Reviews tagging 'Cursing'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

62 reviews

baileybeloved's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring tense fast-paced

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

5.0

Sat down & read through it in a day. I cringed, I cried, I was sick to my stomach, I shivered, & my skin crawled. Absolutely recommend. Perfect ending. I will say that some of turns of this story are predictable - but knowing where it’s headed almost heightens the dread? Screaming DONT DONT NO NO NO (along with the rabbit) when you know what’s coming or what he will find (but then being shocked & appalled anyway) happened a few times for me, but did not detract from the story. 

Heed the tags, but know that the content is there for a reason. It’s not torture porn or AJWhite trying to hit checklist of horror tropes - it’s a story with real roots. 

One small detail that really struck me - from the very end was hearing about

how the freezing had happened in other places too, like in India & in American plantations

. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual violence, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, and Sexual harassment

Frequent detailed descriptions of medical procedures the narrator wants to inflict upon himself to get rid of the parts that make him a target.

whatkatyread87's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

Holy shit. I have no words for how important this book is to people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Hate crime, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Fire/Fire injury, Outing, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

mchill's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad 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: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Biphobia, Cursing, and Abandonment

Minor: Eating disorder and Fatphobia

This is a wonderful book, yet as the author states at the beginning there is no need to stay if it’s going to cause you pain. This story took my heart and crushed it to dust. Exploring misogyny through the eyes of a trans man. His fragility and trauma is beautifully crafted by the author to show a softer side of masculinity and portray the fight that is being who you are. Set in the 1800s, this story explores how those who presented female were diagnosed with weak constitution, tortured, forced into marriages far too young and left to carry children they may not even want. As such, it is not a story for the weak of heart. However, if it is for you, then it is worth every page and I highly recommend giving it a go.

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

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

flapjack_octopus's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I found this to be beautifully dark. Honestly a gut wrenching book, broke my heart but the ending somewhat stitched me back together.
This book handles some very dark themes and if you especially do not like gore or blood, do not read. Please take in any warnings/description. Despite the heavy themes I still found this book to be very good, well written and the plot was intriguing, dark yet brilliant. The characters really made me feel too, my emotions where running high.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Dysphoria

Minor: Miscarriage, Sexism, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and War

quitethespectacle's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• 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

An incredible book. Visceral and cutting - it pierced me to the core. I read the whole thing over less than 48 hours and am sorely tempted to immediately begin it again.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Trafficking, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Lesbophobia, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

Minor: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, Cannibalism, Colonisation, War, and Classism

Eye gore

Vivisection

Wrist injury

Self surgery

yellowjelly's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

Probably one of the best written books I’ve read in my life. The constant motif of the rabbit Silas has to ignore honestly just brung the book together so nicely. The autistic representation in the book is so well written i am lost for words. Ive never felt so seen and so heard. The long discussions of Silas internal struggle of identity and what he wants in life made me love him so dearly and he and Daphne is the only couple I’ve ever truly loved.  Their love and devotion to each other and the deep understanding of what the other needs Is something I’ve never seen before and craved so deeply. One thing I found hard to read is the constant misogyny, I had a hard time reading how the women were being treated and constantly had to stop reading because of it. the pacing of the book is quite uneven like Andrew whites other book hell followed with us but i think it works much better in this book. The middle is slow but it fleshes out every character well enough that the ending is smooth, we know what each character wants and the twists pull at heart strings so much more. Now my only true sadness is how andrew white always writes such amazing worlds, characters and stories and then leave us with only one book in the world. I wish to see more of this universe.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Torture and Violence

Minor: Rape

if you feel uncomfortable about misogyny, pregnancy and sexual assault I don’t recommend you read this book, its amazing discussion for womens rights but it might be a lot to handle especially if your dealing with something. The victim blaming and names they call women of assault was a lot to handle

cassius_orion's review against another edition

fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Rape

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, and Pedophilia