Reviews tagging 'Sexual harassment'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

107 reviews

corsetedfeminist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious fast-paced

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

5.0

I would give this book all the stars in the world if I could. I was not prepared for this book, but I’m not sure how one could be prepared for this book. To begin, it features the most realistic and visceral descriptions of gender dysphoria and autism that I have ever read. This book is intensely emotional and physically gory, but it has a passionate heart that I fell in love with. The romance is raw and tender in a very intimate way that I adore. It’s t4t love in the best possible way. This book is a story about queer love and hope and pain and rage. If you can handle the very detailed (and special interest fueled) discussions of organs, the detailed descriptions of violence, and the multiple murders (as well as an abortion) you’ll find the the best poetry and the starkest honestly about what it is really like to be queer and autistic in a world that tries constantly to force you to be neither. I audibly gasped and yelled at the book several times at various plot twists, and the ending is the perfect example of catharsis and queer victory… just with a side of magical murder this time. 100/10, absolutely read this book. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Ableism, Abortion, Body horror, Deadnaming, Dysphoria, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, and Mental illness

fallandfox's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? No

5.0

I believe this was my first book where a main character is trans and autistic, what is weird for how many books I read in my life.

The author made me feel so absolved in the history and Silas mind, it was an incredible sensation.

Silas was an amazing main character, his fight for freedom in the middle of all the cruelty and prejudice. There were so many moments in with, I wanted to get in the book and hug and help him.

I recommend this reading a lot, this was a book filled with pain, fight and strength of people trying to survive a cruel society ready to use and destroy them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Death, Deadnaming, Toxic relationship, Torture, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Confinement, Abortion, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Self harm, Rape, and Emotional abuse

dummehure's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I don't know how White does it but his books a ways grip me by the throat and don't let go until I've finished it. I loved reading this book so much, though I do have to say that I started feeling faint multiple times so do watch out for yourself when you read it!! 

Overall a wonderful experience, I can't wait to read Andrew Joseph White's next masterpiece!!! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Death of parent, Self harm, Abortion, Deadnaming, Transphobia, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Gore

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Torture

madamenovelist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Hate crime, Torture, War, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Blood, Lesbophobia, Pedophilia, Dysphoria, Deadnaming, Confinement, Body horror, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Grief, Gore, Child death, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Abortion, Ableism, Death, Violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Domestic abuse, and Child abuse

Sexual abuse of minors is a theme throughout this book. All the topics are very heavy but sexual abuse and gore are very prominent.

soren4713's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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: Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Gore

Moderate: Transphobia, Pedophilia, and Abortion

Minor: Miscarriage

snleck's review against another edition

dark inspiring 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

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Miscarriage, Dysphoria, Body horror, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Pregnancy, Murder, Misogyny, Hate crime, Transphobia, Suicide, Sexual assault, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Outing, Mental illness, Medical trauma, Medical content, Deadnaming, Bullying, Body shaming, Death of parent, Death, Confinement, Child death, Blood, Torture, Self harm, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Homophobia, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, and Abortion

queersubtext's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Abortion, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Gaslighting, Gore, Transphobia, Murder, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Violence, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Torture, Sexual assault, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Outing, Dysphoria, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Pedophilia and Miscarriage

clarke's review against another edition

dark mysterious

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

5.0

The Spirit Bares its Teeth is set in 1800s London, where violet eyed mediums can commune with the dead. It follows Silas, a 16 year old autistic trans boy who dreams of being a surgeon, not a man's wife, worthy only because of his violet eyes and uterus. In a desperate bid to escape, he poses as another man but his impersonation is caught. He's deemed to have "veil sickness" a disease where any woman who opens the veil descends into madness. Instead of being sent to Bedlam, a wealthy suit sweeps in and he is instead sent away to a finishing school to teach him how to be a proper lady and beat the madness away. As he learns of missing students, and the truth the headmaster is hiding, he discovers that the punishment for disobeying the patriarchal norms is worse than death.

This book was beautiful. I've highlighted parts that really spoke to me, and it was especially evocative when discussing the trans and autistic experience, eloquently describing the horrors of being perceived: "It is only when I step back to see it all through another’s eyes that I want to unravel it and carve the meat into a new, different, more acceptable shape. The only thing that will ever matter is how others see you. I want to take myself apart into something else, and if I cannot do that, I want to destroy every part of it that could ever be used against me. And if that is my eyes, or my womb, or all of it—" and the connection of girls and womanhood through being AFAB and raised as such: "I still connect with women. I find companionship with them, closeness that cannot be denied, because the world will always do its damnedest to see me as one of them. As long as we are seen the same, we will experience the same. Our lives will be linked. I will be held to the same unfair standards, punished under the same unjust rules. To separate how you are seen from who you are sometimes feels nigh impossible.". There was also an immaculate summary about my feelings as a doctor and a uterus: "know enough about pregnancy to be terrified of it, which is the only sensible reaction to discovering how it works." As well as a many tragically beautiful descriptions of grief: "Death never goes after those who deserve it. It only ever takes from those who aren’t ready." and the horrors of man: "why is it that when they hide their faces, men become monsters instead of angels?". I'll stop quoting the book now and let you enjoy it in its entire form, but God I want you all to read it immediately. I want to highlight it in its entirety.

I couldn't put this book down, and it was sad when it ended. It's an exquisitely haunting tale tackling patriarchy, identity, and complex relationships. Whilst the plot points were predictable for me, it was still satisfying: the blossoming love story and the ones that never got to be; the evil deeds committed by men; betrayal and courage and anger and cowardice and fight. Parts were akin to screaming at your TV for the character not to go up the stairs when the killer is chasing them, not to be alone in a room with a man. It did a great job at revealing information, even if I knew it already, especially early on when Silas is investigating the missing students. The world is immersive, and whilst the author notes taking historical liberties, I found everything worked and nothing pulled me out. I would have preferred more of the ghosts, opening the veil, talking to the spirits, etc but it didn't feel lacking (I'm just a spooky bitch). The horrors of man are far worse than ghosts could ever be. We're treated to small exerts from the ghosts perspective, and they are so deservedly angry. The book came the a satisfying conclusion (even if it would have preferred a more torturous end), and I want to read it for the first time again. It does feature dark themes, but none of it feels gratuitous - this is how a horror about transphobia should be done. It does not deadname for the readers sake nor try to justify itself. The queerness felt natural, as did the relationships and reactions to events. There is a kinship amongst the different characters, and I'm glad Silas had people he could trust.

Overall, this was piercingly beautiful, and whilst I wouldn't say not to more supernatural elements, a more brutal punishment, or a tad more vengeance, it was a fantastic read. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Gore, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Forced institutionalization, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexism, Transphobia, Blood, Classism, Medical trauma, Cursing, Hate crime, Death, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexual assault, Violence, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Murder, Outing, Confinement, Lesbophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, and Rape

paxalotile's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Death, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Child abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Medical trauma, Medical content, Emotional abuse, Chronic illness, Pregnancy, Deadnaming, Body horror, Ableism, Suicide attempt, Religious bigotry, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Outing, Dysphoria, Bullying, Abortion, Blood, Violence, Torture, Sexism, Self harm, Hate crime, Murder, and Lesbophobia

booksnbcys's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Blood, Death, Dysphoria, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, and Violence

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, and Infertility

Minor: Chronic illness