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A review by percys_panda_pillow_pet
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A big thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree Books for the chance to read this ARC!
Oh my gosh, I love this book! Loved, loved, loved! It's been a while since I've felt this strongly about a book and I am so so happy it's this book. Andrew Joseph White has done it again, and this one is even better than Hell Followed With Us, in my opinion.
I loved Silas as a character and very much related to the rabbit in his brain that tells him how to act, how to interpret others' actions, etc. The second-guessing of all the social expectations and situations was on point. The characterization of Silas as Autistic was so perfect for me, and it fits well into the story without taking too much away from other major conflicts and plot points.
George's character was so well done, I was gut-punched by what happened in the end. The solution to the mystery of Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium was so much worse than anything I could've expected and I really felt for the girls and women stuck at the school the entire time. And while I suspected something was wrong, the twist with Silas's engagement left me shocked and enraged. This book is the first one in a while that has truly inspired some deep-seated hatred of the villains in the story. To that end, White did a fantastic job eliciting that response in his readers.
I think my only wish was that we could've seen more of Daphne's character and home life. I really enjoyed her and Silas' interactions, but they were always marred by the looming threat of the school. It's not that the book isn't perfect, it's that I need MORE, ok? Haha, I'm sure many book nerds can understand my plight.
Finally, I just want to say that when I read the acknowledgments and saw that White had been working on The Spirit Bares Its Teeth for a while, during which he published Hell Followed With Us, I could tell because so much work was put into this book. I can feel the blood, sweat, and tears that went into making this book as good as it is and I am so appreciative. White is officially a favorite author of mine, I will extoll his works to anyone who will listen and I will buy every book he comes out with. I just heard that a new book for 2024 was announced called Compound Fractures and I'm super excited!
Oh my gosh, I love this book! Loved, loved, loved! It's been a while since I've felt this strongly about a book and I am so so happy it's this book. Andrew Joseph White has done it again, and this one is even better than Hell Followed With Us, in my opinion.
I loved Silas as a character and very much related to the rabbit in his brain that tells him how to act, how to interpret others' actions, etc. The second-guessing of all the social expectations and situations was on point. The characterization of Silas as Autistic was so perfect for me, and it fits well into the story without taking too much away from other major conflicts and plot points.
George's character was so well done, I was gut-punched by what happened in the end. The solution to the mystery of Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium was so much worse than anything I could've expected and I really felt for the girls and women stuck at the school the entire time. And while I suspected something was wrong, the twist with Silas's engagement left me shocked and enraged. This book is the first one in a while that has truly inspired some deep-seated hatred of the villains in the story. To that end, White did a fantastic job eliciting that response in his readers.
I think my only wish was that we could've seen more of Daphne's character and home life. I really enjoyed her and Silas' interactions, but they were always marred by the looming threat of the school. It's not that the book isn't perfect, it's that I need MORE, ok? Haha, I'm sure many book nerds can understand my plight.
Finally, I just want to say that when I read the acknowledgments and saw that White had been working on The Spirit Bares Its Teeth for a while, during which he published Hell Followed With Us, I could tell because so much work was put into this book. I can feel the blood, sweat, and tears that went into making this book as good as it is and I am so appreciative. White is officially a favorite author of mine, I will extoll his works to anyone who will listen and I will buy every book he comes out with. I just heard that a new book for 2024 was announced called Compound Fractures and I'm super excited!