The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! 😌
poisoned_icecream's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Homophobia, Body horror, Misogyny, Transphobia, Child death, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Medical trauma, and Religious bigotry
lizziaha's review
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Sexism, Confinement, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Medical content, Murder, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Classism, Homophobia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Pregnancy
Minor: Animal death
shysheepys'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
This book was so intriguing that I sat and read it over a 5 hour span and did not want to move. Though I did break it up, I stayed up late two days in a row to finish it. I absolutely did not want to put it down. It is, however, not for the faint of heart.
Honestly, I don't know how this is considered a YA novel other than the characters being in their teens. I'm an avid horror reader, and this book made me cringe so hard every other scene. In a good way? Its beautifully written and the story and plot are top tier, too. Even some twists I didn't see coming.
Graphic: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Abortion, Dysphoria, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, and Pregnancy
felicitydevoria's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Medical trauma, Medical content, Dysphoria, Death, Transphobia, Suicide attempt, Homophobia, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Confinement, Child death, Rape, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Sexism, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Deadnaming, Body horror, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Sexual content
mothie_girlie'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? N/A
4.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Transphobia, Misogyny, Torture, Blood, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Medical content
Moderate: Animal death
sunflower7skull'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
4.25
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Ableism, Death, Physical abuse, Violence, Transphobia, Child abuse, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Torture, Abandonment, Child death, Emotional abuse, Kidnapping, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Gore, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Blood, Body horror, Deadnaming, Grief, Medical content, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, Self harm, Abortion, Cursing, Animal death, and Mental illness
Moderate: Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, and Lesbophobia
that_bitch_logan's review against another edition
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Thank you so much for writing this Andrew, truly.
I adored this and I am so so grateful I was able to read it
Graphic: Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Ableism, Abortion, Classism, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Animal death, Colonisation, Death, Grief, Miscarriage, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Homophobia, Mental illness, Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Violence, Gore, Hate crime, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
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
- 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