Reviews tagging 'Animal death'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

166 reviews

naomidanae's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful 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: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Classism

thatchickengirl23's review against another edition

4.5

dark emotional hopeful 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

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I would not call this YA. The main characters are teenagers, but that’s it. It is incredibly graphic in its depictions of surgery, dissection, gore, and violence. Definitely no one under 16 should read it, and even 16/17 year olds should be cautious. It really is a lot. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Classism

Minor: Infertility, Miscarriage

semmler's review against another edition

3.75

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-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: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

mossynoah's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

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: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria

aetherthedino's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful 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: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexism, Vomit, Death of parent, Pregnancy

Minor: Suicide attempt

tgaddie's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark emotional sad fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Biphobia, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Lesbophobia, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death

fangirljeanne's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

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, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

yasperbasper's review against another edition

5.0

dark emotional tense slow-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: Complicated

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Vomit, Pregnancy, Dysphoria

Minor: Miscarriage, Colonisation, Classism

dags_delight's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional 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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For the everloving f*ck of whichever god may be real, find a *detailed* list of trigger warnings before you head into this book. As AJW says, the book is not a necessary procedure. But if you choose to undergo it, it is a gut wrenching story of desperately holding on to who you believe and know you are, and in all its gore and horror and despair, of hope.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Xenophobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Abandonment, Dysphoria

starrysteph's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional tense fast-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

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Andrew Joseph White has this brilliant skill of creating these nasty, fanged works that somehow, through all that blood, make you feel seen and empowered. 

This one is for the kids who can’t decipher the hidden rules of the world that everyone else seems to tackle with confidence.

“Because they gave birth to something they do not understand, because they tried so many times to fix me and they failed.”

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth follows Silas Bell, a curious anatomically-minded teenager whose family has attempted to force him into box after box to become an obedient (and more importantly, accepted) member of society. In 1883 London, men with violet eyes are considered mediums & alter The Veil between the living and dead as followers of the Royal Speaker Society. On the other hand, women with violet eyes are considered diseased; dangerous; mad.

Silas is trans and autistic (though he does not have the language for either), and after he attempts to flee his arranged marriage and live as a free medium, he’s sent to Braxton’s Sanitorium and Finishing School for Veil-sick women. It’s a dangerous place, with heartless leadership and girls who mysteriously disappear (unless they convince all that they can be obedient wives). When Silas hears pleas from the ghosts of former students, he knows he must risk his own life to unveil the true violence of Braxton.

“I read everything as it is given to me, exactly how it is said, only to discover that the world always operates just below the surface.”

Silas does not have our modern words to describe his experiences, but through his narration he shares truths and tics and fears so authentically and earnestly. He discovers how these parts of his identity are entwined - but also how they are distinct - through others. Without spoilers, Silas is not the only trans character in the book AND there’s a supporting character who is autistic & nonverbal whose scenes with Silas were some of my favorites.

Silas sees the world anatomically, through flesh and bone, through medicine and surgery. He also struggles with the “rabbit” inside his chest. It’s the voice of all his doubts and fears - the voice that he believes he needs to survive. 

“I want to take myself apart into something else, and if I cannot do that, I want to destroy every part of it that could ever be used against me.“

White plays with the very real history of those in power branding women with “hysteria”, and torturing and exploiting anyone who is “unfit” to operate in their world - and properly enforce their societal hierarchy. These villains sure do villain. There’s a pervasive fear of anything unknown and anyone who is an other, and a vicious swirl of misogyny, transphobia, and ableism. 

“We are the same species. We're all human. It's not that people cannot understand me; it's simply that most of them don't want to."

But the hauntings come in full force, screaming to be heard & not allowing the misogynistic powers to silence them.

In Andrew’s opening author’s note, he gently shares that taking this journey is a choice for us readers. I found it both horrifying & disturbing and empowering – but if this is too much for you at any time, it’s okay. You have the freedom to step away; you do not have to endure this. 

CW: medical content & gore, medical experimentation, body horror, sexual assault & rape, forced institutionalization, abortion, transphobia, deadnaming & misgendering, gaslighting, misogyny, ableism, death, pregnancy, torture, abuse, miscarriage, self harm, homophobia, animal cruelty & death, religious bigotry, vomit

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(I received an advance reader copy of this book; this is my honest review. All quotes in this review are from my advance reader copy.)

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Medical content, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting