Take a photo of a barcode or cover
It had this constant sense of unease... but so incredibly done.
It's on my wishlist for my library now.
Graphic: Body horror, Misogyny, Rape, Transphobia, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma
Moderate: Sexism, Sexual assault, Abortion
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Torture, Toxic relationship, Murder, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Rape
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Homophobia, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Toxic relationship, Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Lesbophobia, Toxic friendship, Dysphoria
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Miscarriage, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria
Moderate: Animal death, Kidnapping
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape
What I Didn’t Like: Extremely graphic medical gore that didn’t always seem necessary(take the author’s trigger warnings VERY seriously!), a confusing epilogue
Honestly, the graphic nature of the book made it tough to get through, but that’s more of a me problem than a comment on the quality of the book. But if you can stomach it, it’s worth it for the valuable representation it presents.
Graphic: Body horror, Physical abuse, Torture, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Deadnaming, Pregnancy
I think there are a lot of elements to “Spirit” that are interesting - a trans male protagonist in a historical setting, the exploration of gender and weaponizing the pathology of human behavior, the aesthetic of Victorian esoterische and spiritualism, etc - that the author, in my opinion, doesn’t explore enough, or is lacking nuance. I think a more historically accurate approach to this story would’ve made it more enjoyable, as sort of a better analysis of Victorian and modern attitudes towards sex, gender, mental health and disability. I also find some of White’s stylistic choices grating, including an over-reliance on certain imagery in the form of simile that made roll my eyes (I challenge you to count how many times something is described as being “like a scalpel”). Overall, there were a handful of scenes I enjoyed, but I ultimately finished this book out of sheer determination.
Graphic: Deadnaming, Gore, Transphobia, Violence, Medical trauma, Murder
Moderate: Animal death, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Vomit
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Pregnancy
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
“I just finished reading a horrifying violent disgusting wonderful beautiful book,” I texted my friend immediately.
Horror/fantasy/historical fiction, set in Victorian England, with a protagonist we would call bi or pan, transgender, and autistic (and who is subjected to what we’d call ABA “therapy”). I love the protagonist so very much.
This book is not for the faint of heart. The author gives a non exhaustive list of triggers in the introduction, and acknowledges that this book isn’t for everyone, reassuring would-be readers that it’s okay to walk away.
For me personally, it was very much worth it. I hesitate to say too much for fear of spoilers but I just loved this book so much. I guess some of my favorite things were
That the protagonist
The
And [big spoilers] that the
The depictions of
Basically I feel like this book shows the almost unfathomable ugliness of the world and the hatred and oppression of queer, trans, and neurodivergent people, but it also
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail