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sarah_shelf's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Gore, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy
Content warnings from the author: “Transphobia Ableism Graphic violence Sexual assault Discussions of forced pregnancy & marriage Mentions of suicidal ideation Extensive medical gore“bradle22's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Sexual assault, Torture, Murder, and Pregnancy
inter0bang's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Transphobia
Moderate: Sexual assault, Torture, and Vomit
alexlynx's review against another edition
- 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
The queerness and neurodivergent aspects?! Damn, I felt really called out sometimes, in the best way.
I will say, I was and still am confused about the last chapter. But the whole thing? Masterpiece, damn.
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
blakeandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Silas is such an incredible main character. He is able to see and articulate his differences and similarities between his peers in such powerful ways. I’ve never read a historical fiction novel with an autistic character, and I am so impressed by White’s care in writing Silas. The horrors he sees and endures. The life that society has expected him to live.
The romance between him and Daphne (trans love interest) 🥹🫶🏻 It was so wonderful, and I could not get enough of them! The immediacy for seeing each other as they truly are was so beautiful 😭 I love them, and I enjoyed getting to see them being their true selves in society at the end.
I’m looking forward to reading more by Andrew Joseph White.
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy
twistedserval's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, and Abortion
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Outing, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
skrulls's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
i saw parts of myself represented that I have never known how to articulate.
i generally don't enjoy horror but at this point I'll read literally anything AJW writes.
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Abortion
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Vomit, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy
lokes's review against another edition
- 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.)
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Biphobia, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
erinkellyreads's review against another edition
- 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
Non-Spoiler Review Section:
White's "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" takes on the style of a Victorian Gothic novel from page one, and the elements of horror and fantasy mixed in with medicine (both scientific and "of the time") made this so nuanced and unfolded like a beautiful, dying flower. Our main character, Silas, is both transmasc and autistic, trapped in the expectations and abuse of what he is "supposed to be" and "supposed" to act like. Add in that his violet eyes allow him to open the Veil and speak to the spirits of the dead (even though "women aren't allowed to use their powers"), and the audience truly feels everything, from sensitivity to loneliness to confusion to camaraderie, with him. The horrible men of the Speakers, full of evil and betrayal, and the women of the "reform school" simultaneously fighting to be alive and to be alive in their own way create a world and tension that you can't get enough of. I'm obsessed!
Spoiler Review Section:
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
smellymiche's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Deadnaming, Torture, Blood, Medical trauma, and Injury/Injury detail