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A review by aforestofbooks
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
dark
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.0
Wow, another great read.
You know when you read the last sentence of a book and just know this is a story you will remember for a while? That's this book.
Andrew's books are very dark and bloody, but I love them just the same. This book holds a special place in my heart purely for the medical aspects. It's horrible and so sad, yet the scene where the main character performs a c-section was fascinating to read as someone who regularly scrubs in for c-sections.
This book did take me a bit to get into, but I blame being busy with life and work. The intensity and pacing definitely picks up after the halfway mark and I could not put it down because I was so anxious to see how things played out.
I saw so much of myself in Silas–in his childhood and how he was forced to act a certain way to be "normal" and "like other girls"; in the rabbit that lived in his heart, constantly criticizing, judging, shaming; in the confusion with social etiquettes and communication. And his relationship with Daphne was so sweet and perfect. The other characters took me by surprise. I loved Isabelle the second she was introduced, but I went from hating Mary to actually liking her a lot.
The end of this book was so nerve-wracking, especially because a part of me wanted things to be over and for everyone to get a break, just like Silas was hoping for, except I knew it couldn't be that simple. That scene was so bloody, but also deeply satisfying. I honestly love books that make me feel stabby and murdery afterwards. It's a good feeling to have in the messed up world we live in right now.
You know when you read the last sentence of a book and just know this is a story you will remember for a while? That's this book.
Andrew's books are very dark and bloody, but I love them just the same. This book holds a special place in my heart purely for the medical aspects. It's horrible and so sad, yet the scene where the main character performs a c-section was fascinating to read as someone who regularly scrubs in for c-sections.
This book did take me a bit to get into, but I blame being busy with life and work. The intensity and pacing definitely picks up after the halfway mark and I could not put it down because I was so anxious to see how things played out.
I saw so much of myself in Silas–in his childhood and how he was forced to act a certain way to be "normal" and "like other girls"; in the rabbit that lived in his heart, constantly criticizing, judging, shaming; in the confusion with social etiquettes and communication. And his relationship with Daphne was so sweet and perfect. The other characters took me by surprise. I loved Isabelle the second she was introduced, but I went from hating Mary to actually liking her a lot.
The end of this book was so nerve-wracking, especially because a part of me wanted things to be over and for everyone to get a break, just like Silas was hoping for, except I knew it couldn't be that simple. That scene was so bloody, but also deeply satisfying. I honestly love books that make me feel stabby and murdery afterwards. It's a good feeling to have in the messed up world we live in right now.