Once I started reading this book, I could not put it down. I thought I was going to read a few chapters before bed but ended up reading it all in one sitting (and staying up way too late).

This book deals with some extremely dark themes and does not hold back its punches.

The characterization is extremely well-done. The main character, Silas’, is extremely compelling and relatable. His pain, self-loathing, confusion, and anger radiate through every page. His older brother, George, is perhaps the most interesting character in the entire book. He is the “nice” side of medical eugenics. He is a “true believer” in the accepted medical theories of the time and the required “treatment” for Veil sickness. He genuinely thinks that he is helping Silas. But his complicity and later active participation in the horrors of Braxton’s show how kind words and gentle touches amount to nothing in the face of a system that demands violence to maintain. The other “villains” of the book are equally ambiguous on whether they actually believe what they are saying, if they truly think that their cruelty is for their “patients” benefit. Because it doesn’t matter if they are cynics or dupes, the pain that they inflict is real either way.

Thank you NetGalley and Peachtree Teen for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was a genuinely (grotesquely) beautiful book.

Isabella is my favorite I think, my poor girl, but I also loved Silas and Daphne, and by the end I started liking Mary more. There were many times during reading this that my face was ‘😟🫨’ , but in a good (bad) way ofc ofc. Especially at the end omg. Too good.

It’s not often that I’m truly satisfied with the ending of a book, but I really liked this one. It was tied up nicely, and I blame that primarily on the fact Ajw is a chronic standalone author. He KNOWS how it’s done. As he should.

The setup slightly reminded me of House of Hunger, which I also loved, so that was great. I really liked the atmosphere and the magic. I loved that it was tied to eye color, especially lavender of all colors.

Mary and Frances’s story was truly tragic, and it did make me understand Mary more, and why she was so spiteful. Girlie was angry and traumatized and I don’t blame her (though she could’ve treated people better…🏃‍♀️).

It’s hard to compare this to Hell Followed With Us because they’re very different, but I think I may like this one even more. I love watching groups of people who don’t necessarily like each other work together for survival (which both books have btw). And I loved the plot as well; the mystery *chefs kiss*.

All of the men in this book, besides Silas, can burn in hell for their sins my GOD.


Thank you netgalley for providing this arc :)

The Spirit Bears It’s Teeth is a triumph. After reading Hell Followed With Us, an incredible book that ticked every box for me, I just knew I had to get my hands The Spirit Bears It’s Teeth. So when I got ahold of an ARC, I absolutely devoured it. The Spirit Bears It’s Teeth is a gorgeous story about a young autistic trans man named Silas. His story is told with metaphors of medical horror while also perfectly capturing the horror of growing into yourself in a world that wants nothing to do with you. This book is one of the best I’ve read and I can’t wait to see what Andrew Joseph White does next.

The Spirit Bares It's Teeth is an incredibly visceral, tense and gratifying experience all rolled into one. I could not put this book down once I fully became immersed in it within the first couple of chapters.

As someone who is queer, non-binary and neurodivergent it felt so affirming to read from the perspective of a character I related to so much. The narrative voice given to Silas is so strong and unique that I felt like I knew him intimately by the end and was rooting for him when he found his inner strength to fight back.

The unravelling mystery, the setting and the world built here is so interesting, especially the way the Speaker society fits so well into what we already know about Victorian Society as a whole. It felt so natural almost to the point I believed this may have been a forgotten part of history.

As someone who also has an interest in macabre hobbies, Silas's discussion on surgery and the human body were fascinating to me. His passion for what he loved was so well woven into the story and was another thing I found myself relating to, being that I always also have to relate many things back to my particular interests.

The discussions of societies expectations and exploitation of women, the prejudice LGBT+ people face and how anyone who is different is ostracized still ring so true today and I found myself tearing up in places at the unfair treatment of the characters as it felt still so close to home.

In summation The Spirit Bares Its Teeth was an experience that harrowed me but also grabbed me tightly by the hand and did not let go until I finished it. I have already pre-ordered the book for it's offical publication and cannot wait to read it again when it comes out.

I have not read Whites debut novel, Hell Followed With Us, but as I await publication for this book I am for sure going to be checking it out.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

Doesn't it happen to you that you find a book and you know you're going to like it? That happened to me with this one, which from the cover and the synopsis was clear to me that it was exactly my style. I was not wrong, the cover art is beautiful and the story is captivating from the moment you start reading.
The edition includes completely black pages that help create a mysterious atmosphere. The narrative is quite peculiar, it is atmospheric, captivating and also very graphic in terms of the medical procedures that are carried out within its pages.
I especially enjoyed the writing, because the type of story they are telling us works very well: a trans boy in a society that doesn't even know this concept, an autistic boy who knows he is different, but due to the limitations of the time the only What he does is question his sanity.
Medical terror is very well posed, because it transports us to a reality that existed and surely continues to exist in other contexts. Independent of the fantastic elements, more typical of terror, the book scares because of the piece of reality that it exposes to the reader.
I haven't read this kind of book in a long time and I wanted to look for more similar titles, so I will probably dive into the depths of my kindle some soon.
Remember to look for the trigger warnings and read them carefully for a safer experience, believe me when I say that the list is long.

this is the 35th book i’ve read this year and there’s no doubt in my mind that it’ll be the one that stays with me for the longest.

‘the spirit bears it’s teeth’ is a brutal gothic horror that does not shy away from any heart-wrenching topics. from reading, you know that the book is well thought-out and researched and knows exactly what it wants to be and where it wants to go. detailed and vivid imagery is created from the main character’s, silas, medical knowledge and his want to become a surgeon. it’s an interesting way to create a clear picture of the events happening in the story.

thank you to netgalley for the arc. i definitely recommend this book, but should note to check trigger warnings first — there are some at the beginning of the book.

Thank you to White and Netgalley for allowing me to read this hauntingly visceral novel in exchange for my honest opinion !
Where do I even begin , not only is this novel beautifully written with so much love and care about the delicate topics it discuses but you can feel the authors immense passion for what they do. It this a very gritty and dark novel in which our main female's character wishes to male in a society reminiscent of old England of sorts. They bare the purple eyes , a dying phenomena that allows those who bare them the ability to see ripples in the world that when tore open access the spirt realm.

During an event in which our lead plans what they think is a way to escape an arrange marriage, they find themselves thrust into a mental hospital for agitated women.
This novel is truly something i have never read before and comes with an authors note in the beginning that warns of the gruesome contents inside, please read that careful and think of the trigger warning before starting this novel

4.75/5

Thank you so much PeachtreeTeen for providing me with an early copy of this book! All opinions are my own.

Wow. The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is sure to be in the top 3 books I’ve read this year. This book is a queer historical fantasy horror following Silas, an autistic trans guy who’s trying to escape an arranged marriage and live freely as himself. However, he is caught and shipped to a facility that treats the “veil sickness” in girls and molds them into modal wives. When the girls start to disappear, Silas intends to find out what’s going on.

This book is by no account an easy read. It is most definitely a horror, though not necessarily in a traditional sense. There are hauntings and other things linked to the veil between the living and the dead, but the real horror comes from people and what they would do for power. TSBIT portrays the horrible things done to women, queer, and neurodivergent people, and the author does not shy away from the topics of sexual assault, miscarriage, violence, physical and verbal abuse. There are also elements of body horror, transphobia, homophobia, etc, so please check the trigger warnings before reading.

I loved the writing, and flew through this book really quickly. It’s been a while since I’ve been this invested into a story. The pacing was done really well, keeping the story dynamic while not being very fast. The occasional pages from the perspective of the missing girls added a lot to the story and mystery as well.

I loved the characters, and their development. They are all flawed, and so so real. My heart was aching while reading about some of them, and it felt like I was living through the events of the story along with Silas.

The only thing I didn’t like as much in the book was the romance, as it felt like it happened way too quickly. However, I understand the decision behind it, as it makes sense in the context of the book.

I absolutely loved Andrew Joseph White’s debut Hell Followed With Us, and if you did too, chances are, you’ll like this one as well. Regardless, I would definitely recommend this book, as long as you check the TWs.

Vivid, visceral historical fantasy that will make you feel so much for the protagonist. I have never come across a book that made me feel physically queasy before. This book did. The monstrosities done in the name of advancing psychology and medicine, and exercising power over the "weak" haunts those pages. What was enacted on the "outcasts" historically and in those pages is true horror.
This read like a re-interpretation of Blue Beard. You don't have to know the tale, but if you do, you'll see what I mean.
The book talked to me on so many levels. And I think it will talk to many people, anyone that is misunderstood, that don't quite fit the social rules/structure/images. And of course the autism rep, the frustration, the misunderstanding, the anger, it is so very well done, so true despite being speculative, and so strong.
I hadn't realised this was written by the same author as "Hell Followed with Us" when I picked up the book, but there are many common themes. I loved that first book by the author, but I can understand that it was unpalatable to some, it is one of the angriest books I have ever read, just overflowing with rage. This one can see beyond the anger and is so much stronger for it. Still, this is not a book to put into every hand, the body horror is disturbing, many scenes are daunting, but this is a punch of a work.

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC!

where can I start? this book is MAGNIFICENT. it is also super super gross. very descriptive body horror. BUT if you know that going into it you’re fine. the main character is trans and autistic. this is my second historical book with a trans MC (the other being a lady for a duke by alexis hall quicunquevult – VERY different premises), and it is very well written and very interesting to read about. as a cis woman, i love reading stories about trans people, as it’s not my experience.

final thoughts – andrew joseph white is an incredibly talented author. so excited to see what he writes next!

This is book is amazedly written. The way the author writes the characters in such an amazing way that even if you don't agree with their actions, you can understand the impulse behind, the sheer fear and desperation that leads a person to do whatever it takes to survive, to live. That was what I loved the most about this book that no matter what I felt about some of the characters actions or their behavior toward the other girls, I understood it, I could see myself behaving in a similar fashion if I found myself in their shoes.
I fell in love with Silas, even if I really could not understand his experience and his pain, there were parts of his character that I found that I could relate to. And I was so happy that despite the absolute awful way they met, that Silas and Daphne were able to find and love one another.

10000/10. Would recommend to others. Absolutely loved this book.

"I want to lay out my dissected body next to his and show him the pieces of us that are the same. Could he tell his arteries from mine, the folds of my brain from his own? If I excised both our eyes and laid them out on a microscope, would there be a difference?"

I was super thrilled when I was approved for this ARC! I got an ARC of the authors first book as well, and it was amazing! It's been almost a day since I finished the book, but I'm still not sure how to express myself, or what to write. IT WAS JUST SO GOOD!! I am in no way in the same position as the main character, but at the same time I felt seen by this book. The observations on identity and neurodivergence were amazing, and the writing all in all was just as viscerally beautiful as Hell Followed With Us. I loved Silas and Daphne and Mary and Isabella, and I ate up every word. I suck at writing reviews for things I love because my thoughts get all excited and jumbled up and it stops making sense. TLDR: I LOVED THIS

My only critique is about some of the side characters. Some of them felt like they were obviously less thought out than others, which is fine if they're not very important, but towards the end I still had no idea who Charlotte and Louise were. I knew one of them had red hair and the other had glasses, and maybe one of them used to be a feminist and one of them was a coward while the other was a "perfect wife", but I didn't really know which characteristics fit which character. I know it was mentioned once, but then not really again so I couldn't keep it straight in my head. I was also sad we didn't see more of the Groundskeeper. I felt like it was a really big deal to Silas to meet him, but sometimes it felt like he was forgotten, and we don't really know what his fate was in the end. I just wanted to know more about him.
These were all minor things though, and it didn't impact my enjoyment

saying this in the most positive way possible: this book made me feel sick to my stomach. not just bc of the medical gore but mostly bc of the other horrifying things going on in the book. its certainly not an easy read but a powerful one - the uncomfortable parts fit very well into the story and its message. and the representation was great in the way that it really made experiences far from what i personally know feel palpable and i still found bits and pieces of the book relatable in a way.

my minor letdowns are that the romance was insta love and i will always be an insta love hater but it was still very sweet and a little ray of light in the dark atmosphere of the book. i also did have some issues getting thru the book at parts, cant even put my finger on why. i was pulled in at the beginning but then somewhere in the middle i kinda lost interest until i reached the second half of the book and the pages were suddenly flying by. so definitely think the second half is the stronger half.

definitely left a lasting impression on me and, even tho i very much advise looking up the cws, i can recommend it to anyone interested in gothic horror and queer historical fiction

thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc! :)

I absolutely devoured this book. I am an avid horror reader, and the absolute most horrifying part of this book was the treatment of the characters. I did enjoy the detailed medical/body horror. It was very well done without being too overwhelming. I think thja book does a great job with representation. It can span the gap from teens to adults very easily. I plan to get my hands on a few physical copies once released so I can encourage my students to read it. Having a relatively happy ending was a nice touch.

I would like to thank NetGalley for this ARC because this was SO DAMN GOOD.

This novel gives just a bit of tidbit of what happened in late-Victorian era with girls, neurodivergent people, trans people, anybody who was not a rich man and didnt do what a rich man wanted it to do, with an amazingly diverse cast.

I just find it incredible how White writes about the human body and its full glory of horror. Gore was a strong suit in the authors debut work as well, but now it rises to an unexpectedly high level thanks to the surgeon protagonist. I never thought I'll ever see an on-page C-section and being less mortified by it than a character taking off his shoes.

The roller coaster of emotions throughout the novel was also entertaining, just when I thought Silas has a little bit of control, a wave of despair sweeps away everything, but then hope and friendhsip arises, just to be crushed over by betrayal, just like watching an ancient greek tragedy, keeping me on the edge. The main theme this time was more focused on the mysogyny, ableism and classism, but still embodied what Write is most passionate about: queer, especially trans rage.

I loved it to pieces! I think I have a new auto-buy author.

Wow. This book was PHENOMENAL. I don't think I have ever really read anything quite like it so it is challenging to find other books to compare it to. It definitely falls within the historical horror genre, and has supernatural, Victorian vibes. I do recommend checking the trigger warnings, as there are some elements that some readers may find disturbing.

While this story did start off a little slow for me, I trusted the other reviewers and stuck with it-and I am so glad I did! The main character, Silas, is trans and autistic and I found myself constantly rooting for Silas throughout this entire journey as he navigates the oppressive society of 1883 London as he is pushed toward conformity.

Do yourself a favor, and read this book. If you like dark, spooky, supernatural, Victorian vibes-this book is for you.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The author's writing felt like poetry. The characters felt so raw, honest, and brutally real. It allowed me to have shifting opinions about them-my love for certain characters and how strong I hated others.

Saying that please check tws and take care of yourself.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Absolutely loved this book. The set up and story telling was amazing. I love horror and this was definitely one of my favorites I’ve read recently. Definitely would make sure you are reading trigger warnings otherwise I had no complaints about this book!

The Spirit Bares its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White follows Silas, an autistic trans boy, who has been sent to a finishing school for girls after he is found wearing men's clothing and attempts to join a patriarchal medium society to escape his fate of becoming a wife at 16. At the finishing school, he discovers a dark secret: the school is haunted by the ghosts of former students who died under mysterious circumstances.

One of the things I like the most about this book is the way that White set up the worldbuilding for the novel. It gave the book an engaging gothic atmosphere that supported the natural horror of the oppressive society that Silas lives in. Another aspect that I loved was Silas himself and his first-person narration. He is a complex and sympathetic character who makes the book incredibly intimate because the reader learns so much of how he has been harmed by the patriarchal, ableist, and transphobic society created by the worldbuilding. A third element that I found fascinating was the sections of the book with all-black pages where you can see what the ghosts of the finishing school are thinking and how much their voices are contrasting with Silas’ through White’s use of syntax and punctuation. These sections add a layer of mystery and horror to the story by inviting the reader to learn more about the school before Silas. This book also makes a lot of critical commentary on how trans men have been harmed by patriarchy through the gothic horror genre and shows the solidarity that can be found in both cis and trans women.

I had no noteworthy criticisms of this book. However, I would like to note that this book deals with quite a few heavy topics. Trigger warnings that are most commonly associated with gothic horror should be expected, and there are others listed in the author’s note at the beginning of the book.

Overall, this is a very unique YA horror novel that combines a compelling plot, a relatable protagonist, a chilling setting, and a powerful message. If you were excited about Andrew Joseph White’s sophomore novel, you were 1000% right to be. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gothic horror with a twist and have given it 5 stars.

Huge thanks to Netgalley for so kindly providing me this ARC in exchange for a review, and for giving me such a special opportunity to review one of the man, the myth, the legend AJW's books in advance!

Not to beat a dead horse and be like everyone else who mentions Hell Followed With Us, but I think it's par for the course when an author releases a second book. We have this natural need to know if a first incredible book is truly the author's talent and hard work, or if it's some lucky break.

Hell Followed With Us has remained my favorite book of all time since I read it shortly after release. The only thing that kept me from enthusiastically mentioning AJW as my favorite author was, well, the fact that he had only released one book. Hell Followed With Us, my book soulmate, the story I mourned never being able to experience again, pales in comparison to The Spirit Bares its Teeth. Of course, both are huge five star reviews, but when it was mentioned that this book was being worked on for much longer than HFWU, it all made sense. Is it really an AJW book if I don't read at least half of it in one sitting? Heck, if the PDF format hadn't forced me to read the whole book on my phone and stop for the night when my eyes burned, it would've been even more.

The blood, sweat and tears put into this book ooze off the page like the bodily fluids it so disgustingly and wonderfully loves to mention. This is the most frightening book I have ever read, and it is not for a second too ridiculous to be believed or too far-fetched to imagine in a dystopian future, despite the novel being set in the past. It digs to the root of unforgivable, timeless human evil. There's really not much more I can say while adhering to my standard of spoiler-free reviews, so I'll leave you with this; if you're a fast reader and like ebooks, you should run to Netgalley and request this book. If not, I hope to see you in September so I can see what you all think.