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Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Medical content, Murder
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Classism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail
It is raw in a way that few authors manage, adding the visceral rage of being mistreated on so many axes by people who feel righteous in doing so. I literally skipped pages at the most nail-biting part because I needed to know how the situation would be resolved (I did go back to read them after).
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault
Minor: Miscarriage
I absolutely love LGBTQA+ representation in YA novels (and a cannonically autistic character— absolutely AMAZING). However... it took almost a quarter the way through the book for Silas to start feeling like a real character.
So much of the beginning was focused on his anxiety and gender dysphoria. Which being trans in Victorian England, is totally understandable! However, it felt like every page was just him being an anxious, sobbing mess (don't even get me started on the rabbit...). And listen, as someone who struggles with mental health, that's kind of a lot to read over and over and over again.
I also felt like I barely knew him as a character. For the longest time, all I knew about Silas is that a) he's trans, b) is a violet-eyed medium, and c) loves medicine and wants to be a doctor. Which cool, love that he has aspirations, but like, what else? The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is good, it just wasn't a 5/5 for me.
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Deadnaming, Gore, Sexual assault, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Dysphoria
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Forced institutionalization, Murder
Minor: Animal death, Confinement, Cursing, Death of parent
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I also loved how Silas' experiences of transness and autism felt real and how these facets of himself are able to be explored without the modern terminology.
The one thing that kept it from being perfect was the love story, while it was sweet I felt that it needed more time to be fully convincing rather than just a relationship for survival.
However, I am still deeply impressed and I hope to read more of White's work in the future.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Deadnaming, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Pregnancy
Minor: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent
this was so good! honestly haven’t read something this well written and attention-grabbing in a long time
the historical references are phenomenal! Andrew J. White did a fantastic job at depicting the realities of psychological abuse and what it does to a person
i also love how this book portrays the historical use of mental illness as a way to discredit people and justify their oppression and abuse, as well as how words like “sick”, “crazy” and “hysterical” have been weaponized against women and minorities
i am an extremely squeamish person and the medical gore in this book was at times hard to get through, so keep that in mind if you’re like me! regardless, i made it through and i loved it
the black pages containing the spirits’ perspectives were genius!!! i thoroughly enjoyed them and the depth they added to the narrative
i also love the trans, queer and neurodivergent representation! (Daphne, you own my heart, girl s2)
final notes: i hate cishet white men
Graphic: Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
Minor: Miscarriage, Vomit
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Pregnancy