5.34k reviews for:

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

Andrew Joseph White

4.51 AVERAGE

saintbernard's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional inspiring 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: Complicated

riberd's review against another edition

DID NOT FINISH: 10%

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Does seem an interesting concept but I'm not in the mental state of facing these demons head on.

totalgreyspace's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

glowylemur's review against another edition

3.5

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"I want to be close, and I don't know how to be close unless I'm elbow-deep in innards." 

yeah same

katastrophe1742's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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As a fellow AFAB trans person, I felt so seen by Silas and some of the beats of this novel.

To that point, I started crying at the reveal of why Daphne chose the name Daphne, cried through the end, and sobbed once I closed the book.

Like Hell Followed With Us, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is gorgeously written, filled with amazing characters - even if you don't like all of them - and absolutely struck me at my core. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Dysphoria

Moderate: Vomit, Murder, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Abortion, Pregnancy

The trans characters in the book are deadnamed either by the people that don't know they're trans, or by people who do in order to maintain their safety. Otherwise, the characters that know the trans characters' identities use their names.

ajbanta's review against another edition

4.75

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delicious, gripping, utterly horrifying book. I'll read about neurodivergent trans teens aaaaaaany day.

johnalbin's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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: Yes

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Trans characters struggling to exist (

and surviving!

) in a Victorian-era horror world with supernatural elements.

kathijo63's review against another edition

3.0

challenging dark slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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I enjoyed most of the book even though it could get quite gory in some descriptions and it is obviously covering difficult topics but the end just fell completely apart.

ekgraham's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

robibob's review against another edition

4.25

dark mysterious 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: Yes