Reviews

With Teeth by Kristen Arnett

purplepierogi's review

4.0

usually I’m not one for character studies of fucked people but unraveling the gay toxic relationship / parenting dynamic w deeply unhappy narrator was perversely satisfying

manireadsbooks's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

rebeccalcohen's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.25

udflyer's review

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I don't even understand what I just read. What a weird book. It was all over the place and I hated all the characters. The ending was the worst. I would have made this a 3-Star, but the ending took a star.

lilydoyle6's review

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.75

this book was gripping, had a sense of foreboding - like always waiting for something worse to happen, and is a great & chilling & somewhat somber depiction of a mother on the brink of a mental breakdown, unfulfilled, and unsure & unwilling to make any self examination or change. Sammie was frustrating and you just wanted to shake her and seemed like quite the unreliable narrator. samson was chilling and i kept waiting for him to completely snap. monika was fleeting but when she was you could see how she moved a lot of the behavior/plot forward. 

i am still pondering the ending. it was a bit confusing and left a lot to be desired. i think a lot of it comes down to characters just doing the same thing, not growing, not going anywhere. i loved how this book was written, the style was perfect & a lot of what i enjoy. idk i gotta come back to this perhaps. 

rballenger's review against another edition

2.0

Type of read: Commuter Read

What made me pick it up: Honestly, between the title and the cover art, I was hooked. After I read the description, it seemed like something I might enjoy.

Overall rating: Oof. I struggled with this one. 'With Teeth' is the narration of Sammi's inner thoughts while she slowly spirals out of control, starting with a bite. A bite from her son and a bite to her son. A silent pact that caused her to stop ignoring the 'what ifs' and the 'I shoulds' and allowed her to give herself permission just to do and see what the hell happens. There is a lot going on in 'With Teeth' and I mean A LOT. You've got a misbehaving kid, a strained relationship, an acknowledgment of sexuality, commiseration over things that could have been but never were, and different character perspectives (although you do hear mostly from Sammi). Honestly, I legitimately have no idea if I could describe this book to someone. It was weird. And I like weird. But this was unorganized and off-putting weird. I can't, in good conscience, recommend 'With Teeth' because I have no idea what I read because it was so all over the place and my brain struggled to keep up and take it all in. Maybe I'll add it to my TBRR (to be re-read) list and see if I get it better a second time around.

Reader's Note: There's some slightly graphic sexual content and language. I wouldn't recommend this book to those who are uncomfortable with some spicy

keelin's review

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

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

4.0

eaborum's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced

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

4.5

bellist's review

dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

3.5

This book is a perfect example of how to write unlikable characters in a way that’s still compelling for a reader. I loved Arnett’s exploration of what happens when marriage and parenthood go wrong, and how destructive stagnation can be when  a person refuses to make decisions that could improve their inner and outer worlds. I think Sammie is fairly narcissistic, but she’s also desperately alone and dealing with addiction — this book offers a devastating, realistic depiction of alcohol dependence. I agree with other criticisms re: Samson’s behavior sometimes being inconsistent or reading as autistic. But I think the text made it clear that he didn’t have any diagnosed conditions. He read more as a child who was born bratty and never nurtured or supported by his parents. I loved how Arnett wove Florida culture and nature into her scene setting, and her brief forays into the minds of side characters. She was also very good at writing life’s subtle indignities. This is an interesting depiction of lesbian life/marriage/motherhood/middle age. It’s a kind of extended character study of a stubborn, selfish and heartbroken person who will not get a grip, and the ripple effects that behavior has on her familial relationships/her son in particular.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction

julhousel's review

I was trying to force myself to finish but life is too short to suffer