Baby Teeth: A Novel (July 17, 2018) by Zoje Stage
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (July 17, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250170753

Entertainment Weekly writes that Baby Teeth was like “We Need to Talk About Kevin meets Gone Girl meets The Omen....” I’m still a bit haunted by We Need to Talk About Kevin so I hoped that I would like the book.

The story is told in alternating points of view between the mother, Suzette, and the daughter, Hanna. I did not really want to read a seven-year-old’s point of view at first but even this turned out to make the book creepy. At times this narration was a bit too omniscient for my taste but by the end of the story it worked.

Unlike We Need to Talk About Kevin that includes a much longer period of time with the *I’m-glad-he’s-not-my-kid* Kevin, Baby Teeth sticks to a much shorter time period.

What’s creepy: Hanna does not talk. Except, of course, when she conjures a French accent for her first (creepy) sentence to her mother. This very much reminded me of Richard Matheson’s “Drink My Red Blood” with young Jules who “never spoke a word until he was five. Then, one night coming to supper, he sat down at the table and said, ‘Death’.” Hanna’s phrase is not explicitly problematic but I doubt it would sit well with any parent.

I liked that the narration lets us see how Suzette speculates about Hanna’s condition: is her daughter possessed? Is her daughter a psychopath? Is her daughter being molested by her father, whom Hanna adores?

There are specialists, counselors, special schools, and Suzette is more likeable than Eva (see, I keep going back to We Need to Talk About Kevin) but she is whiny.

Dad is in major denial but I doubt you will hate him for it. He is also Swedish, which brings an interesting aspect to the book since some phrases are purely in Swedish with no translation. There is an emphasis on Swedish traditions. Further, there is a witch theme and they celebrate Walpurgisnacht, which surprised and delighted this reader.

In some ways, the book nods more to Paul Tremblay’s A Head Full of Ghosts, which to me is the ultimate compliment because that book was amazing.

I was not too surprised by the ending but I also liked it; and, if you know me, I cannot stand neatly *tied up with a happy bow* endings so be forewarned.

Received from Netgally in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This review is for the first 40% only; I decided to DNF after that. I'll be talking about what I did read, and my general thoughts on it.

This is a bit of a weird one for me. Uncomfortable to read, even. I know that this is an entirely personal thing, since it seems that a lot of people really got into this -- that's cool. Just wasn't for me. I'm still going to write as fairly as I can about it, of course.

First thing's first for me -- the technical side of the writing seemed perfectly fine, for the most part. (I'll go into the most part bit a little more in a minute.) It was readable, comfortably so, and I don't recall hitting any major 'brain stalls' in general, where I would need to reread sections to know what I was seeing. For the most part.

Where I started getting stuck were Hanna's sections -- not because they weren't as decently written, technically, as the rest of the chunk that I read, but because I found it so hard to suspend disbelief for the bulk of her internal monologues. The issue for me was that I just...found it so difficult to believe that a seven-year-old girl would have access to some of the vocabulary and knowledge that she did, even if she does have essentially free internet access from Alex's computer. It contrasted so jarringly with her childishness (her 'innocent' immaturity did feel natural and normal, from what I read, for the most part) that I ended up both struggling and racing to get through her PoVs and back to Suzette's.

I have to point out that I was so excited that it might be a case of Hanna somehow being possessed by the spirit of a witch, causing her acting-out to amp up dangerously, which would cause Suzette some sort of internal struggle of having to choose to save a child that has been so much trouble for her. . .perhaps that's a bit on the dark side, but it would've held my interest like nobody's business. (Especially if a HEA was involved.)

As it was, though. . .this was uncomfortable for me, and not because of the whole 'creepy child' thing. As someone who isn't neurotypical themself, a lot of Hanna's 'weird' actions...didn't seem all that weird to me. It's mind-boggling that, when it was clear she wasn't learning to communicate verbally at the age other children would, Alex and Suzette didn't learn and teach her ASL. Instead, Hanna was subjected to mountains of tests and stresses and knowing full well that her mother wasn't all too keen about this development in her young life, whether she really does love her or not. (Alex, while all but useless for certain parts of her development, at least doesn't try to act like something's wrong with her. He accepts her.) Why on earth didn't they try ASL with her before all of that?

I honestly don't know if it's addressed later on in the book, but it's something I just can't get over. The refusal to accept Hanna at face value and adapt how they communicate with her, instead of trying to force her into doing something she clearly isn't comfortable with. Suzette's inability to see past her own image and desperate need to present as a Perfect Wife & Mother Combo, despite how disastrous it is for both her and her daughter. Alex's aloofness when it comes to Hanna's misbehaviour, choosing to believe what he sees and not what his wife tells him happens when he's not around. The option of Alex staying home and Suzette working never really coming up seriously, to give her time away from the home life that's destroying her.

And I know that so much of that is very much a part of the story, but there's just so many pieces that could so easily slot into place and change the entire path of the story that realistically should've happened...that didn't. Like the ASL thing. Like Suzette simply choosing healthier options of accepting her daughter as she is, rather than trying to change her to fit society's faulty standards. 

For all that, though, the technical side of the writing was quite good, as aforementioned. I'd be keen on reading something that this author writes in the future, and would be more than willing to give her stories another go.

(Also -- that cover! That title! I love them both. They're evocative and totally fit the story.)

This is a book that will keep you guessing about everything. There is merit to being afraid of things you don’t understand. A child who either refuses to talk or is unable to is scary. This is for all readers of thrillers out there who love guessing what is going on I highly recommend this to all boom lovers.

Loved this book. I like how it goes back and forth between what hanna who is cannot speak is thinking to her mother and fathers perspective. You can tell from the beginning something is different with Hanna . Suzette is an interesting character as well. This book really makes you think.... would you be able to love your child no matter what they did , to you or others? Would you still love ypur child if they show no emotion except hatred towards you. Its a hard concept to imagine but in suzette s world its a reality. I really hope there is a sequel so we can find out if the marshes really do help here or if shes beyond help

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Press for the advanced copy.

When I first read the blurb for Baby Teeth, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it! Anyone who knows me, knows I love a great physiological thriller.

Sadly, Baby Teeth didn't really work for me. The writing is good but the story and characters really started to annoyed me at around 50% . I found myself wanting to throw my Kindle across the room with the tit-for-tat between Hannah, Suzette and Alex. Hannah clearly need help with everything she was doing to her mother but the parents made excuses for her actions nonstop. Being a thriller junkie, I've read many disturbing things in books but it didn't work well for me coming from a 7 year old little girl.

Oh my God. As I was reading this book, all I could think was that someone needed to pick this kid up and throw her down a well. Because seriously, what the what??????

Hanna's mom, Suzette, is at her breaking point. She feels like she is going crazy since she quit her job to stay home with her new baby. The only problem is her baby hates her. Has hated her since birth. And now seems to be intent on hurting her.

The added wrinkle is that Hanna doesn't speak. Although she can read and communicate in other ways, she refuses to speak.

Even though Hanna hasn't been successful in any type of school, her Daddy thinks everyone is being too rough on Hanna, because she behaves completely different in front of him. He loves his wife, but he thinks she is becoming a little unhinges (she is).

As Hanna steps up her game, she finally starts to show her father what she is really made of and then things get even more interesting.

It definitely made me think, what do you do if you give birth to a true sociopath? And one that wants to hurt you? You would still feel some love and connection to the child, even though you would be terrified. I don't know what I would do, but it was a truly scary idea.

Current Goodreads Rating 3.82

This would have made a good short story, but I don't think there was enough to justify a full length book. What would have made this so much better would be to cut this story down to half of its length, then continue on for the second half of the book. As it stands, the book ends right when things start getting good. We leave the antagonist in a precarious position and with the hint that there is still much more mayhem ahead. As a reader, I don't want to walk away with this. I also don't want to read a whole second book about this character. So overall, an interesting idea for a novel, but for me the pacing is off.

Zoje Stage’s debut novel Baby Teeth is a disturbingly entertaining look at being a mother to a problem child.

Suzette wants to be a loving mother to her daughter Hanna. She wants nothing more than to have a happy and functional family.

But Hanna has other ideas.

Hanna wants a happy family too, but she doesn’t want Suzette to be part of it. She wants it to be just her and her father, Alex, and Suzette is in the way.

The more Hanna tries to eliminate her mother, the more Suzette feels out of control. Alex doesn’t believe her, he sees Hanna as his little angel and refuses to acknowledge that something is wrong. But as Hanna’s behaviour escalates, Suzette needs to convince him that maybe their home isn’t the best place for Hanna.

So a quick side note before I get into this review: I’m not a big fan of kids. I started reading this all ready to hate Hanna for being a little brat. And that’s definitely how it started out. She flushes Suzette’s diamond earrings down the toilet, she shits on the floor making the babysitter clean it up, and she punches another child in the supermarket. Definitely a little brat.

But then Zoje Stage does something amazing. She makes you feel for Hanna. She writes from Hanna’s perspective and lets us into why Hanna acts the way she does. She wants to be included and doesn’t understand when her parents do things that don’t include her. It’s hard not to feel for her. Hanna doesn’t speak so she can’t explain any of this to her parents.

But then, of course, she does something so sadistic, like tamper with Suzette’s medication, that you go back to thinking she’s a psychopath. She makes it clear that she’s choosing not to speak rather than not being able to. You go back and forth between sympathy and horror at Hanna’s actions and I have to admit there were some parts when I was a little impressed at her ingenuity (don’t judge me).

Suzette is interesting as well. She has some mother-issues of her own and is trying her best to give her child the love she felt her mother didn’t give her. She’s also struggling with her health, which gives the book some extremely uncomfortable scenes where she describes her surgeries and fistulas resulting from them.

You feel for her and it’s impossible not to imagine how difficult her situation is. To have a child that you know loathes you, a husband that doesn’t believe you, and a fear for your life when your daughter’s actions turn dangerous can only be torturous.

I loved Baby Teeth more than I probably should have. I’ve heard a lot of people saying they didn’t enjoy the disturbing nature of Hanna’s behaviour, but it’s what made me want to keep reading. She’s such an interesting character, nothing like any other book I’ve read before. I’ve heard it being likened to We Need to Talk About Kevin, so that’s definitely going on my TBR list.

If you’re a fan of unusual kids, a layered plot, and some visceral imagery then you should definitely give Baby Teeth a read

While I found the writing to be clunky and the plot quite messy, I must commend this book for fixing the problem that I have with every other book of 'bad seed' fiction I have ever read: THE FATHER BELIEVES THE MOTHER OVER THE CHILD.
He's suspicious at first, for sure. But he still believes his wife when she asserts that his daughter isn't so angelic when he looks the other way. Unlike the father in We Need to Talk About Kevin, this father believes the testimony of the nannies, babysitters, teachers and therapists that deal with the 'bad' side of his daughter. He and his wife work as a team to make sure they stay safe and ultimately protect their daughter from her evil impulses.
The book still put the fear of god into me- what on earth would I do with a child who was 'born bad'? I was glad to see the various professionals portrayed as rational adults also- the family received support from teachers and therapists, rather than coming under suspicion. Their little girl wasn't as smart as she thought she was, and I took guilty pleasure in seeing her get her comeuppance after wreaking utter havoc for so many years!
While I found some of her exploits pretty far-fetched- namely her ability to speak accented French after reading a Wikipedia page- I was frightened by her ability to turn emotions on and off and push her luck just as far as her parents would go. I read Lullaby (the killer nanny book!) in the same week as Baby Teeth and felt that they worked well together.

I found this book to be creepy. As a mother myself the thought of a child with psychological issues strong enough to want to harm their mother is downright scary. The family is dysfunctional, the mother stressed and overwhelmed by motherhood as well as trying to figure out her troubled daughter demonstrates appalling behavior. I understand the mother is on the brink, still not an excuse for her barbed words, gestures or approach. The dad is in deep denial, despite the volatile apex, he still can't comprehend his little girl has issues only professionals can help with, fingers crossed Hanna can be rescued and her thoughts and actions halted for good. I asked myself several times why this couple elected to have a child knowing it would alter their relationship dynamic. The couple views Hanna has an infiltrator as opposed to a welcomed edition to the family fold. Parents seemed a bit self absorbed and you can't tell me Hanna with her acute perception didn't pick up on this fact and run with it. Book runs along the lines of parenting albeit with a creepy edge. I am curious to find out what becomes of this wounded family and of Hanna's future. Fast read, your curiosity is piqued by Hanna and what will happen. Narrative reads as both believable and unbelievable.

Fantastic psychological thriller . Hanna loves her Daddy very much,her Mommy is a different story. Hard book to put down, am very impressed with this author. Would love to see a second part to this book! Plan on buying the hardcover when available. Five stars!🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I can easily understand why readers are all over the place on this one. They differ over a syllable. If you like “horror” you might enjoy this story; I’d choose “horrid” instead to describe the principal character, the 1st grader Hannah, who perfectly exemplifies Calvin’s doctrine of “total depravity” and Freud’s “Electra complex” as well. Hannah adores her father Alex and detests her mother Suzette (for whom her suffering from Crones’s disease gives one much sympathy. This is one of those books that makes you happy it’s impossible in real life, though some children perhaps are simply “born bad to the bone.” A real child, however malicious, could not manage the focused concentration necessary to perpetrate such mayhem. The unmitigated evil Hannah exemplified made me skim to the ending, which surprisingly would have been the very 1st solution a Victorian would have devised. Mr Brocklehurst was wrong about Jane Eyre, but he would have been spot on with Hannah. My top choice for most distasteful book so far this year, but ends well.

’m not going to deny that Baby Teeth got its hooks in me fast and never really let go. Alternating between the perspective of a lonely, isolated mother and her increasingly unsettling young daughter, Zoje Stage’s debut novel moves like an absolute rocket, one that will have you constantly saying to yourself, “Well, one more chapter couldn’t hurt.” That alternating chapter structure works like gangbusters, letting us see both the intense, vicious mind of little Hanna and the effects it all has on mom Suzanne, constantly shifting our reads of the situation. We know when Hanna is bluffing, or when she’s every bit as dangerous as Suzanne fears; we also know how Hanna’s actions are exacerbating Suzanne’s fears both as a mother and as a woman trying to figure out how to define herself now that she has a child.

And trust me, this is a nasty little novel in terms of making your sympathies hard to pin down. Do you prefer little Hanna, whose devotion to her father has her wondering if the best plan would be to kill her mother, and who acts out against the world – and other children – in increasingly disturbing, amoral ways? Or do you side with Suzanne, a woman whose sense of self is almost non-existent, driving her to need more and more time to herself and away from her child in an effort to figure out who she is? Sure, that’s a feeling that almost any parent understands – but Suzanne has a way of making it really, really hard to really like her, even as we understand how hard it would be to deal with Hanna.

Really, Hanna is the novel’s best feature, in so many ways; a truly unsettling, focused, amoral creation, Hanna takes a page from The Bad Seed and absolutely runs with it. Even Damien from The Omen might be a little freaked out by Hanna’s icy approach to the world and indifference for anyone who doesn’t understand her, doesn’t let her live as she wants, and isn’t her father. By the time we’re watching Hanna’s chilling interactions with some special needs children, we are all too aware that this isn’t just a case of a child acting out – this is something far more disturbing.

So, yes, Stage does a fantastic job alternating between these two, playing them off of each other in incredible ways, ratcheting up the tension throughout the novel as we see how far the two of them can push each other. It’s twisted, compulsively readable, and gleefully nasty…

…so why did it leave me so unsatisfied by the end?

Part of it comes from the book’s absolute whimper of an ending, which feels not so much as like a great climax so much as a great beginning to a final act that we never see. Stage’s tension all just sort of peters out, ending in a set of scenes that feel pretty unsatisfying on almost any level. (There’s a little bit of interesting subtext to the final chapter, but not enough.) More than that, though, Baby Teeth feels incredibly fun while you’re reading it, but ends up feeling like empty calories when you’re done. Sure, it’s a fun, nasty little story, but is there any “there” to it? It doesn’t feel like it, when you’re done, and it has a way of making the book feel pretty unsatisfying and even a bit irritating in how it squanders all of the tension and momentum it has going.

When Baby Teeth comes out, later this summer, I guarantee that there will be a lot of Gone Girl comparisons made – it’s twisty, dark, twisted, and has a dark humor to it. But trust me when I tell you that it doesn’t compare to Gillian Flynn’s sick masterpiece – not with an ending that leaves you unsatisfied and a general feeling of “there’s nothing here” that begins to sink in as you hit the book’s final chapters.

A final side note: After I finished this review, I ended up reading Leïla Slimani’s The Perfect Nanny, which I feel like is a better version of this book in so many ways, despite the numerous differences; both are books that grapple with the disconnect between parenting and being an individual, particularly for women, and both use the guise of a psychological thriller to get to those issues. That being said, Baby Teeth is a far pulpier novel, if that’s more your speed, while The Perfect Nanny is far more oblique and literary, for lack of a better word, to say nothing of getting to a much darker place in some ways.

What do you do when your own child hates you? What if no one believes you? How do you handle the judgment and fearing for your safety. This book is scary but realistic and will grip you through to the end. I think everyone will walk away with a different attitude toward it but it is a wonderful psychological read.

I love dark and suspenseful, but Zoje Stage pushes those dimensions with this Baby Teeth. I would almost have to say this is on the edge of horror. Either way, it will stay with you long after you have finished reading!

Suzette is homeschooling her seven-year-old daughter Hanna. She is out of options after Hanna is expelled from numerous schools. Her daughter is highly intelligent but has severe behavioral issues and rarely speaks. Her behavior is uneven with most of the volatility directed towards her mother. When her father is around she is well behaved and loving.

Hanna adores her father and doesn't want to share his attention. She devises calculated attacks against her mother which slowly wreak havoc on her health and emotions. This also weighs on Alex since he works long hours and then returns to an unhappy home. Alex never witnesses any extreme behavior and wonders who is really at fault. Suzette is in a constant battle to convince her husband that something is terribly wrong with Hanna. At the same time, she braces herself for Hanna’s newest scheme.

As a reader, I love books with an edge and Baby Teeth hit my sweet spot. The family dynamics were well written and the guilt and anguish felt by the parents came through clearly. I found the book hard to put down and delighted as I squirmed through the building tension. This is a debut novel by Zoje Stage.

A very, very disturbing read, Baby Teeth tells the story of Suzette and her daughter Hanna. They lead a comfortable life in a beautiful house and with no money issues. What could possibly be wrong with their lives? I’ve read many books about domestic abuse, but it’s always in the hands of the husband or an older brother. I had never read about a little girl inflicting the damage, which is the case here. Hanna doesn’t talk at all, not because she can’t but because she doesn’t want to. Suzette, whose own mother was far from exemplary, is doing her best to help and love her daughter, but nothing works. Quite the opposite in fact, Hanna has an irrational dislike for her mother, probably based on a very creepy jealousy over her father’s love and attention. Hanna is also very smart, so poor Suzette starts by being framed as a bad mother, and ends up fearing for her life. The story is told from both, Suzette and Hanna’s points of view, alternating from one chapter to the next. This makes for a fascinating story, since you see what happens from the eyes of a mature woman, and then read about what’s going on in Hanna’s head and how she justifies her actions. I’ve read about many bad kids, some even possessed by the devil, but I had never come across such a bad seed. And yet, when you see things from Hanna’s perspective, they make sense and I felt my loyalty wavering from one character to the other, based on their stories. A very compelling book.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/ St. Martin's Press!

I generally like psychological thrillers but this book was just too.....weird.
There was little character development, and the characters were shallow and not believable.
I felt the author trying harder to be as bizarre as possible than to tell a plausible story about a troubled child.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Hanna is seven years old and the apple of her father's eye. In his mind, she is his perfect little girl, his "lilla gumman". Suzette is Hanna's mother and she does all she can for Hanna, by home schooling her. But Hanna refuses to speak and has gotten kicked out of a few schools for her bad behavior. Is she not speaking because something is wrong or because she chooses not to? After countless doctor's visits, Suzette and Alex are at their wits end to find out what is wrong with their daughter. Hanna does not like her mother and will stop at nothing until it's just her and Daddy.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.


First, I want to say that I enjoyed this book and the story was very interesting. So, I don't know if it was me in a slump or the layout of the ARC, but I didn't find myself wanting to grab this book as soon as I could. Instead I found myself crushing candies and binge watching The Big Bang Theory.

What would you do if you had a non-verbal child who hated you? Her not speaking can not be explained by doctors, therapists or teachers. You know she has sound cause he makes weird noises and hums. But Hanna is determined to get her point across one way or another and that point is, Mommy must go. Her father is blinded by all her bad behavior since Hanna turns into an angel when he is around. When a series of events seriously harms Suzette, Alex can no longer be blinded by his daughter's niceness. Will they be able to get Hanna the help she needs or will Suzette live in fear of her own daughter for the rest of her life?


I really enjoyed this book. I don't think I have read anything quite like this about kids and their relationship with their parents. I'm thankful I don't have a child with behavioral problems, cause this book would have me watching my back all of the time. I think everyone who reads this will be able to sympathize with Suzette. Most mothers always try to do their best for their kids and at times it's seems it's never enough. But trying to survive your kid is a whole other story. I hope you will pick up this book and enjoy it like I did.


I'd like to extend a special thank you to Zoje Stage, for taking a few minutes out of her day to answer a few questions for this review.

WCR: Where is your favorite place to write?
ZS: I am a creature of habit and I always write at my desk - which also doubles as my kitchen table (which is convenient, you know, for snacks).
WCR: What from your life inspired Baby Teeth?
ZS: Many things really: Seeing how my women friends, once they became mothers, were subject to society's harsh judgments about everything they did or didn't do; feeling as a child like I could never make myself understood; and of course, Suzette's chronic illness is based on some of my own experiences.
WCR: What is your favorite book?
ZS: I'm going with a three-way tie because these were all influential at the moment I read them: My Antonia (by Willa Cather); The Dispossessed (by Ursula Le Guin); The Road (by Cormac McCarthy)

Gah!

Absolutely riveting and juicy.

'Baby Teeth' (such a chilling title) is a stunner of a novel, about an uncertain mother and a rapacious child, intent on destroying her matriarch in order to seek the prize: dear old Daddy. Hanna - the daughter - is absolutely, without a doubt, the kind of kid that horror movies have been written about. A silent, perfect angel in the eyes of her father, Hanna is devoid of emotion behind the scenes, scheming to remove her Mom by any means possible. I mean, why won't she just DIE already, amirite?

Suzette, Hanna's long-suffering mom, is desperate for someone - anyone - to believe her when she says this just isn't normal behaviour. Her husband is a moron, believing everything that comes from Hanna's butter-wouldn't-melt-mouth, and it takes some seriously sick actions on the part of his daughter for him to come to terms with the fact that he sired a monster.

'Baby Teeth' portrays Hanna as a little too sophisticated at times in her thinking, but all in all, this is delightfully campy (Suzette glorying in the free-and-clear sex she gets to have once Hanna's out of the picture suggests that perhaps her daughter wasn't too far off the mark after all), frightening and has enough thrills to keep anyone up at night. Recommended!