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

dark mysterious tense 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? No

5.0

god, i love a book that keeps me up until i finished the whole thing! AJW has done it again folks!!!
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This is one of those books that I love so much, that I find it hard to write a review that reflects the burning adoration I have for the work. Let's try though.
Truly a masterful follow-up to his debut, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth feels refreshing, while evoking all the same great (although not exactly pleasant) feelings - anger and connection chief among them - from Hell Followed With Us. If you read HFWU you need to read this one, and if you read TSBIT go read HFWU!! I have been anxiously waiting to read more from Andrew Joseph White and this did not disappoint one bit!
The writing and imagery continues to be exquisite and the plot feels like a galloping rabbit through the meadows of Victorian England. If you're looking for a book about the survival of intersectional identities in a world where anything but the norm is broken apart, about humans surviving despite the narrow-eyed views of the powerful, about bringing them down the best you can, this is for you. (plus, go read HFWU)
If you're hesitant over the content warnings and the gore, I don't think it was that bad, and I'm quite squirmish at times, unless specifically medical gore messes with you. but the discrimination CW are very much there and very much real - I said anger was central, it will be central in the reading experience too. 


Thank you so much to NetGalley and the PeachTree for providing an ARC. All opinions are my own.  

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