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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: Murder, Colonisation, Rape, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Trafficking, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Ableism, Abandonment, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Bullying, Slavery, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Confinement, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Transphobia, Child death, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Infertility, Suicide attempt, and Violence
abbeyreads13's review against another edition
- 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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gore, Medical content, Transphobia, Pregnancy, Abortion, Sexual assault, Vomit, Homophobia, Medical trauma, and Blood
scoysciane's review against another edition
- 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? No
5.0
Minor: Violence, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Torture, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexism, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Body horror, Vomit, Death, Medical content, Deadnaming, Miscarriage, Rape, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, Murder, Physical abuse, Abortion, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Homophobia, and Suicidal thoughts
samgray's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Deadnaming, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Misogyny, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Ableism, Slavery, Child death, Death, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Violence, Vomit, Suicide, Pedophilia, Rape, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical content, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Gore, Sexual content, Transphobia, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Dysphoria, Hate crime, Sexism, Sexual assault, Abortion, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Eating disorder, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Religious bigotry, and Torture
httpsserenity'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: Murder, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Torture, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Grief, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Body horror, Child abuse, Sexism, Abortion, Blood, Classism, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Medical content, Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Dysphoria, and Panic attacks/disorders
abadip's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Body horror, Transphobia, Abortion, and Homophobia
teyn's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Misogyny, Sexual violence, Body horror, Kidnapping, Lesbophobia, Abortion, Homophobia, Deadnaming, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Transphobia, and Death
Moderate: Pregnancy, Torture, Trafficking, Murder, Rape, and Medical content
Minor: Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Animal death, and Violence
peroxide_princes'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Medical content, Dysphoria, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Blood, Body horror, Sexual assault, Death, Medical trauma, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Deadnaming, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Homophobia, and Physical abuse
andyking's review against another edition
- 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
4.75
Graphic: Medical content, Deadnaming, Body horror, Death, Dysphoria, Forced institutionalization, Physical abuse, Gore, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Medical trauma, Confinement, Blood, Misogyny, and Homophobia
ghostlyprince's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Abortion, Blood, Violence, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Murder, Sexism, Transphobia, Ableism, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Gaslighting, Gore, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Torture
Moderate: Body horror, Abandonment, Grief, Sexual violence, Body shaming, Pedophilia, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Dysphoria, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Vomit
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Classism, Homophobia, Biphobia, Colonisation, Death of parent, Infidelity, Lesbophobia, and Miscarriage
dissection of dead pigs is discussed frequently in the book