Reviews tagging 'Medical trauma'

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

509 reviews

hilarybuff's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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My jaw was on the ground at the end of this one. Trans, neurodivergent rep in a spooky & bloody Victorian setting. There is so much visceral rage packed into this book. Not sure if I enjoyed reading it, but I’m glad I did. Thankfully it ends on a hopeful note, so all of the suffering wasn’t for nothing.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Medical trauma

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

ghostmotifs's review against another edition

2.75

dark mysterious sad medium-paced

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i have a lot of issues with this book- mainly, the historical setting seems like an afterthought and british colonialism seems to be an important aspect of this society to expand upon. however, putting myself in the position of a teen reading this book, i think it would have resonated with me so deeply. so, at the end of the day, it accomplished what it needed to. i loved the t4t romance <3

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Dysphoria

hampineapples's review against another edition

5.0

dark 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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion

Moderate: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault

Minor: Self harm, Suicidal thoughts

ajenkies4's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark 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: Complicated

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For the love of God please read the content warnings. My only small quibble is that the dialogue wasn't even close to historically accurate. But everything else about this book overshadows that - it's gruesome and infuriating and empowering.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

aimeeslittlelibrary's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious 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: Complicated

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Well, that was a lot! I can't beleive this is young adult?! There was such a lot of TW Content: mentioned sexual assault, child SA, a lot of medical content and body horror, self-mutilation, self harm, murder, torture, and animal death. And not that young adults aren't affected by or shouldn't read these issues, but damn, it was graphic at times! This was great. I loved the character of Silas so much. He was so well-rounded, complex, and his voice was so clear. The rabbit was an excellent device, and that dark inner critical voice was so brutal to read. The plot was so well delivered I honestly had no idea what was happening until the end, I had vague thoughts, but to discover THAT was happening.. phew. Mary also gets honourable mention for being the most viscious and violent lesbian in this world. This whole book is a good, 'good for her' moment of the wrongs women, female presenting people, and AFAB people have dealt with through time - with a magical realism twist that brought horror and fear into this book. I couldn't put it down. I wonder if there will be a sequel. I hope so.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Sexual harassment

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Transphobia, Medical content, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail

cathgrin's review against another edition

5.0

dark medium-paced

Loveable characters: Yes

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This book is a bloodcurdling scream, raw meat gnawed from a snapped bone. 

It's AJW, you know EXACTLY what you're gonna get. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail

inkstainedghosts13's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense 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: Yes

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Amazing, read all in one night. Amazing trans and neurodivergent representation. Got the Gothic style perfectly. Fantastic book!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Deadnaming, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

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