Reviews tagging 'Pregnancy'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

221 reviews

breadbummer's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

4.75

It's been maybe five years since the last time I remember being so engrossed with a book! For once, I'm so glad I judged a book by its cover (it's a pretty neat cover), as The Spirit Bares Its Teeth has just about everything I could want from a story.

• Trans protagonist (written by a trans author) ✅
• Murder mystery ✅
• Set in the Victorian era ✅
• Upfront trigger warnings ✅
• VENGEANCE!!!! (no bs about forgiveness) ✅

I cannot recommend this novel enough!! As I said, though, please note the HEFTY list of content warnings before jumping in. White makes sure to cover the big hitters like anti-transness and ableism, but it should also be noted that

abortion

(among many other things) has its very graphic moment.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Miscarriage, Lesbophobia, Rape, Colonisation, and Vomit

Minor: Infertility, Animal death, Genocide, Sexual content, and Terminal illness

There was no specific option for animal dissections or something close enough to it listed here, so I thought I'd make note of it. Everything that is done to animals in this book is post-mortem, though it's still graphic.

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

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.

reinynights's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Misogyny, Adult/minor relationship, Medical content, Ableism, Blood, Body horror, Violence, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Dysphoria, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Child abuse, Transphobia, Sexual violence, Sexism, Murder, Violence, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent

somersaf's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

After reading the trigger warnings, I was a tad worried if this would be too much. I found that everything that was used was touched on delicately, and not in vain, which I appreciated.

I enjoyed reading this book, and spent the whole day on edge the further in I got. I will say I was not ready for

Daphne's father to want to marry Silas

. There were some twists I expected, and all worked well! I would love to read a sequel on

if/how the group go about revenge against George.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Gore, Transphobia, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Pregnancy and Rape

Minor: Miscarriage

kb_icarus3's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

5.0

holy f*ck. ajw, you good bro? w love ❤️

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Medical content, Medical trauma, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Child death, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Body horror, Body shaming, Death, Pregnancy, and Child abuse

armenag's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Abortion, Self harm, Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Pregnancy, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, and Torture

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Misogyny, Child abuse, and Gaslighting

allemala's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

5.0

This was my very first gothic horror book and I'm blown away. What a treat!

The story is set in Victorian London where the Veil between the living and dead has never been this thin, and sixteen-year-old trans and autistic Silas Bell would do anything to escape his fate as a Speaker wife. Unfortunately, this will lead him to be sent to Braxton's Sanatorium to be cured of Vail-sickness. He doesn't want this, he's not prepared for it, but he's certainly not ready for the horrors he will have to face and what needs to be done to stop it all.

This story is not for the faint of hearts, so be aware of every listed trigger warning because this book doesn't shy away! The writing is blunt, harrowing, gory and even cruel sometimes, just as the world around us can be. But it makes the book feel real even though magical elements are involved. I felt uncomfortable and angry to the point I wanted to set the world on fire (and it made me happy and genuinely cheer in the last chapter).

So, if you can handle all of this, I sincerely suggest you check out this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pregnancy, Violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Transphobia, and Deadnaming

thyme_james'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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Rape, Misogyny, Murder, Emotional abuse, and Dysphoria

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