shardsofstars24 's review for:

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

4.25

challenging dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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Andrew Joseph White's prose stands out yet again as enjoyable to read and unapologetically soaked in queer trans rage. Silas's accounts of his horrible experiences meant there was very little breathing room or relief from trauma in the text. I think this was intentional and well-executed, keeping the reader on edge the way Silas is for the whole story.

So many facets of this story went unexplored, though the premise and socio-political implications made me wish for an entire historical account of The Speaker Society, and resistance to it.

Just like with his other two novels, Andrew Joseph White begins his stories with warnings that you may want to opt out. It is packed with multiple kinds of violence, gore, and death, and shies away from no details. I appreciate that the author took care to research historical accuracies regarding the horrible ways humans have ruined each other.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Transphobia, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy