Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

572 reviews

kingkiller99's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This was so intense. I was listening to it in the car with my hands clenched tight to the steering wheel. Even though I knew where parts of the story would go, I was still horrified and stunned by it. This was chilling and I highly recommend it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Sexism, Sexual assault

Moderate: Self harm, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Murder

Minor: Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy

brittbookshelf's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Gore, Misogyny, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting

kayceeisbookish's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual content, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail

shardsofstars24's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Andrew Joseph White's prose stands out yet again as enjoyable to read and unapologetically soaked in queer trans rage. Silas's accounts of his horrible experiences meant there was very little breathing room or relief from trauma in the text. I think this was intentional and well-executed, keeping the reader on edge the way Silas is for the whole story.

So many facets of this story went unexplored, though the premise and socio-political implications made me wish for an entire historical account of The Speaker Society, and resistance to it.

Just like with his other two novels, Andrew Joseph White begins his stories with warnings that you may want to opt out. It is packed with multiple kinds of violence, gore, and death, and shies away from no details. I appreciate that the author took care to research historical accuracies regarding the horrible ways humans have ruined each other.

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Content Warnings

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

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy

faeandferal's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious 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

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Beautiful written, full of dark twists, emotional moments and hidden mysteries. I found the characters highly relatable, especially Silas, and really enjoyed the trans and autistic representation. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Death, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexism, Grief, Abortion, Sexual harassment

Minor: Bullying, Self harm, Torture, Pregnancy

bbitzan's review against another edition

4.25

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I didn't love this one as much as my last two AJW reads but it was very good regardless.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Deadnaming, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

nowawah's review against another edition

5.0

dark 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion

Moderate: Ableism, Transphobia, Violence

Minor: Sexual violence

shanayyy's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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The author writing is very detailed especially in the main character’s body dysmorphia and autism- especially the panic attacks and involuntary movements. Through their writing, I was able to imagine myself (a cis female) in Silas’s shoes and understand how the behaviors of those around him affected his psyche.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Misogyny, Pedophilia, Sexism, Sexual violence, Transphobia

The ending leaves so many questions: how did Louise know all that information, why does she refuse to meet Silas Mary and Agnes after the school was destroyed, is Silas going after his brother, what is Agnes’ life as a widow, what was the cover up for Luckenbills’ death, what are Silas and Daphne’s adult life like?

claire_not_rebecca's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous dark emotional 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: Yes

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This was everything I wanted it to be. It was creepy and intelligent and deeply personal, I absolutely adore it. Cyrus is so cute and also so relatable, the writing of autism is really interesting to me in this book, and the story is just so so so addictive. It’s deeply creepy, so please check your TWs! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

madamvonsassypants's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This book did not feel like it was YA to me. The writing was really well done, sophisticated, and dealt with a LOT of heavy things. I found the tale gripping, the intimate inner monologue of a trans person so well done and fraught with emotion, and the world in which the story exists to be fascinating and frustrating. Truly so well done. I tore through this in just a few days, and recommend it highly.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism