A review by clairew518
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-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

5.0

Positives: Every part of this book was brilliantly conceived and executed. It doesn't shy away from darkness or visceral detail, which brings so much both to the development of Silas and to the issues of marginalisation it covers. It was impossible to put this down and resonated emotionally.

Negatives: Almost nothing. I would have liked to see more at the end as the epilogue wrapped up very quickly. At times the violence and gore was a bit hard to get through, but this didn't feel gratuitous and served the story well overall.

Plot: There isn't much to this as it is largely a character driven story. The plot that is there is simple but powerful, based largely around the mystery of what is happening at the institution. The slow development of this did so much to build dread, and while the reveal was a slow realisation more than a big twist, the discovery of
the cellar was so deeply poignant. I especially thought the reveal of George's involvement, as it was shocking but made so much sense in light of his actions to date. The rage in the destruction of the school and murder of Daphne's father was incredibly satisfying and cathartic after the horror of what had happened.


Characters: I loved Silas so much. His journey to gaining the power to fight back and overcoming the fear he lives with in the form of the bunny is incredibly well executed. The author is very skilled at driving home the emotion and tragedy in what he and the others at this institution are dealing with.

The other girls at the school were all great. I loved seeing the way they had all reacted to the situation they were in, and the various ways they tried to cope.
Isabella is so tragic but her refusal to take the easy route out of the school despite the consequences is so powerful. Mary's anger and willingness to fight was so interesting to read.


Setting/World building: The author very skillfully combines the realities of Victorian society - including it's asylums, medical experimentation, misogyny, and rigid social structure - with the creepy ghostly world he has invented. The ghosts segments were a fantastic addition to bring the supernatural elements to the forefront. I love the way that the horror permeates the world at large through the structure of the Society not just the institution.

Writing: This is visceral, horrifying and gory. The author doesn't shy away from fully describing everything that is going on to drive home the points he is making. The first person perspective really conveys everything that Silas is going through and conveys his perspective (including his neurodivergence) very well.
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