't given much insight into what kind of person he was, or how the relationship between Jared and Benny unfolded. There's a flashback to the night they met, and then suddenly they're lovers, and then Benny's dead. I found it difficult to sympathize with Jared's loss, because it felt so intangible.

I don't like giving books less than four stars, but I was just so profoundly disappointed in The Lazarus Heart that I couldn't avoid it. I'm familiar enough with The Crow series to appreciate the lore, but what really got me interested in this book was the author, Poppy Z. Brite.

I've been a fan of hers since I first read Exquisite Corpse close to 5 years ago. That book showed me how brilliantly Poppy can render the mind of a serial killer. Which is why I was puzzled at the pure dullness of her writing in The Lazarus Heart. I saw only small traces of the fluid, poetic language I know she's capable of. In all, not a terrible book. But it's definitely not Poppy at her best. ( )

If you liked the Crow movie and you lke Brite's style of writing, you will LOVE this book! It is dark, sensual, and strangely exotic, typical of most of Poppy's early novels. ( )

A man is on death row. He didn't do what he has been convicted for, being the murder of his lover. Being a photographer of kinky stuff didn't really help his cause.

However, The Crow is lurking, and realises that there is a wrong to be avenged. When Jared comes back, the outfit and places they go will be right up his alley, though.

http://superprose.blogspot.com/2006/1... ( )