Description

Is Epstein a despicable man?

He’s certainly trying desperately at something. When his wife disappears he’s frantic to talk to his daughter. But what can he tell her? There must be a reason and he’s all but sure about the gruesome answer. Can he protect Sylvia from the truth, from her terrible lineage and, ultimately, from himself?

Off-beat and sordid, The Blood Poetry is a twisted, yet honest look at our desire to connect with others and the ways in which we are often stymied by our own efforts to get closer. Epstein is a curious mix of monster and romantic struggling to maintain a shred of dignity in his dingy, beat down world.

What They’re Saying About The Blood Poetry

“The Blood Poetry is a brilliant, brutal assault of a novel—raw, twisted, and compulsively readable.”
– Shelf Unbound

“From some forgotten box under Patrick Bateman’s bed comes this rat rod of a novel: ragged, supercharged and wildly inappropriate. A Bataille sitcom full of meat and mommies. The main pervert’s agony would be harrowing if it didn’t also happen to be very funny.”
– Grace Krilanovich, author The Orange Eats Creeps

“Leland has such a unique voice; he uses language in such a surprising and original way.  I love the echoes of the truth: a mother sucking the blood out of her son, his sexuality and his wife, only literally. This is so smart and fascinating. I have never read anything like this. By being consistent with his characters, adopting more of a traditional narrative structure, and weaving in and out of the “real” and the imaginary with consistency, he really makes it work. It is beautiful! Unflinching!”
– Rachel Sherman, author The First Hurt