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juushikaI had the most interesting experience today, conflating text and scent and sensation. I'm reading Poppy Z. Brite's Lost Souls (and, for all that it is almost entirely gratuitous, rather enjoying it—full review here). The book about vampires in all their hedonistic glory: Nothing is a teenage boy who is actually the son of a vampire. In the early pages of the book he runs away from home and falls in with three vampires—two who gorge themselves on vast qualities of cheap chocolate and candy, one who is his unwitting father. And after some days of drugs and drinking and sex they pass him an unusual bottle, grubby with red fingerprints:
Meanwhile, there is a BPAL scent which is part of the Shoujo Beat Limited Edition line, designed to match the vivid art and characterization of the vampires found in manga (and anime):
On me, Midnight Kiss is rich and blood red, undercut by dark cocoa but sickly sugar sweet. The last time I wore it (just a few days ago), the scent was so thick and red and sweet that I had a distinct physiological reaction: the back of my throat felt tight and sticky and sore, like I had gorged myself to sickness on bright-dyed hard candy. Lost Souls reminds me of Midnight Kiss—both are vivid and bloody, super-saturated, thick and rich. It reminded me so much, in fact, that when I got to the blood drinking passage above my throat closed up, dry and thick, that same candy-gorged feeling triggered by the scent. It was a bit unpleasant, physically uncomfortable, but certainly fascinating. From text, to scent, to sensation—the book had a rare effect on me. I've never experienced anything quite like it.
Nothing took the bottle, uncapped it, lifted it to his mouth, and sipped. There was some kind of liquor—vodka and gin, something oily and stinging—but mingled with that was another taste, dark and sweet and a little decayed. Familiar. He brought the bottle down, blinked, then lifted it again and drank deep. Molochai, Twig, and Zillah watched him. All three sat very still, seeming to hold their breath. Nothing stopped drinking, licked his lips, and smiled.
"I don't think drinking blood is so weird," he said.
...The air in the van was thick, tense; something seemed to be passing between them, something Nothing could not read. Then Zillah laid his hand over Nothing's and pushed the bottle to Nothing's lips again.
They passed it around, drinking until the insides of their mouths were stained rotten red. Nothing no longer felt sick. He was giddy with joy...
—Lost Souls, Poppy Z. Brite (139-140)
Meanwhile, there is a BPAL scent which is part of the Shoujo Beat Limited Edition line, designed to match the vivid art and characterization of the vampires found in manga (and anime):
MIDNIGHT KISS
Eternal desire, unquenchable passion: red musk, cocoa absolute, Nepalese amber, red sandalwood, aged patchouli, nicotiana, and blood wine.
On me, Midnight Kiss is rich and blood red, undercut by dark cocoa but sickly sugar sweet. The last time I wore it (just a few days ago), the scent was so thick and red and sweet that I had a distinct physiological reaction: the back of my throat felt tight and sticky and sore, like I had gorged myself to sickness on bright-dyed hard candy. Lost Souls reminds me of Midnight Kiss—both are vivid and bloody, super-saturated, thick and rich. It reminded me so much, in fact, that when I got to the blood drinking passage above my throat closed up, dry and thick, that same candy-gorged feeling triggered by the scent. It was a bit unpleasant, physically uncomfortable, but certainly fascinating. From text, to scent, to sensation—the book had a rare effect on me. I've never experienced anything quite like it.
