Literature with grotesque characters?

[Anonymous No.11005912]

I've been working my way through Gogol, Hoffmann, and Poe, often because I love reading about the overblown horrible geezers that said authors' works include. I guess Dickens has the most well-known examples of such characters, but for the time being I'm more drawn towards checking out the Gormenghast series.
Any books I could explore in relation to reading about some over-the-top nasty-looking characters?

[Anonymous No.11005927]

Just read Dostoevsky.

[Anonymous No.11005960]

>>11005927
Good shout, and fortunately there's already a Dostoevsky thread on here advising what order to read his works in, fuckin' ace

[Anonymous No.11005982]

>>11005912
Clive Barker has a fixation on yucky dudes, and Gary Jennings as well

[Anonymous No.11005990]

>>11005912
fuck me, second time my post got eaten. Read Gargantua and Pantagruel, above all else, then naturally Dickens has no few grotesque madmen, and perhaps Melmoth The Wanderer could apply though more research may be necessary than my word. Who was your favorite beastie from Dead Souls? Have you read the portrait? Gogol's portrait that is,

[Anonymous No.11005999]

>>11005912
Samuel Beckett absolutely; Murphy and Molloy are kooky lads.

[Anonymous No.11006029]

>>11005990
I'm reading Gargantua at the moment, I love it dearly.
Alas, I haven't read Dead Souls yet (though I own a copy and look forward to reading it as soon as possible); I've read all of Gogol's other fiction, and love it all, especially the St Petersburg shit. 'The Portrait' is amazing; I especially loved the second half that detailed the origin of the titular painting. Damn I love Gogol.