Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

384 reviews

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

inesbtavelino's review against another edition

dark sad

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, 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

gakatw's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

One of the only things taking me out of this book was the first person present tense, but I’m not the type to DNF over things like that, and I’m glad I didn’t.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Transphobia, and Medical content

Moderate: Sexual assault

flohbeutel's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abortion

crusoe's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

This book was everything I imagined it to be: a nuanced exploration of what it means to be trans, a mystical historical fantasy with a fascinating (and horrific) structure of power, and a hell of a lot of gore with very little comfort to be found. White has shed the first-time-author things that were less appealing in Hell Followed with us and -in my opinion- presented a story with a stronger plot and characters while keeping the things that make his work unique.

All I'm saying is: if compound fracture is better than this book, Andrew Joseph White has officially broken my bookrating scale. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage and Classism

Minor: Animal death and Infertility

noura's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Transphobia, and Medical content

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Miscarriage

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

a_dara_ble's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

This is one of the first books I've gotten all the way through in a while. I really enjoyed the world it was set in and the main characters. I personally didn't find it really Scary most of the time, but the author definitely doesn't shy away from descriptions, so I'd really recommend checking the trigger warnings if you have any issues with medical/body horror in the most literal sense. I have a pretty strong stomach for written horror, but this would not be a story I could probably stomach if it was in a visual media.
I'd love to read a second book with these characters, or at least in this world, maybe diving into more of the supernatural elements. But as it is, it's a really good stand alone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Pregnancy, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

avrija's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

3.75

This book — it’s certainly something. This is the first horror I’ve read in a very long while and it was very good. Please, please be mindful of the trigger warnings in the “letter from the author” at the beginning. It was very well written, I loved the characters, especially Daphne and Silas and it was suspenseful and gave you that sense of something creeping up on you. However, I think it deserves a mention that I don’t think this book is for anyone who is sensitive to transphobia and body dysmorphia regarding that. Even if you say, you can handle that, please do read this on a good day and check in with yourself. It’s quite heavy and mentally hard to read at times because the descriptions of Silas’ struggles are so very well done.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Pedophilia, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Abandonment