Reviews tagging 'Abandonment'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

54 reviews

danaslitlist's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.75

Do you know how angry the dead can be?

They must have convinced themselves they would never rot in the same dirt as we do.

In my review of Hell Followed with Us, I said the words "bold and furious" to describe the book. I said the book  is a story of rage consuming, of revolution and uprising, of setting ablaze the world and those who wished to use you for their gain.

While reading The Spirit Bares Its Teeth I was struck by how much of it is a mirror to White's debut. It's not  a simple reflection of his previous work nor is it just a rehashing of the same themes. Instead it's a rendition, a shadow, a closer look at the source, at the core of, where so much rage begins.

 Hell Followed with Us is about the beauty of decay and rot and the rebirth of one's self into their true monstrous form, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is about the power of breaking the cage within yourself to free your righteous fury and ripping the Veil all together.

It is a story that picks at the scabs of old wounds that many of us have endured at hands of a world that wishes to "fix us" through any means as long as we assimilated. This is an acknowledgement of the horrors of those who came before us (of women, of people of color, of queer and trans people, of disabled and mentally ill individuals) suffered. It is an acknowledgment of the battles many marginalized people still endure for simply not fitting into the narrow minded boxes (Christian) society demands. And it does shy away from the dark and truly disgusting horrors of humanity's greed and man's desire for power over all. 

While The Spirit Bares Its Teeth does indeed touch upon rage, upon anger and frustration; it is a story of pain inflicted by those in positions of power, of the suppression of self for survival, and overcoming of fear in order to not just live but to thrive. 

And it does this wonderfully. This is a  true gothic horror in every sense; from the setting and themes it utilizes, from the classic use of gaslighting and mystery against the characters to a pure feeling of isolation and desperation. 
 
For fans of Crimson Peak and Devil's Backbone this is for you. 
 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Pregnancy, and Injury/Injury detail

aetherthedino's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful mysterious sad tense medium-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? No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide attempt

micaelacccc's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad tense fast-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

Minor: Miscarriage and Rape

ruththegreat's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

jasper_is_atypical's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

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

Minor: Miscarriage, Colonisation, and Classism

mir_frog73's review against another edition

challenging 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

5.0

This was incredible. I have no words other then everyone needs to read this because I’ll never be able to shut up about it. I need to eat this author. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

dags_delight's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

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

5.0

For the everloving f*ck of whichever god may be real, find a *detailed* list of trigger warnings before you head into this book. As AJW says, the book is not a necessary procedure. But if you choose to undergo it, it is a gut wrenching story of desperately holding on to who you believe and know you are, and in all its gore and horror and despair, of hope.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, and Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Abandonment, and Dysphoria

quiltsandtealibrary's review against another edition

challenging 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? It's complicated

5.0

I’ll add more later but holy hell this book is insanely good but super heavy but so good!!!

PLEASE HEED ALL TW/CW !!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, and Injury/Injury detail

cronads's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Bullying, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Pregnancy, and Dysphoria

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Vomit, Death of parent, and Pregnancy

ender24's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious tense slow-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

4.5

A wonderful story, with a lot of horror and gore. It’s a bit slow for the first half of the book, but it’s important for the overall story unlike some other writings. Already want a sequel, or something to expand the world of the story.

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Content Warnings

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