Book review: Sophie White is helping Ireland face up to its taboos in a laugh-out-loud way

Her mission in Corpsing is to expose everything: if she doesn’t, how will similar people find comfort?
Book review: Sophie White is helping Ireland face up to its taboos in a laugh-out-loud way

Sophie White reveals and discusses things which most people, especially in this country, keep close to themselves or, at any rate, in the family.

In Corpsing Sophie White describes her firstborn as a ‘skinned rabbit’ and her second son as ‘raw and red’ at birth. These could be dangerous moments for the babes since White is a woman who craves human blood. Three litres of pigs’ blood, ordered from the local butcher and delivered to her doorstep by a bosom pal, fails to assuage the need, lacking the necessary viscosity for a satisfying beverage or even bloodbath.

In these essays White reveals and discusses things which most people, especially in this country, keep close within themselves or, at any rate, in the family. But White’s mission is to expose everything: if she doesn’t, how will similar people find comfort? White’s Body and Other Horror Shows holds no punches.

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