Reviews tagging 'Vomit'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

105 reviews

alphabetseeds's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

5.0

I read and loved AJW's first novel and knew I had to this up as well. And, fuck, this novel is horrific. Uncomfortable, bloody, unyielding. I read so much of this book with one hand over my mouth and the other clutching my stomach or over my heart, spellbound and horrified. I viscerally felt Silas' anxiety and confusion, felt the glass, clenched my teeth. This story is powerful in its portrayal of the pain and shame inflicted on those deemed lesser or unworthy or unwell.

But there are also moments of softness and tenderness that break up the claustrophobic violence, and these moments are so important. As the reader, I glimpsed for a better life, a safer life, for Silas and the girls and woman, and I desperately yearned for them to get there. To get out. To be loved and free.

To me, this is a must-read, absolutely recommend, with the caveat to brace yourself and prepare to be haunted.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Transphobia, Violence, and Blood

Moderate: Deadnaming and Vomit

dogoodwithbooks's review

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Gore, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, and Gaslighting

Moderate: Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Minor: Miscarriage and Vomit

zealousjade's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Abortion

Moderate: Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment

Minor: Vomit and War

hannahrogers's review against another edition

dark emotional 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? It's complicated

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Kidnapping, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism

Minor: Vomit and War

sammymilfort's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful sad tense slow-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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

circinus's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious 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? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Minor: Miscarriage and Suicide attempt

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

xxkatastrophe'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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Transphobia, and Medical content

Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Pregnancy

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Miscarriage, and Vomit

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