Reviews tagging 'Murder'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

259 reviews

zee_lee's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

FANTASTIC BOOK! This author never fails to write a horrifically beautiful, emotional, and thought-provoking novel. Never did I consider myself a horror person, but my love for both of his books have me seeking other horror novels like these. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth somehow managed to turn an idea of historical fiction into a queer horror novel with some of the most beautiful use of the English language I have ever read. However, this book is not for those looking for an easy read. I simultaneously couldn't put the book down and dreaded turning each page. But for anyone who can stomach beautifully written gore and having to deal with the harsh reality of the world we live in, I couldn't recommend this book more. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Torture, Transphobia, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria

Minor: Body shaming, Rape, and Vomit

sweetflipsbrah's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

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

2.5

While not the worst book I’ve ever read, “The Spirit Bares It’s Teeth” by Andrew Joseph White leaves a lot to be desired for me. Maybe my approach to this book is all wrong, but if the world presented in “Spirit” is meant to reflect our modern world in any way (which I think even deeply fantastical fiction can/does), then ours is an inhospitable cesspit of violence, misogyny, and transphobia. And as a trans man myself, I spent a lot of my time reading this book in despair of the author’s outlook on our present world, particularly his view of cisgender men. The level of both overt and implied sexual violence enacted against the main character is almost fetishistic, particularly when you remember this is a YA novel. 

I think there are a lot of elements to “Spirit” that are interesting - a trans male protagonist in a historical setting, the exploration of gender and weaponizing the pathology of human behavior, the aesthetic of Victorian esoterische and spiritualism, etc - that the author, in my opinion, doesn’t explore enough, or is lacking nuance. I think a more historically accurate approach to this story would’ve made it more enjoyable, as sort of a better analysis of Victorian and modern attitudes towards sex, gender, mental health and disability. I also find some of White’s stylistic choices grating, including an over-reliance on certain imagery in the form of simile that made roll my eyes (I challenge you to count how many times something is described as being “like a scalpel”). Overall, there were a handful of scenes I enjoyed, but I ultimately finished this book out of sheer determination.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, and Vomit

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, and Pregnancy

jei_reads_sometimes's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

4.5

I don't normally read horror but this was popping up on so many lists I figured I'd give it a shot.  
Please check and take the CWs seriously.  I felt myself have visceral reactions at times and yet... I couldn't put it down.  The way the story held up a mirror to how it feels to be different in so many ways in a world that just wants you to conform hit hard.  I'll be looking into more works from this author.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury

Moderate: Bullying, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, and Abandonment

Minor: Torture and War

kingsamong's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Vomit, and Sexual harassment

dogearedbooks's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

At 35 years old, this is the first time I've seen myself so fully in a character. I cannot explain the wealth of emotions I feel reading through Silas' eyes and knowing, even for a fictional character, I am not alone.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Murder

Moderate: Confinement, Miscarriage, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Rape

melist6's review against another edition

challenging dark 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

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual assault, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria

Minor: Adult/minor relationship

lizardgod's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad tense medium-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 love women as men are expected to, but the way only one who has ever experienced womanhood can. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

tangleroot_eli's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated

Bloody, brutal, and utterly compelling.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria

Moderate: Ableism, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, and Colonisation

Minor: Miscarriage and Self harm

Graphic:: Saneism, Misgendering, Toxic masculinity Moderate:: Slut shaming

taratearex's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.0

 This was really great. I liked it even more than his debut, which I also thought was great, but he's really elevating his skills in this one, and the way he writes trans and autistic characters is just so good and so needed. With this book it solidified that Andrew Joseph White is a must-read author for me and I'm even more excited for his adult novel now.

I read the audiobook for this, which lead to a bit of confusion at times with the narrative not always being clear, but for the most part that didn't take away from my understanding or enjoyment- I did have a physical copy with me that I just never got around to picking up to see the written structure, I may still do that at some point. So I'd recommend the audiobook, but it may be nice to have the physical book too.

Definitely check trigger warnings on this one, I really appreciate the author intro with a trigger warning at the beginning. Some CW: a lot of medical/body gore/body horror, sexual assault, conversion therapy, transphobia, pedophilia, abortion, miscarriage, death, murder 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage and Rape

mobymaize's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-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? Yes

4.0

Damn this book is crazy, and it was great, but at times it felt like torture porn. I get that that’s the point, but

glass in the shoes

is fucking horrific. Additionally, for a novel with spirit in its name, it didn’t entirely have a huge emphasis on ghosts in general

(except for the destruction of Braxtons of course)

. Great horror, not super for me though. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment