The Spirit Bares Its Teeth
Books | Young Adult Fiction / Fantasy / Historical
4.5
Andrew Joseph White
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!A Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult Literature!A blood-soaked and nauseating triumph that cuts like a scalpel and reads like your darkest nightmare.New York Times bestselling author Andrew Joseph White returns with the transgressive gothic horror of our time!Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old trans, autistic Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife.After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium. When the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its guts to the world—so long as the school doesn’t break him first.Featuring an autistic trans protagonist in a historical setting, Andrew Joseph White’s much-anticipated sophomore novel does not back down from exposing the violence of the patriarchy and the harm inflicted on trans youth who are forced into conformity.A Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult LiteratureA Chicago Public Library 'Best of the Best' BookA Locus Award FinalistA Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the YearA BCCB Blue Ribbon Book!A Booklist Editors’ ChoiceA Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year!A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
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More Details:
Author
Andrew Joseph White
Pages
400
Publisher
Holiday House
Published Date
2023-09-05
ISBN
1682636119 9781682636114
Community ReviewsSee all
"Wow.. It's been a while since I've read something that affected me so strongly. This book is set in the Victorian era so has graphic medical experimentation to try to "fix" people with female genitalia who don't act the way society wants (ie: feminism, lesbianism, not wanting to marry, being trans, etc). It's very raw and obviously a fantasy but sad to know the idea came from things that happened to minorities and women throughout this time period."
Meagan Khatthaname
"The setting of Victorian England mixed with the supernatural really brought this story to life, especially with the haunted all-girls school. The atmospheric writing added to the mood. There are some heavy topics that upset me, but unlike other books, I could handle them because the plot and characters were so engaging. I especially loved the trans and neurodivergent representation—Silas was smart, kind-hearted, and misunderstood by society. The plot twist was satisfying, even though I saw it coming. I highly recommend this book if you’re okay with tough topics!"
Z G
Zariah Grant
"I love this book. At the beginning, the author gives a hauntingly brutal note to the reader with trigger warnings. I knew some would give me issues, but I was determined as I like the author's writing. This book was a constant onslaught of anxiety with its constant abuse and brutality towards women and children. It may take place in the 1800s and have roots in actual medical malpractice, but the way it parallels today is still frightening. Despite that, the author wrote a brilliant and hopeful story full of love and care, which is a great contrast to all the body horror and gore. I was horrified and captivated at every stage of this book, and 100% recommend it."
Cheyanne
"I loved a good horror novel, and this is another fantastic queer horror novel from Andrew Joseph White, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. "
Nikki
"Quite literally the most seen I’ve felt from a book considering how supernatural it can be"
Green
"Literally one of the best books I've ever read. The last few pages were iffy for me but other than that it was amazing. the writing style is so beautiful I screamed many times reading it lol"
Marrz
"This book was made for people like me; those who aspire to be something against the worlds wishes. It at many points made my jaw drop and audibly say “oh god”. The best queer and autistic rep I’ve seen in fiction (though i might be a tad biased) An absolute dreadful delight to read. "
Charlie
"Love this book. It’s seriously underrated and an incredible read!"
Ghost_Pony
"Once again Andrew Joseph White delivers one of the best books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. His characters are always so well-written, and the plot so compelling that I read the entire book in two sittings."
Brianna Smith
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