Reviews tagging 'Hate crime'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

38 reviews

simplythegirl's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

This is probably  the best book I read this year so far. The characters are loveable, the descriptions and storytelling are amazing, and the concept is interesting.  The gore descriptions are so vivid I love it. I'm  a huge fan of Andrew Joseph White do I knew going in I would love it but I was blown away. I couldn't put the book down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Vomit, Medical content, Excrement, Rape, Violence, Miscarriage, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Child abuse, Classism, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Torture, Grief, Misogyny, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Transphobia, and Sexual content

solarwitchbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I am convinced that Andrew Joseph White is incapable of writing a bad book. I could not put this down, it will be on my mind for weeks, haunting and beautiful and made me feel seen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Suicide attempt, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Ableism, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Hate crime, Medical content, Murder, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Animal death and Adult/minor relationship

aklikethegun's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Abortion, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Rape, Police brutality, Miscarriage, Gore, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Death, Body shaming, Outing, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Fatphobia, Child death, Confinement, Vomit, Trafficking, Alcohol, Deadnaming, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Domestic abuse, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Classism, Torture, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Self harm, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Kidnapping, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Hate crime, Grief, Genocide, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Dysphoria, Drug use, and Death of parent

Moderate: Cannibalism, Infertility, Infidelity, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Toxic friendship, Excrement, and Drug abuse

Minor: Animal cruelty, Infertility, Excrement, Acephobia/Arophobia, Genocide, Infidelity, and Biphobia

aklikethegun's review against another edition

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia, Animal death, Trafficking, Suicide, Sexual violence, Stalking, Sexual harassment, Sexual content, Police brutality, Murder, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Rape, Classism, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, Hate crime, Homophobia, Dysphoria, Death, Cursing, Confinement, Ableism, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Biphobia, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Vomit, Transphobia, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexism, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Panic attacks/disorders, Outing, Misogyny, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Medical content, Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Infidelity, Grief, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Deadnaming, Addiction, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, and Death of parent

nikoops's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

5.0

Easily one of my favorite reads of 2024 thus far. Andrew Joseph White knocks it out of the park again with a richly described world with its own unique systems, and a cast of diverse characters. Great mystery, unexpected twists and turns, and ghosts! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Medical trauma, Trafficking, Injury/Injury detail, Bullying, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Abortion, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, and Violence

Do not recommend this book if you are squeamish about detailed medical procedures.

dreareads_'s review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Pain. So much pain.

If there’s something Andrew Joseph White can do is write body horror that will have you squirming in your seat. Add to that the presence of medical trauma and you have a book that will give you nightmares.

But of all the body horror, and misery that this book covers it was its discussion of womanhood and trans masc identity that elevated it for me. Joseph White did a brilliant job at exploring the complexities of these identities while simultaneously maintaining a clear critique of the cis patriarchical system in the story (as well as real life).

I loved the relationship between Silas and Daphne. Their first meeting warmed my heart and brought me to tears. In addition, I just love how good Joseph White is at writing relationships between characters. Like I FELT the betrayal in the story. 

My main “critiques” or caveats would be that the book gets bogged down in its metaphors and imageries at times. Towards the middle of the book the imagery that Joseph White was trying to evoke through his use of stylistic language felt repetitive, and disruptive of the flow of the text. 

I would also add that although there is a historical note at the end of the book explaining how medical experimentation was racialized in the real world, you could really feel the lack of intersectional examination in the text. 

Overall, another excellent book from an author that quickly becoming one of my favorites. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Hate crime, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Abortion, Misogyny, Murder, Confinement, Cursing, Ableism, Animal cruelty, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Transphobia, Body horror, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Dysphoria, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Violence, Sexual harassment, Body shaming, Cancer, Colonisation, Deadnaming, Death, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, and Sexism

lokes's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective 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

5.0

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

This book has left me carved out and cut open, lovingly handing me the needle to stitch myself together - and I devoured it.

I already loved Hell Followed With Us, but this book just had it all. The queer characters, the very gory descriptions, the fury and rebellious spirits and the love each of the characters held for each other. There were a few plot lines I would have liked to read more about, like the sanatorium, the relics, the way historic colonialism by the UK was adapted into the fantasy/horror context, more in-depth exploration of the anti-autistic ableism and general sexism of the time, & etc. But I guess that’s to blame on the „YA“ part of the book 😅) 
Even though the story meant to rip you apart, ask you to just let go and give into the graphic descriptions of medical horror, of a society not so much different from our own, the book was weirdly comforting. At times, I definitely felt a bit squeamish (never thought I’d read a really graphic, long description of an at-home Caesarian abortion, but here we are), but it was definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve read lately. Because it is truly okay to hurt sometimes. And it is okay to slash back when the rabbit-hearted heart screams to just amputate the parts society doesn’t like to see on (young) people. 

And oh, how they fought back.

(Also loved the very trans* main characters and their love story. Same with the (female) rage and the portrayal of a small rebellion, starting in the very walls meant to keep them silent.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Gaslighting, Medical content, Murder, Gore, Abortion, Blood, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Torture, Child abuse, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Ableism, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Death, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Abandonment, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Child abuse, Body horror, Sexual assault, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Miscarriage, Sexism, Torture, Classism, Eating disorder, Outing, Blood, Domestic abuse, Grief, Hate crime, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Biphobia, Colonisation, Gaslighting, Pedophilia, Violence, Confinement, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

jdieperink's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated

5.0

I’d like to thank the Trans Rights Readathon, Andrew Joseph White, and a well timed library hold for getting me out of my reading slump. 

It’s chock full of things that need content warning, brutal, horrific, explicitly gruesome, poetic, beautiful, and will make your whole being ache. 

Horror isn’t really my jam so I have to work myself up to it, but so far both this and Hell Followed With Us have been so so so worth it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Transphobia, Vomit, Abandonment, Deadnaming, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, and Blood

Moderate: Gore, Sexual violence, Death, Child death, Self harm, Bullying, Abortion, Death of parent, Dysphoria, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexism, Physical abuse, Hate crime, and Suicidal thoughts

samgray's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

5.0

Beyond amazing! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Ableism, Slavery, Child death, Death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Vomit, Suicide, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Sexual content, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Sexism, Sexual assault, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, and Torture

httpsserenity's review against another edition

emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Absolutely beautiful book with very lovable characters and intriguing twists. A good book for Halloween.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Torture, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Grief, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexism, Abortion, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Dysphoria, and Panic attacks/disorders