I love AJW I read Hell Followed With Us and from then on I was obsessed with his work. Every detail from the cover to the dedication to the story was immaculate. He’s gory and horrifying and on just the right side of wrong. I have never re read a book so quickly in my life - I will recommend this to anyone forever.

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is the first book of White's that I have read and I'll say I was pleasantly surprised. This book took me a little while to get into but once I understood to world and characters I couldn't put the book down. All of the characters felt realistic and I could find some way to relate to all of them.
I will definitely be reading any book White releases.

As always thank you to publishers and Netgalley for a free arc in exchange for an honest review.

The spirit bares its teeth is easily one of my most well written and loved books of the year. This book made me feel joy and feel pain to a point where it's an art form. I genuinely can't put into words just how much I adore this book and the complexities of the characters in it. The amount of care and beauty that is put into conveying such necessary and hard to read material is something I've never seen before.

Absolutely scrimp. Really good book. Read in one sitting. Would read again. I need more from this author

This is easily one of the best books of 2023. Andrew Joseph White has been such a break-out author since the beginning: intriguing covers, stellar writing, relatable characters, messed up books. I love a good historical, though I'm not always into fantasy. This book blends genres perfectly, though, paving the way for a real weird time.
As usual, the characters and story are just right for me in this one. It's a great companion to Hell Followed With Us despite being different genres. I would sell Daphne my soul, in specific. Of course there's some body horror, so if you're not a fan absolutely check trigger warnings.

I would like to express my gratitude for the Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of this book, generously provided by the publisher through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

"The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" by Andrew Joseph White immerses readers in a haunting world where the Veil between the living and dead has thinned, set against the backdrop of London in 1883. Sixteen-year-old trans and autistic protagonist, Silas Bell, confronts the oppressive Royal Speaker Society and its attempts to force him into an obedient Speaker wife role.

After a failed escape from an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with the mysterious Veil sickness, leading to his confinement in Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium. As ghosts of missing students appeal for his help, Silas resolves to expose the dark secrets within Braxton's walls, even if it means facing the threat of the school breaking him.

Andrew Joseph White's sophomore novel features a unique blend of historical setting, paranormal elements, and a courageous protagonist challenging societal norms. With a focus on a trans, autistic lead character, the narrative fearlessly tackles the violence of the patriarchy and the struggles faced by trans youth forced into conformity. "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" promises a gripping and socially relevant exploration, earning it recognition as a Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult Literature.

This book was a very emotional ride, it was great to see trans rep from a trans pov and I loved how it wasn’t a book that glossed over problems and felt very raw. Silas is such a well rounded character and it felt great to see a character that was flawed but continued to push on and continued to work on himself and didn’t pretend to be ok.

Andrew Joseph White? With a historical gothic horror? Sold.

Scary and important and horrific and everything I've come to expect from this author.
So highly recommend to any horror fans looking for something that will keep you up reading, because you can't sleep without knowing what happens next!

The most horrified, sad, happy, and seen I have ever been reading a book. Autistic. Trans. Horror. 1 of a kind greatness!

The Spirit Bares its Teeth is a YA historical horror book about trans and autistic Silas who wants to be a doctor, despite his family's expectation that he be a proper, marriageable lady (and good magical breeding stock). He's sent to a creepy finishing school for, basically, unruly girls. This was, hands down, the scariest book I read in 2023, but also one of my favorites. The imagery is so vivid, and the ending is satisfying. Can't wait to read the next thing Andrew Joseph White writes!

Full disclosure, I went into this book nearly blind. I’d read White’s Hell Followed With Us before and loved it, so I was excited to pick this up regardless, but I didn’t so much as glance at the actual book description before diving in. All I knew was what I had gleaned through following White on social media: that it would be set during the Victorian era, that the romantic relationship in this book would be between the trans boy protagonist and a trans girl, and that there would be an on-page graphically described caesarean section at some point. That was it. The fact that there were ghosts in this thing came as a surprise. I wouldn’t necessarily say that this is a book is an experience that’s improved by going in blind, that’s just the approach I happened to take, and it absolutely worked for me.

You might think that, because there are ghosts in this book, the ghosts are the source of the horror. They’re not. The source of the horror is the examination of misogyny and ableism and the violence inherent to both and how they intertwine.

Silas isn’t a girl, but as a trans boy living in Victorian England he’s perceived as being one, and thus is subject to the same misogyny and violence that cis women and girls are subjected to. Not being a girl doesn’t make misogyny not apply to him, or make it less important, or make it less damaging or violent, and this being explored was something I really liked about this book. Another thing I liked was the nuance given to the discussion of cis women and girls who accept the misogynistic society in which they live or who even do things to perpetuate the violence that ultimately hurts them too. Yes, it’s difficult to blame people for having never known any different, for having been broken down after a lifetime of abuse, or who are doing what they feel they have to do in order to survive even if it’s at the cost of everyone else around them. Yes, these people have the potential be just as dangerous as the ones who are truly calling the shots. No, despite what they might think they’re doing, they aren’t saving themselves at all. They’re just helping to make it worse.

The romantic relationship between Silas and Daphne was lovely!! Even before they started to fall for each other in earnest, they felt safe with each other, which is just so true. Any marginalised person knows that finding someone like yourself in an environment that’s otherwise determined to force you to conform can feel like a life raft, and that’s what Silas and Daphne are for each other. A life raft. Someone who they know for sure they can trust.

The on-page graphically described caesarean was excellently done. It’s also not the only source of body horror within this book, which is absolutely not gonna be for everyone, but I personally enjoyed it a lot!

If you like horror, scathing examinations of misogyny and ableism, and you want some of that with a trans and autistic main character, then you should 100% pick this one up. Just be wary if you’re squeamish.

The gothic horror novel IVE BEEN WAITING FOR! A perfect follow up to Andrew Joseph White's first novel, Hell Followed With Us(Also fantastic). Simply DIVINE.

Thank you NetGalley for “The Spirit Bares It’s Teeth” by Andrew Joseph White in exchange for an honest review. This is a novel that I went in blind, and I’m glad I did. I had no idea what to expect and I absolutely loved it. I cannot wait to read this over and over because it is truly brilliant. I recommend this to any horror lovers. Its anger is so visible and it was so vividly atmospheric. It’s gothic, it’s fantasy, it’s historical, and young adult. I wish I could scream to everyone to read this as soon as they can! I hope to own a physical edition one day.

Read the first couple chapters and immediately pre-ordered. The subject matter is definitely heavy, but handled beautifully. Highly recommend.

This was one of the best reads of the year. I'd heard of "Hell Followed with Us" before and it always had amazing reviews, so when I saw that the author was coming out with a new book I couldn't resist requesting it. And the book did not disappoint. I won't say too much cause I think it's best if you go into this blind but if you are looking for a queer horror, this is the book for you.

i wasn't certain if i would enjoy this, knowing that many people had said its terror is evident in the expertly choreographed gore. yet there’s something fundamentally comforting about some sort of acceptance and bloodred hope. to know that humanity can endure this scars in all of its manifestations—heart-stopping fury, paralysing fear, mysterious love, etc. andrew joseph white is a gifted writer with fluid prose and insightful observations. highly recommend.

thank you to netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

After devouring White's previous novel "Hell Followed With Us", I had high expectations for this new title. I can confidently say my high expectations were met. Not only was this genre of a book totally up my alley, so was the intense, unforgiving writing that was paired alongside this queer gothic novel. I will say I do not think this book will be for everyone, but for those who would enjoy this type of story they will be pleasantly entertained.

What I love most about White's writing is their ability to make the grotesque both revolting and breathtaking. I think the execution of setting an elaborate atmosphere and aesthetic is one of their strong suits, and this novel certainly delivers that.

I am so grateful to be seeing more young adult novels and authors be unafraid to take risks with their work. Andrew Joseph White is a perfect example of this. Truly a refreshing and unhinged read that I enjoyed immensely. I would highly recommend giving this a try!

A solid 4.5/5 stars for me. My only gripe is that I enjoyed their previous novel slightly more, but other than that - perfection!

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth has got to be one of my favorite historical fantasy reads this year. The historical fiction setting examines the oppression of queer folks in the 1880s in England, but also the sexism of hysteria. It's a book which will ignite your rage in the treatment of Silas, the erasure of his feelings, but also leave you with hope in his finding of solidarity, community, and friendship. There's plenty of action about all the people society wishes to rob of a voice, to smash into rigid boxes, and the fight against the prejudice and oppression made me cry.

(Actual: 4.75⭐, rounded up) Wow. Okay. So, truthfully— I, again, requested the eARC of this book simply because of how intricate and intriguing the cover was and, while I knew it was classified as a horror novel, I figured that I would fare decently (as someone who doesn't read a lot the genre) since it also technically fell under the "YA" categorization. SO. That all being said, I decided to push forward and go into this one blind and well..... now we're back full circle with me saying "WOW." 😅🥴 Don't get me wrong: I loved this book, but it for sure is not for the faint of heart. It wasn't at all what I expected it to be and yet it somehow managed to exceed all my expectations in how it approached and handled so many different topics. This book is written by way of wielding the absolute sharpest blade imaginable, scathing at times in its commentary and its unbridled (but warranted) rage, and yet it was also oddly.... comforting? I can't explain it, but there's a certain kind of warmth to be found at the core of "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth," one filled with glimmers of hope and solidarity, even in spite of all of the literal and metaphorical blood, sweat, and tears it took to get there. And while I honestly do highly recommend this book out to everyone for its overarching/underlying message & themes alone, I also must advise everyone reading to first *definitely* look at the CWs, as 1) there are a lot and 2) if you're particularly squeamish, this may not be the best read for you. Overall, Andrew Joseph White is now on my radar as an author to watch out for!

I cannot find the words to say in a proper way how much this book has left an impact on me. I loved Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Joseph White and this piece by him just adds so much more to his writing style.
This story covers the horrors of humans in such a way that you really sit there for a second to think and go “Wait a damn minute”. However, The Spirit Bares Its Teeth shows also an incredible way of accepting the scars you received from past, present and future – time and time again. It is an incredible read and I cannot wait to add it to my physical bookshelf.