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

challenging 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? No

4.75

Do you know how angry the dead can be?


They must have convinced themselves they would never rot in the same dirt as we do.

In my review of Hell Followed with Us, I said the words "bold and furious" to describe the book. I said the book  is a story of rage consuming, of revolution and uprising, of setting ablaze the world and those who wished to use you for their gain.

While reading The Spirit Bares Its Teeth I was struck by how much of it is a mirror to White's debut. It's not  a simple reflection of his previous work nor is it just a rehashing of the same themes. Instead it's a rendition, a shadow, a closer look at the source, at the core of, where so much rage begins.

 Hell Followed with Us is about the beauty of decay and rot and the rebirth of one's self into their true monstrous form, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is about the power of breaking the cage within yourself to free your righteous fury and ripping the Veil all together.

It is a story that picks at the scabs of old wounds that many of us have endured at hands of a world that wishes to "fix us" through any means as long as we assimilated. This is an acknowledgement of the horrors of those who came before us (of women, of people of color, of queer and trans people, of disabled and mentally ill individuals) suffered. It is an acknowledgment of the battles many marginalized people still endure for simply not fitting into the narrow minded boxes (Christian) society demands. And it does shy away from the dark and truly disgusting horrors of humanity's greed and man's desire for power over all. 

While The Spirit Bares Its Teeth does indeed touch upon rage, upon anger and frustration; it is a story of pain inflicted by those in positions of power, of the suppression of self for survival, and overcoming of fear in order to not just live but to thrive. 

And it does this wonderfully. This is a  true gothic horror in every sense; from the setting and themes it utilizes, from the classic use of gaslighting and mystery against the characters to a pure feeling of isolation and desperation. 
 
For fans of Crimson Peak and Devil's Backbone this is for you. 
 
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