abitbetterbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Hell Followed With Us was one of my top books of 2022, and I had high hopes for The Spirit Bares It’s Teeth. I was not disappointed.
AJW had a way of writing that makes me feel like, viscerally and violently ill, and deeply unsettled, and yet I can’t look away or put his books down. The writing is addictive; quick and panicky and frantic one second, luxurious and descriptive in the next, evoking a rich depth of emotion and connection to characters.
The amount of violence and gore in this novel is extreme, to say the least, but AJW knows how to use it. It never feels shocking for the sake of it, but truly drives home the point over and over. You’re meant to be uncomfortable— you SHOULD be uncomfortable about what's happening to the students at Braxton’s, and you don’t get to look away from the true, sheer horror of it.
I think queer & trans horror has something special to offer as a genre; for folks who have been subjected to all kinds of horrors, supernatural or not, there is something truly powerful in the reclamation of fear and danger. Of being the “monster” everyone thinks you are, and also being the hero of the story, because the real monster are the institutions and people that seek to break you.
As a non-autistic reader I also appreciate the work of an #OwnVoices autistic author putting the focus on Sila’s autism in this story, and the way he navigated the interplay of being autistic and being transgender, without having the terminology for either experience.
If you have the stomach for it, I highly highly recommend this book.
Graphic: Child death, Body horror, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gore, Deadnaming, Cursing, Abortion, Transphobia, Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Confinement, Death, Ableism, Violence, Homophobia, Forced institutionalization, Sexual violence, and Sexism
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, and Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage
radtj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Gore, Abortion, Blood, Bullying, Child death, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Transphobia, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Medical content, Outing, Rape, Torture, and Sexual assault
naomidanae's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Confinement, Abortion, Body horror, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Transphobia, Blood, Child death, Deadnaming, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Murder, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Classism, and Abandonment
loverrbboy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Spoiler
descriptions of eyes being popped out, cutting your own organs out, blood blood blood, the layers of your tissue, fat, bone, handling of a freshly aborted fetus, the fact that the presence of bruises on a recently dead body means harm was inflicted BEFORE death)this has cemented Andrew Joseph White as one of my fav authors and i’m so excited for more!
the only thing i think is missing (from my trans perspective) is discussion of chest dysphoria. don’t get me wrong, i don’t want more dysphoria for this poor kid OR the author BUT as someone who fantasized about getting breast cancer as a teenager, i think some cool graphic descriptions of trans surgeries other than hysto would’ve been cool
Graphic: Sexual violence, Medical trauma, Dysphoria, Death, Cancer, Abortion, Blood, Child death, Body horror, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Gore, Deadnaming, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Sexism, Torture, Trafficking, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Vomit, Eating disorder, Gaslighting, and Grief
darkefyres's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Transphobia, Gore, Outing, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexism
Moderate: Torture and Vomit
thatchickengirl23's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Abortion, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Misogyny, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Homophobia, Sexual harassment, Outing, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Pedophilia, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Infertility and Miscarriage
semmler's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Abortion, Blood, Deadnaming, Sexual assault, Bullying, Child death, Physical abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Body horror, Death, Murder, Ableism, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Gore, Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Sexual violence, and Violence
erosabsens's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Body horror, Medical trauma, Transphobia, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Ableism, Child death, Murder, Torture, and Abortion
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Miscarriage
dalek_caan's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Murder, Pedophilia, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Kidnapping, Medical content, Miscarriage, Self harm, Sexual assault, Abortion, Blood, Bullying, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Death, Emotional abuse, Torture, and Violence
aetherthedino's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Medical content, Death, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Body horror, Murder, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Ableism, Sexual assault, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Blood, Vomit, Suicidal thoughts, Gore, Confinement, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Rape, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Medical trauma, Violence, Abandonment, Child death, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Vomit, Sexism, Rape, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Bullying, and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt