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Exquisite Corpse    by Pénélope Pénélope Bagieu Amazon.com order for
Exquisite Corpse
by Pénélope Pénélope Bagieu
Order:  USA  Can
First Second, 2015 (2015)
Hardcover
* * *   Reviewed by Ricki Marking-Camuto

Pénélope Bagieu's Exquisite Corpse is a quirky romp through the world of publishing, with a main character who has never even set foot in a bookstore. Zoe spends her days working as a product rep at trade shows and her nights with her inconsiderate boyfriend.

One day over lunch, she catches a man spying on her. In desperate need of a bathroom, she gets him to let her go up to his apartment which is the start of their friendship. Soon, Zoe finds the courage to actually leave her boyfriend – not just talk about it – and move in with Thomas. Their relationship takes off and neither could be happier ... until Zoe discovers Thomas's secret.

With Pénélope Bagieu's fun story and cute art, the pages of Exquisite Corpse simply flew by. While the text has all been translated to English, the art still has some French popping us here and there, and that adds even more charm. The ending was not as satisfying as the rest, but it still made a fitting close.

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