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ursa_arlo's review
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Positives. I'm a sucker for monster stories and I know it. This might not be a 5 star for everyone but it was for me. I adore the atmosphere of the house in which the Zarrins live and how it contains these subtle hints of the family's history. I love how some of the secrets slowly unfold where others remain unanswered (such as the mystery of Eleanor's grandfather on her grandmère's side). The descriptions of Eleanor's family are deliciously grotesque. If you are expecting an Adams family dynamic you will be sorely disappointed, but I think the toxicity and brokenness of this family made the story more thrilling. It was nauseating in a good way. The Zarrins are broken, stuck in old traditions that they desperately need to burn and they have a hard time dealing with someone like Eleanor who is so very different from the rest of them, and yet unmistakably a Zarrin. I loved it.
Negatives. (Spoilers for the ending.) Eleanor's self-pity was very justified after being treated like an outsider by her own family. But at points, this self-pity spiralled into something more malicious which made me dislike her character a bit. I also don't think Eleanor should have kissed Arthur at the end. Their romance subplot should've been resolved differently. Dating a living corpse who despises your family for keeping alive and who has also had a fling with both of your grandparents, does not sound like a very good idea. I think it would have been more interesting if Eleanor's obsession with him was due to her being a Zarrin, as was the reason behind Rhys' and Luma's obsession with Arthur. Eleanor convincing herself that she is better than Rhys and Luma because her love for Arthur is "different" as she is willing to let him go, would've been a more interesting motivation.
Quote. "The way it blew over was like this: on the day I punched her in the stomach, while she was staring at me in shock and pain, I realized that the only way to escape the trap i was in was to stop existing, to become someone else.
So I turned myself inside out, and that was who I stayed until the day Lucy tripped me on the stairs. On that day I snapped back in midair, although my body stayed the same. There was more than one way to perform my family's trick, the inversion of selves, the different skin."
Negatives. (Spoilers for the ending.)
Quote. "The way it blew over was like this: on the day I punched her in the stomach, while she was staring at me in shock and pain, I realized that the only way to escape the trap i was in was to stop existing, to become someone else.
So I turned myself inside out, and that was who I stayed until the day Lucy tripped me on the stairs. On that day I snapped back in midair, although my body stayed the same. There was more than one way to perform my family's trick, the inversion of selves, the different skin."
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body horror, Abandonment, Bullying, and Death
Minor: Animal death, Gore, Abandonment, Miscarriage, and Death of parent
linnybear's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book is trying so hard to be something it is not and it's very obvious. It's almost like the author had a couple good ideas and tried to tie them together but was helf back by their own writing (which I think is a final proof that having creative writing education doesn't make you a good writer).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Grief, Emotional abuse, Death, Gore, Violence, and Pedophilia
Moderate: Miscarriage
Minor: Homophobia
cehanzen's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-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
4.5
Content Warnings
Minor: Miscarriage
nutm3g's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The best summarization of this book's concept is this, highly dysfunctional Addams Family with a nice helping of generational trauma. I really wanted to love this book, but there was just too much that felt lacking. It seemed as if it would be a build-up to healing old wounds, but even to the end tension in the family remained. It is a bit difficult to explain why this book did not reach its potential without giving away any spoilers. Regardless of all it lacked, the concept behind it was creative and entertaining which is why I have it 3 stars in the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Infertility, Infidelity, Miscarriage, Murder, Outing, Physical abuse, Toxic friendship, and War
stormywolf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-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
4.0
Coming off of two somewhat disappointing werewolf stories, and having a surprise spot opened up for October, I decided to seek out another werewolf story to see if I could satiate my craving for fangs and fur. Enter What Big Teeth which happened to be available in both e-book and audio formats in my library. I remembered this book mainly from its enticing cover, its wolfish reference to Red Riding Hood, and seeing it doing the rounds on Facebook earlier this year, but otherwise had no idea what it was about. So, deciding not to question my luck, I went ahead and sank my teeth into this story.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, despite it not being anything like I was expecting, I really came to love this simultaneously familiar and unique story. There was so much here that made me feel like I wanted to dust off my literary analysis skills from high school/college, from the gothic tone, to the dark themes, deep characters, and possible allegories; I think this could easily be a new literary classic. I tried to be somewhat vague in my review, so as not to spoil anything, since I want other readers to be surprised at all the twists and turns the story takes, especially since the cover, title, and summary don't give nearly enough clues. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys gothic themes, young adult narratives, complex characters and relationships, LGBTQIA+ stories, or just monsters in general. Whether you're looking for a spooky gothic tale to fit the time of year, or are simply wanting something out of the norm, What Big Teeth might be just what you're looking for.
Read my full review at The Wolf's Den
Overall, despite it not being anything like I was expecting, I really came to love this simultaneously familiar and unique story. There was so much here that made me feel like I wanted to dust off my literary analysis skills from high school/college, from the gothic tone, to the dark themes, deep characters, and possible allegories; I think this could easily be a new literary classic. I tried to be somewhat vague in my review, so as not to spoil anything, since I want other readers to be surprised at all the twists and turns the story takes, especially since the cover, title, and summary don't give nearly enough clues. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys gothic themes, young adult narratives, complex characters and relationships, LGBTQIA+ stories, or just monsters in general. Whether you're looking for a spooky gothic tale to fit the time of year, or are simply wanting something out of the norm, What Big Teeth might be just what you're looking for.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Blood, Death, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Infidelity, Slavery, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Murder, Violence, Body horror, Death of parent, Animal death, Bullying, and Child death
Minor: Gore, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Grief, Homophobia, Lesbophobia, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Sexual violence
weeziesbooks's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This is a bizarre little story that could have been great... if not for the unchecked homophobia.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Miscarriage, Murder, Physical abuse, and Violence
utopiastateofmind's review
dark
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75
(Disclaimer: I received this book from Netgalley. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
What Big Teeth was a book that captivated me with its dangerous and simmering atmosphere. It's a world of death and betrayal and the necessity to be strong, because the weak don't have a tendency to survive. From the very beginning, Eleanor threatens to unravel a family history that will test what she will do to protect herself and the family to the brink. What does it mean when we return home? When we have to reconcile why we left. What Big Teeth is populated with characters who have an edge to them. But just because they might be dangerous, does that mean they're a danger to the family?
What Big Teeth explores our ideas of loyalty, family, and control. It's hard to trust anyone in the book because even the reader can sense in their gut that no one is who they seem. That there are secrets lurking around corners, beneath the ground, and in the air. Sometimes we don't want to question what we cannot believe is true. But other times the only way we will ever find closure, peace, or our future is to probe those sore spots. The theme that I enjoyed the most in What Big Teeth is the intersection between love and control.
What Big Teeth was a book that captivated me with its dangerous and simmering atmosphere. It's a world of death and betrayal and the necessity to be strong, because the weak don't have a tendency to survive. From the very beginning, Eleanor threatens to unravel a family history that will test what she will do to protect herself and the family to the brink. What does it mean when we return home? When we have to reconcile why we left. What Big Teeth is populated with characters who have an edge to them. But just because they might be dangerous, does that mean they're a danger to the family?
What Big Teeth explores our ideas of loyalty, family, and control. It's hard to trust anyone in the book because even the reader can sense in their gut that no one is who they seem. That there are secrets lurking around corners, beneath the ground, and in the air. Sometimes we don't want to question what we cannot believe is true. But other times the only way we will ever find closure, peace, or our future is to probe those sore spots. The theme that I enjoyed the most in What Big Teeth is the intersection between love and control.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Miscarriage and Homophobia
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