Reviews tagging 'Self harm'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

123 reviews

girlslovegirlsandbooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexism, Torture, Violence, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Ableism, Medical content, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gore, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Domestic abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Rape, Child abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Sexual assault, and Transphobia

arrr's review against another edition

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I don't typically read horror, so this was a bit outside my comfort zone. The story of transphobia and ableism in Victorian England mixed well with the addition of ghosts and the misogyny imposed against women and people who could manipulate the veil between worlds. I wasn't prepared for the medical horror and level of description. It wasn't as awful as it could have been, but it would have given me nightmares as a youth. I didn't really understand the ending before the last chapter. But I suppose it could be open to interpretation. Maybe that's the point. 

Well done. I unexpectedly enjoyed this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Confinement, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Pedophilia, Rape, Vomit, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Medical trauma, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Suicide attempt, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Homophobia, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Medical content, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Toxic relationship, and Trafficking

queerandtalkative's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Death, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Child death, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Pregnancy, Self harm, Sexism, Transphobia, and Deadnaming

Moderate: Dysphoria, Child abuse, and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Sexual harassment and Rape

arianah26's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Deadnaming, Self harm, Transphobia, Gore, Suicide, Blood, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Violence, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, and Sexual assault

the_tofu_ghost's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Transphobia, Sexism, Medical content, and Misogyny

Moderate: Rape, Violence, and Sexual assault

Minor: Self harm and Torture

nightjar656's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

That was some really, really good horror. It maintained so much tension and I was scared for Silas in so many scenes, and so often horrified by what the Speakers had done in that scene. Andrew Joseph White does such a good job of immersing the reader in the world that everything really makes an impact. I also like that the book doesn't demonize characters like Mary, instead focusing on how they're all just trying to survive. And the rabbit symbolism was so incredibly well done. There are just so many things I loved about this book, and I'll definitely be thinking about this one for a while.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Gore, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Self harm

Minor: Miscarriage

xeve's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Violence, Body shaming, Murder, Transphobia, Torture, Body horror, Medical content, Blood, Confinement, Sexual harassment, Abortion, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Domestic abuse, and Animal death

Moderate: Deadnaming, Homophobia, Ableism, Domestic abuse, Bullying, Hate crime, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Dysphoria, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Self harm, and Lesbophobia

Minor: Abandonment and Chronic illness

mlgallaher's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Abortion, and Violence

Moderate: Self harm, Ableism, Transphobia, Torture, and Sexual assault

Minor: Pregnancy

pastelbread's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Torture, Confinement, Mental illness, Dysphoria, Medical trauma, Abortion, Blood, Animal cruelty, Forced institutionalization, Animal death, Child death, Self harm, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Homophobia, Transphobia, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, Rape, and Misogyny

Minor: Cannibalism and Suicidal thoughts

everesto's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

The author writes so so beautifully and tells this story extremely well. I don't know think I'll ever shut up about how good this book is

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Gore, Ableism, Blood, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Transphobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Dysphoria, Medical content, Violence, and Murder

Moderate: Self harm and Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent, Grief, and Miscarriage