A review by chloeburton
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

I don’t really know how to express how important this book is to me. I don’t think I have never felt so seen reading a book before. I don’t want to necessarily suggest this book to other Autistic AFAB folks because it’s full of the worst things that can (and have) happen to us, but if you’re like me and reading things that trigger you can sometimes feel cathartic—I think it will mean a lot. I couldn't stop once I started reading. It’s heavy, it’s upsetting, and the body horror is really gnarly and stomach churning. I appreciate the note about historical/medical accuracy, I do wish the author had expanded to speak about the evils of ABA therapy as well since it’s also a part of the narrative. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism