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I knew going into this that the book was going to be intense and emotional. It was very well written and the mystery and horror were impossible to stop thinking about. The reflection of what we are seeing in our own world today was chilling.
I was not bothered by the body horror elements but recommend going into the book prepared for it. It is central to understanding the world Silas is in.
I really loved the quieter moments of this book, the friendship and love that several of the characters show toward each other. It provides hope when everything seems hopeless otherwise.
I can't stop thinking about this book. The tension, mystery, and horror were all so well written, and Silas' POV pulls you into his world. I also really appreciated the audiobook narration which pulled me into the story.
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Murder, Pregnancy, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Rape, Self harm, Torture, Suicide attempt
Minor: War
Graphic: Child abuse, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Gaslighting, Sexual harassment, Classism
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Genocide, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, 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, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Infertility, Infidelity, Excrement, Cannibalism, Toxic friendship
Minor: Animal cruelty, Biphobia, Genocide, Infertility, Infidelity, Excrement, Acephobia/Arophobia
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Transphobia, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Acephobia/Arophobia, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Please check the CWs lol
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Child death, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Dysphoria
Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Lesbophobia, Abandonment
i saw parts of myself represented that I have never known how to articulate.
i generally don't enjoy horror but at this point I'll read literally anything AJW writes.
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Abortion
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Vomit, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy
Non-Spoiler Review Section:
White's "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" takes on the style of a Victorian Gothic novel from page one, and the elements of horror and fantasy mixed in with medicine (both scientific and "of the time") made this so nuanced and unfolded like a beautiful, dying flower. Our main character, Silas, is both transmasc and autistic, trapped in the expectations and abuse of what he is "supposed to be" and "supposed" to act like. Add in that his violet eyes allow him to open the Veil and speak to the spirits of the dead (even though "women aren't allowed to use their powers"), and the audience truly feels everything, from sensitivity to loneliness to confusion to camaraderie, with him. The horrible men of the Speakers, full of evil and betrayal, and the women of the "reform school" simultaneously fighting to be alive and to be alive in their own way create a world and tension that you can't get enough of. I'm obsessed!
Spoiler Review Section:
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body horror, Deadnaming, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Trafficking, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Rape, Grief, Pregnancy
Minor: Miscarriage
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Murder, Abandonment, Dysphoria