Reviews tagging 'Forced institutionalization'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

572 reviews

eventyr's review against another edition

4.5

dark mysterious 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: Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Dysphoria

Minor: Ableism

bsilliam's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Dysphoria

captainpiika's review against another edition

5.0

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: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Abortion, Dysphoria

Moderate: Pregnancy

Minor: Homophobia, Miscarriage, Rape, Suicide attempt

bi_mermaid_'s review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective 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: Yes

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Listen I liked Hell Followed With Us quite a bit but... this is probably the book that's made a full Joseph Andrew White convert and I will read EVERYTHING he writes now. Like wow this book was amazing. Or maybe just the stars aligned perfectly because it feels like I read this book at the perfect time. I'd been reading a lot of cozier fiction lately so I knew I wanted something ediger and a little fucked up. I remember really liking how Hell Followed With Us did body horror so I thought I'd give his second book a go (by the way can we talk about for a sec how all these covers are beautifully designed). This was the absoulte perfect book to quench that thirst. I loved Silas and Daphne and getting to know the girls here forced into this horrible situation. AJW does such a good job building up dread and tension and of course, the bits of body horror and gore in this book was exactly what I was looking for. I also really appreciated this portrayal of an autistic protagonist. 

Maybe it's because I read them back to back, but I can't help but compare this to Evocation. There was so much that worked well here that failed there. For one, the society in this book is purposefully elusive and vauge because our protagonist isn't allowed to be part of that group, therefore doesn't know much about the goings on. Compared to Evocation where the occult society is such an important aspect of 2 of the main characters lives (both are running for president or whatever) but we know fuckall about the society. And the characters here felt so much more vibrant and tangible after suffering through the flat characters in Evocation.

TLDR; I loved this book very very much. I was tabbing the hell out of it and writing down so many quotes in my commonplace book. I will definitely want to read this again in the future and I'm excited to read everything else AJW publishes (especially his debut adult novel coming out later this year!) 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship

bethany_paige's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional inspiring mysterious sad fast-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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Deadnaming, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gore, Sexism, Transphobia, Pregnancy

Minor: Rape, Sexual assault

there’s gore, but described mostly clinically through the mc’s POV. The goriest descriptions are probably when a character attempts an abortion on herself and when the MC murders someone brutally.

bucketofaxolotls's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective 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, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Murder, Gaslighting, Dysphoria

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Sexism, Suicide, Kidnapping

Minor: Rape, Self harm

manta_moony's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious sad 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: Yes

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It was very interesting and the main character was so great to see the world through. I’ve never read gothic horror so this was an amazing introduction to it!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder

Moderate: Deadnaming, Miscarriage, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria

Minor: Self harm, Sexual assault, Vomit, Suicide attempt

elrichreads's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark reflective 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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I loved this book! It took me a little bit to really get into it, I think mainly because I had trouble knowing the main character as he truly is supposed to be known until much later in the story. Though, that's not a fault of the book because makes sense narratively, it was just a struggle me.
It's heavy and though there are obvious sci-fi/fantasy elements so much of the historically accurate abuse of those deemed "unwell" in the time period the story is set in is difficult to stomach and so necessary to learn about.
Highly recommend a read! Especially if you like the authors other works but aren't typically into works with historical fiction aspects because that's how I decided to read it and was not disappointed!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Forced institutionalization, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Miscarriage, Self harm

booktheory555's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Deportation

Moderate: Chronic illness

kirahietala's review against another edition

4.75

challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This was upsetting and I loved every bit of it. Not for the faint of heart - check your trigger warnings. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail