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nikoops'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
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
Do not recommend this book if you are squeamish about detailed medical procedures.lightscamerazaction'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? No
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Classism
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Classism
alexlynx'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
The queerness and neurodivergent aspects?! Damn, I felt really called out sometimes, in the best way.
I will say, I was and still am confused about the last chapter. But the whole thing? Masterpiece, damn.
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
dreareads_'s review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail
lokes'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
They must have convinced themselves that they would never rot in the same dirt we do.
This book has left me carved out and cut open, lovingly handing me the needle to stitch myself together - and I devoured it.
I already loved Hell Followed With Us, but this book just had it all. The queer characters, the very gory descriptions, the fury and rebellious spirits and the love each of the characters held for each other. There were a few plot lines I would have liked to read more about, like the sanatorium, the relics, the way historic colonialism by the UK was adapted into the fantasy/horror context, more in-depth exploration of the anti-autistic ableism and general sexism of the time, & etc. But I guess that’s to blame on the „YA“ part of the book 😅)
Even though the story meant to rip you apart, ask you to just let go and give into the graphic descriptions of medical horror, of a society not so much different from our own, the book was weirdly comforting. At times, I definitely felt a bit squeamish (never thought I’d read a really graphic, long description of an at-home Caesarian abortion, but here we are), but it was definitely one of the most beautiful things I’ve read lately. Because it is truly okay to hurt sometimes. And it is okay to slash back when the rabbit-hearted heart screams to just amputate the parts society doesn’t like to see on (young) people.
And oh, how they fought back.
(Also loved the very trans* main characters and their love story. Same with the (female) rage and the portrayal of a small rebellion, starting in the very walls meant to keep them silent.)
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
Moderate: Biphobia, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, and Classism
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: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
jdieperink's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
5.0
It’s chock full of things that need content warning, brutal, horrific, explicitly gruesome, poetic, beautiful, and will make your whole being ache.
Horror isn’t really my jam so I have to work myself up to it, but so far both this and Hell Followed With Us have been so so so worth it.
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Misogyny, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Bullying, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Death of parent, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
estruch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
I’d recommend to everybody to check the content warnings and proceed with caution. However, if you are a trans person with a lot of feelings about what is expected of your body, check it out. Maybe you’ll find peace too.
Second book for the #TransRightsReadathon of 2024.
Graphic: Deadnaming, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
sophiesmallhands'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
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, and Vomit
samgray's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail