sierramatice's review against another edition
Graphic: Transphobia, Medical trauma, Deadnaming, Child death, Child abuse, Body horror, Abortion, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Dysphoria, Death, Violence, and Suicide attempt
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
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
alilovesbooks4170's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Death, Medical content, Medical trauma, Transphobia, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
dragnfary'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? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Medical trauma, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Medical content, Torture, Blood, Deadnaming, Body horror, Physical abuse, Murder, Forced institutionalization, Transphobia, Emotional abuse, and Death
Moderate: Vomit, Sexual harassment, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual assault, Rape, and Pregnancy
evelynyle_88's review
- 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
What a journey it has been. Just another readathon with The Spirit Bares Its Teeth. This book is another level of horror. The story is beyond my imagination. I called The Spirit Bares Its Teeth as ❛sick❜, but it was a ❛sickeningly good❜ one.
The plot of the story was mindblowing. And I love the setting to be in a school that has too many secrets laid behind. Like it's a horror... but has thriller vibes to it.
And the rabbit. I think I should talk about it. I tried to imagine how to be Silas Bell; lived his life with the rabbit inside his abdominal that sometimes made him hard to breathe? I imagined myself as him. But, I adore Silas so much. He sometimes maybe careless. But, the fact that he is a witty boy, I applaud him.
But, most of all... the C-section scene was the most iconic for me. Thank you, A.J. White for another thrilling horror story. You're indeed brilliant!
5⭐ worthy book; once again!
Mors vincit omnia👁
Graphic: Ableism, Deadnaming, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Transphobia, Abortion, Body horror, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Bullying, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Death, Murder, Rape, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Injury/Injury detail, and Pregnancy
Minor: Gaslighting, Grief, Miscarriage, Animal death, Xenophobia, Infertility, and Chronic illness
pbeeandj's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Medical trauma, Abortion, Ableism, Body horror, Transphobia, and Medical content
ly_lysee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Death, Forced institutionalization, Deadnaming, Abortion, Medical content, Transphobia, Murder, Ableism, and Sexism
mweis'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
5.0
I absolutely devoured Andrew Joseph White’s debut Hell Followed With Us, so I went into this with sky high expectations and he knocked it out of the park. Based off these two books, I can confidently say I will read everything he writes.
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is a historical horror fantasy full of autistic trans rage. Silas tries to escape an arranged marriage and is diagnosed with Veil sickness and sent to a sanatorium to be “cured” only to have the ghosts of missing students start haunting him.
I adored Silas. He is autistic and anxious and the people around him see those as faults and use it as examples of how he isn’t trying hard enough or he isn’t good enough, and when he finds any sort of acceptance he latches on to it while also worrying about it’s authenticity. I don’t want to say much more about the story because it is truly best experienced, but I loved everything about this book.
Graphic: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical trauma, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Torture, Medical content, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, and Forced institutionalization