Reviews tagging 'Rape'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

362 reviews

breadbummer's review against another edition

4.75

dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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It's been maybe five years since the last time I remember being so engrossed with a book! For once, I'm so glad I judged a book by its cover (it's a pretty neat cover), as The Spirit Bares Its Teeth has just about everything I could want from a story.

• Trans protagonist (written by a trans author) ✅
• Murder mystery ✅
• Set in the Victorian era ✅
• Upfront trigger warnings ✅
• VENGEANCE!!!! (no bs about forgiveness) ✅

I cannot recommend this novel enough!! As I said, though, please note the HEFTY list of content warnings before jumping in. White makes sure to cover the big hitters like anti-transness and ableism, but it should also be noted that

abortion

(among many other things) has its very graphic moment.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Miscarriage, Rape, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Lesbophobia, Colonisation

Minor: Animal death, Genocide, Infertility, Sexual content, Terminal illness

There was no specific option for animal dissections or something close enough to it listed here, so I thought I'd make note of it. Everything that is done to animals in this book is post-mortem, though it's still graphic.

fallandfox's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional 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: No

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I believe this was my first book where a main character is trans and autistic, what is weird for how many books I read in my life.

The author made me feel so absolved in the history and Silas mind, it was an incredible sensation.

Silas was an amazing main character, his fight for freedom in the middle of all the cruelty and prejudice. There were so many moments in with, I wanted to get in the book and hug and help him.

I recommend this reading a lot, this was a book filled with pain, fight and strength of people trying to survive a cruel society ready to use and destroy them.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Abortion, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment

cluelessavian's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional 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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Bullying, Cursing, Pedophilia, Self harm, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Outing

Minor: Miscarriage, Rape

madamenovelist's review against another edition

4.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail

Sexual abuse of minors is a theme throughout this book. All the topics are very heavy but sexual abuse and gore are very prominent.

somersaf's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

---

After reading the trigger warnings, I was a tad worried if this would be too much. I found that everything that was used was touched on delicately, and not in vain, which I appreciated.

I enjoyed reading this book, and spent the whole day on edge the further in I got. I will say I was not ready for

Daphne's father to want to marry Silas

. There were some twists I expected, and all worked well! I would love to read a sequel on

if/how the group go about revenge against George.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Medical content

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy

Minor: Miscarriage

armenag's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting

thyme_james'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

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Murder, Pregnancy, Dysphoria

salemander's review against another edition

5.0

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brilliant and haunting and disgusting and so hopeful. i love gothic literature and i love trans people. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

athlen_47_'s review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional reflective 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape

snleck's review against another edition

3.5

dark inspiring 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: Complicated

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail