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

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
 disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial 

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” 

This young adult historical gothic horror blew me away. This is the second book I've read by AJW and he has not disappointed me thus far. I will continue to read *anything* he writes, even a grocery list!

Anyway, this story is about 16-year-old Silas Bell, who is our autistic, trans, Violet-eyed protagonist and is struggling to be himself in a world that continues to other him and violently tries to force him into boxes that he simply does not fit into! He is diagnosed with "Veil sickness," which allegedly "spirals women into madness," and Silas is sent to the Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School to prepare him to become an obedient wife. However, since Silas is a medium, he begins to meet the spirits of the students who disappeared at this school, and uncovers the dreadful past that his teachers are hiding.

I listened to the audiobook on Libby and I really enjoyed the narration. Sometimes, the narrator would almost whisper, which felt eerie and gave me chills, but that is not a bad thing. It really added to my reading experience, because there were so many moments in which Silas was deeply uncomfortable and viscerally wincing through the pain others put him through.

The autism representation was a breath of fresh air to find in a historical setting; Silas recognized how his "differences" made others uncomfortable because they didn't understand him. However, he ruminated on why he behaved certain ways and it was not only linked to his stress or frustration; he would also make gestures when he was elated or simply feeling enthusiastic! I appreciated this self-examination and the way Silas tried to normalize and destigmatize it, even if it was only how he thought about it to himself. It's hard to be perceived, but it's such an empowering feeling to boldly know something so fervently inside you.

AJW wrote the scene of Silas' epiphany about Daphne's trans identity so beautifully. It's a subdued moment, yet both Daphne and Silas knew that it was life-changing that they found each other. I rooted for them and this is the kind of stuff that makes you believe in a universal magic that will always allow you to find your chosen family. Their romantic subplot was full of acceptance, empathy, and compassion; if that isn't swoon-worthy, I don't know what is. 

The final reveals of the betrayals in the last few chapters had me feeling even more devastated for Silas; of course it was painful to see him go through so many horrors at the hands of his teachers at the finishing school. However, it cut especially deep once he realized the people who allegedly cared for him knew of the torture and abuse that the students endured. My heart broke for Silas, and yet, he still held onto and chose hope when moving forward with his life.


Quotations that stood out to me:
“Am I in love with her already? Perhaps. Or maybe I’m just confusing love with comfort, and I’m okay with that. Is there any difference between love and a safe harbor from a storm? Should there be? There are a lot of different kinds of love, and though I may not be able to tell them apart from each other, I appreciate all of them the same.”

“It should be noted that I do not define my manhood through my love of women. There are lots of men who do so: their hunger to dominate feminine things, their power over their wives and daughters, are the building blocks of their maleness. That is not me. Yes, I could love a man if I ever found one who accepts me as I am, and I’ve dreamed of being so lucky—but I love women too. I love women as men are expected to, but the way only one who has ever experienced womanhood can.”

“When something terrible happens—or at least, when you learn about it—it feels like it should affect the entire world. It feels like something should change. But it doesn’t.”

“To separate how you are seen from who you are sometimes feels nigh impossible.”

 “They will take being beneath powerful men if it means they are placed above everyone else.” 

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