Reviews tagging 'Violence'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

267 reviews

szuum's review against another edition

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Classism

Instalove

kermittuesday's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

It was a little tedious at the beginning but then it picked up so I’m glad I stuck with it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

livyadri's review against another edition

dark emotional tense fast-paced

• 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

4.75

“We are the same species. We’re all human. It’s not that people cannot understand me; it’s simply that most of them don’t want to.” 
Heart wrenching & raw. Incredibly vivid imagery and effectively reflective writing. 

Toward the end, Silas and Daphne helping each other get dressed and Daphne cutting Silas’ hair for him tugged at my heart so hard 💜

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, Abortion, and Pregnancy

erinsreadinglist's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.5

Incredibly dark and scary, and deeply uncomfortable but SO GOOD. Major content warnings for every kind of abuse and torture you can imagine but well worth the read. Silas is a great character! Andrew Joseph White is a talent!
Edit: dropping to 4.5 for some repetitive elements that were grinding on me a bit.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy

emscolqu's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

Such an intense read but highly recommend the ENDING i sat there in shock when

Lord Luckenbill brought out the ring

tbf i didnt trust him but still and some of the surgical scenes in this were so detailed it made it such an uneasy read but so compelling i was so happy that

Silas and Dauphine and Mary escaped at the end

also

kinda got this odd gut feeling with the mask men that one of them was george and i KNEW IT . so mad that he turned out to be so awful and no reprochassions for him in the end

this book destroyed me but in a good way just wanted to give Silas a hug also the dynamic between Silas and the groundskeeper i died that was the only thing keeping me sane through that crazy scene with headmaster

literally about to fucking cut open mary and drill into her skull

jeez was just a lot to take it but really really good read - definitely look at the warnings and take them seriously before reading 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

overbooked207's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

lucygrayswife's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Cursing, Gore, Miscarriage, Sexism, Violence, Medical content, Abortion, and Murder

Moderate: Sexual assault

elenahasashelf's review against another edition

dark emotional fast-paced

• 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

4.0

This one was a page turner. The writing style made it easy to just fly through. And everyone on here listing it as “dark” was ooooof not wrong at all! 

I really appreciated Silas’ POV and its explicit transness, autism and anxiety through the language of the time period. A lot of Silas’ internal insecure, questioning or self-destructive dialogue in regards to his gender and anxiety are things I’ve found in my own brain, and it was hard to read at times but nice to feel seen. I liked Silas’ reflections on his gender and autism being inseparably linked in his experience. It was all explored in nuanced ways that felt relevant to how Silas was navigating the plot and other characters and never felt shoehorned in. The book’s exploration of how societies past and present oppress anyone who’s Other was effective in that way.

That said, oooooooooof

it was hard to watch Silas and his classmates being punished over and over in the worst possible ways! The middle lagged a tad for me because it felt like I was just watching Silas be tortured and not seeing him be able to counter it yet.

 

I absolutely loved Daphne and the T4T romance! She was such a vividly drawn character even though we get relatively little time with her. It made me so happy having Silas find a love that makes him feel known. I also loved Mary and her relationship with Frances. It’s giving Felicity in the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, mean blonde Victorian lesbians club

This wasn’t my fave book of the year but I really liked its exploration of trans experience in a past time. It reminded me to think of all the people in the past who couldn’t live as themselves, or who did against incredible odds. I loved having such loud and proud trans representation with characters who were often limited in how much they could express their genders. I think that’s as important to show as trans characters who are modern, out and thriving are. Always trans, baby. Always been here.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, and Vomit

knittyreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

• 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

4.5

This has been one of those books I could barely stop reading once I started. It is haunting, the kind of horror book I love - with roots in Victorian times as well as dabs at modern times. As a (gender-)queer autistic person I love how this book shows the dangers of what was basically ABA too, how molding people into hiding who they are to fit into society is wrong and dangerous, all in a great and well written story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Transphobia, and Violence

livelaughlovejackie's review against another edition

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

this book had me on an absolute chokehold while reading which is v rare for me <3333

The actual rating is probably something like 4.5 but the experience is just so fun i need it higher 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Trafficking, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Death of parent