Reviews tagging 'Panic attacks/disorders'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

142 reviews

violetturtledove's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative mysterious 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

---

Wow. I don't want to lean into the surgery puns too much in this review, but this was a gut-wrenching read! Not for the faint-hearted, I'd recommend checking out the content warnings if you have any triggers at all, but it is very much worth it (as the author notes, surgery looks a lot like torture).

This is a gothic horror featuring a trans, autistic protagonist who wants to be a surgeon but is unfortunately AFAB in Victorian London, so of course he ends up in a finishing school/hospital. Oh and there's ghosts. 

It's fast paced and gripping, I loved the characters so much, I felt their frustration, recognised myself in some parts, and found a better understanding of others in other parts. All aspects of them are just so well portrayed.

 I'm not 'read a book in a day' fast but I stayed up reading until 2am two nights in a row with this book (i read it on my kobo so it was my bedtime read, in hindsight maybe not the best choice for restful sleep!)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Murder, Pregnancy, Dysphoria

thehmkane's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional hopeful 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: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Colonisation, Classism

kenzielireads's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Grief, Sexual harassment

arrr's review against another edition

4.5

dark hopeful mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

I don't typically read horror, so this was a bit outside my comfort zone. The story of transphobia and ableism in Victorian England mixed well with the addition of ghosts and the misogyny imposed against women and people who could manipulate the veil between worlds. I wasn't prepared for the medical horror and level of description. It wasn't as awful as it could have been, but it would have given me nightmares as a youth. I didn't really understand the ending before the last chapter. But I suppose it could be open to interpretation. Maybe that's the point. 

Well done. I unexpectedly enjoyed this. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, 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, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

smolhandsdan's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional inspiring 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: Complicated

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Gaslighting

Minor: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape

vixenreader's review against another edition

4.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring 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: Yes

---

The YA troupes are a bit more evident in this book than in the author’s previous work. However, it is a remarkable second novel with an effective plot structure, atmospheric from beginning to end, visceral in the horrors of what can be done to a human being (mind, body, and soul), and a big high-five for diving into the ableism directed towards the autistic while giving them the direction in learning how to shut up their own internal rabbits. Also, “George, we were all rooting for you! HOW DARE YOU!!!”

---

Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Animal death, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Outing, War, Classism

Minor: Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol

A majority of graphic content in this novel addresses transphobia, abhorrent ableism against autistic folks, misogyny/sexism (the “biology” argument), nasty surgeries, medical content and trauma, physical abuse and violence, and sexual abuse. Any minor in the novel is aged 14-16. It also features familial rejection, pus, stitching up wounds, a graphic abortion, self-mutilation, execution, and a ton of injuries and gore involving glass. It can be a hard read at times.

xeve's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Cursing, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Self harm, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Dysphoria

Minor: Chronic illness, Abandonment

felicitydevoria's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious 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: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

sunflower7skull's review against another edition

4.25

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: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

This book took a lot out of me. It is heavy and gruesome and beautiful. I will admit the surgical body horror made me a little squeamish, but as a trans autistic person, I loved the way the main characters were written. I don't usually like historical fiction, but I really loved this fantasy take. Highly recommend to anyone who is invested in dark fantasy, the trans experience, the autistic experience, and Victorian times (especially from a gendered/medical view) Just make sure you check trigger warnings for this one!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, 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, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Dysphoria

anarmandameg's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Outing, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail