Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

81 reviews

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

maddie_oz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Medical trauma, Blood, Gore, Body horror, Animal death, Transphobia, Sexism, and Deadnaming

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Vomit, Gaslighting, Ableism, Death, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Adult/minor relationship, and Child death

Minor: Rape and Sexual assault

vixenreader's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-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

4.75

The YA troupes are a bit more evident in this book than in the author’s previous work. However, it is a remarkable second novel with an effective plot structure, atmospheric from beginning to end, visceral in the horrors of what can be done to a human being (mind, body, and soul), and a big high-five for diving into the ableism directed towards the autistic while giving them the direction in learning how to shut up their own internal rabbits. Also, “George, we were all rooting for you! HOW DARE YOU!!!”

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Sexual assault, Child abuse, Death, Child death, Body shaming, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, Abandonment, Forced institutionalization, Transphobia, Violence, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Deadnaming, Abortion, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Ableism, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Torture, Misogyny, Mental illness, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Animal death, Outing, Classism, Sexual violence, Infertility, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Sexual content, War, Rape, and Infidelity

Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

A majority of graphic content in this novel addresses transphobia, abhorrent ableism against autistic folks, misogyny/sexism (the “biology” argument), nasty surgeries, medical content and trauma, physical abuse and violence, and sexual abuse. Any minor in the novel is aged 14-16. It also features familial rejection, pus, stitching up wounds, a graphic abortion, self-mutilation, execution, and a ton of injuries and gore involving glass. It can be a hard read at times.

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

jamieleepilk's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-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? No

5.0

Andrew Joseph White has done it again. His ability to create such horror but also the most powerful love and found family stories has me in a chokehold. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Animal death, Death, Murder, Sexual assault, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Gore, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Rape, Blood, and Child abuse

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

elfyn's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense fast-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

absolutely fucking fantastic. it encapsulates the trans autistic experience so well and the plot is amazing too! definitely check the trigger warnings before reading, but i 100% recommend that you do read it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Forced institutionalization, Dysphoria, Gore, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Murder, Sexism, Body horror, Medical content, Sexual assault, Transphobia, and Violence

doormatt's review against another edition

dark mysterious 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

Andrew Joeseph White does it again! The Spirit Bares Its Teeth manages the heart ache and gutteral scream for understanding and community of being young and trans while voicing the desire to rip ourselves open, choose what to rid ourselves of, and fight back against those that try to take the rest.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Forced institutionalization, Deadnaming, Medical content, Medical trauma, Body horror, Child death, and Child abuse

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

lizziaha's review against another edition

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

4.25

oh i feel sick 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Dysphoria, Sexism, Confinement, Abortion, Blood, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Torture, Ableism, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Medical content, Murder, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Classism, Homophobia, Grief, Lesbophobia, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, and Pregnancy

Minor: Animal death