alite428'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, and Abortion
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Murder, Miscarriage, Medical content, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Self harm, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, and Physical abuse
mrscreativity_1982'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
5.0
Graphic: Misogyny, Bullying, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide attempt, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, Murder, Violence, Death, Self harm, Torture, Transphobia, Cursing, Rape, Religious bigotry, and Suicide
dazyden'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
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Rape, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Infertility, Homophobia, Death, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Vomit, Transphobia, Torture, Sexual violence, Miscarriage, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Deadnaming, and Abortion
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
khakipantsofsex's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Ableism, Deadnaming, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Sexual assault, and Self harm
Moderate: Abortion and Miscarriage
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
izzy_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Medical trauma, Abortion, Blood, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Misogyny, Self harm, and Sexual assault
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
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
danaslitlist's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Do you know how angry the dead can be?
They must have convinced themselves they would never rot in the same dirt as we do.
In my review of Hell Followed with Us, I said the words "bold and furious" to describe the book. I said the book is a story of rage consuming, of revolution and uprising, of setting ablaze the world and those who wished to use you for their gain.
While reading The Spirit Bares Its Teeth I was struck by how much of it is a mirror to White's debut. It's not a simple reflection of his previous work nor is it just a rehashing of the same themes. Instead it's a rendition, a shadow, a closer look at the source, at the core of, where so much rage begins.
Hell Followed with Us is about the beauty of decay and rot and the rebirth of one's self into their true monstrous form, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is about the power of breaking the cage within yourself to free your righteous fury and ripping the Veil all together.
It is a story that picks at the scabs of old wounds that many of us have endured at hands of a world that wishes to "fix us" through any means as long as we assimilated. This is an acknowledgement of the horrors of those who came before us (of women, of people of color, of queer and trans people, of disabled and mentally ill individuals) suffered. It is an acknowledgment of the battles many marginalized people still endure for simply not fitting into the narrow minded boxes (Christian) society demands. And it does shy away from the dark and truly disgusting horrors of humanity's greed and man's desire for power over all.
While The Spirit Bares Its Teeth does indeed touch upon rage, upon anger and frustration; it is a story of pain inflicted by those in positions of power, of the suppression of self for survival, and overcoming of fear in order to not just live but to thrive.
And it does this wonderfully. This is a true gothic horror in every sense; from the setting and themes it utilizes, from the classic use of gaslighting and mystery against the characters to a pure feeling of isolation and desperation.
For fans of Crimson Peak and Devil's Backbone this is for you.
Graphic: Abortion, Sexual harassment, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Sexism, Sexual assault, Confinement, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Blood, Body horror, Medical content, Physical abuse, Violence, Grief, Misogyny, Ableism, Sexual violence, and Transphobia
Moderate: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, and Vomit