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Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Eating disorder, Rape
I absolutely adore the way A.J. White puts things into words. Both the feelings and experiences of trans and autistic people are being described in a way that hits close to home. The fact that it's situated in the 18hundreds only makes it even more layered.
I highly recommend A.J. White his work, but only if you can handle the gore. Definitely look into the content warnings of each book before reading them.
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Outing, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
This book is heavy - definitely check the content warnings for this one. The supernatural element takes a bit of a backseat with horror being the central element to the story. Whilst there are classic horror aspects throughout the story, it's often the experience of the trans and female characters in a male dominated Victorian world that is scariest. The suspense is immense and coupled with the main character's fixation on describing aspects of life in relation to surgery, the book is visceral.
It's ⭐⭐⭐⭐ from me. Though a great book that kept me hooked, I can't say that I fully enjoyed it. I felt for the characters throughout, their fear and hope, but ultimately the unease was too much for me to rate it five stars. Then again, for a horror story, is there a better compliment than that?
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Suicide, Suicide attempt
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Dysphoria
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, Pregnancy
Minor: Grief, Cannibalism, Death of parent
Graphic: Gore
Moderate: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Deadnaming, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Suicide attempt
Minor: Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Suicide, Classism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
I also loved how Silas' experiences of transness and autism felt real and how these facets of himself are able to be explored without the modern terminology.
The one thing that kept it from being perfect was the love story, while it was sweet I felt that it needed more time to be fully convincing rather than just a relationship for survival.
However, I am still deeply impressed and I hope to read more of White's work in the future.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Deadnaming, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Pregnancy
Minor: Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Cannibalism, Death of parent
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Dysphoria, Classism
Moderate: Eating disorder, Gore, Hate crime, Grief, Gaslighting
Minor: Suicide attempt