The Spirit Bares its Teeth is set in 1800s London, where violet eyed mediums can commune with the dead. It follows Silas, a 16 year old autistic trans boy who dreams of being a surgeon, not a man's wife, worthy only because of his violet eyes and uterus. In a desperate bid to escape, he poses as another man but his impersonation is caught. He's deemed to have "veil sickness" a disease where any woman who opens the veil descends into madness. Instead of being sent to Bedlam, a wealthy suit sweeps in and he is instead sent away to a finishing school to teach him how to be a proper lady and beat the madness away. As he learns of missing students, and the truth the headmaster is hiding, he discovers that the punishment for disobeying the patriarchal norms is worse than death.

This book was beautiful. I've highlighted parts that really spoke to me, and it was especially evocative when discussing the trans and autistic experience, eloquently describing the horrors of being perceived: "It is only when I step back to see it all through another’s eyes that I want to unravel it and carve the meat into a new, different, more acceptable shape. The only thing that will ever matter is how others see you. I want to take myself apart into something else, and if I cannot do that, I want to destroy every part of it that could ever be used against me. And if that is my eyes, or my womb, or all of it—" and the connection of girls and womanhood through being AFAB and raised as such: "I still connect with women. I find companionship with them, closeness that cannot be denied, because the world will always do its damnedest to see me as one of them. As long as we are seen the same, we will experience the same. Our lives will be linked. I will be held to the same unfair standards, punished under the same unjust rules. To separate how you are seen from who you are sometimes feels nigh impossible.". There was also an immaculate summary about my feelings as a doctor and a uterus: "know enough about pregnancy to be terrified of it, which is the only sensible reaction to discovering how it works." As well as a many tragically beautiful descriptions of grief: "Death never goes after those who deserve it. It only ever takes from those who aren’t ready." and the horrors of man: "why is it that when they hide their faces, men become monsters instead of angels?". I'll stop quoting the book now and let you enjoy it in its entire form, but God I want you all to read it immediately. I want to highlight it in its entirety.

I couldn't put this book down, and it was sad when it ended. It's an exquisitely haunting tale tackling patriarchy, identity, and complex relationships. Whilst the plot points were predictable for me, it was still satisfying: the blossoming love story and the ones that never got to be; the evil deeds committed by men; betrayal and courage and anger and cowardice and fight. Parts were akin to screaming at your TV for the character not to go up the stairs when the killer is chasing them, not to be alone in a room with a man. It did a great job at revealing information, even if I knew it already, especially early on when Silas is investigating the missing students. The world is immersive, and whilst the author notes taking historical liberties, I found everything worked and nothing pulled me out. I would have preferred more of the ghosts, opening the veil, talking to the spirits, etc but it didn't feel lacking (I'm just a spooky bitch). The horrors of man are far worse than ghosts could ever be. We're treated to small exerts from the ghosts perspective, and they are so deservedly angry. The book came the a satisfying conclusion (even if it would have preferred a more torturous end), and I want to read it for the first time again. It does feature dark themes, but none of it feels gratuitous - this is how a horror about transphobia should be done. It does not deadname for the readers sake nor try to justify itself. The queerness felt natural, as did the relationships and reactions to events. There is a kinship amongst the different characters, and I'm glad Silas had people he could trust.

Overall, this was piercingly beautiful, and whilst I wouldn't say not to more supernatural elements, a more brutal punishment, or a tad more vengeance, it was a fantastic read. Thank you to netgalley for the arc.

This is the second novel that I have read by the author, and he gets several things right; first of all, writing in the first person, secondly, the pacing and active, visual language, and thirdly inventing interesting premises which combine important themes. The protagonist is an autistic and trans individual and it is best not to know much about the setting (hope you forget what you read in the promotional descriptions). The writer is also great at making the unusual, the gore, the gothic not disturbing, but entertaining and curious.

I have also found the titles of his books and the book covers extremely beautiful and fresh.

I look forward to reading more by this author. I am sure I will never be able to guess what premise and setting he will next come up with.

The Spirit Bares Its Teeth is a queer gothic novel about an autistic trans man with medium powers who is locked in a haunted sanitorium. In late nineteenth century London, the Royal Speaker Society has risen to power due to the ability of its members to speak to and control the dead, with violet eyes a marker of these powers. Silas Bell is sixteen and desperately trying to escape the world in which he must be an obedient housewife instead of the surgeon he wants to be, but an attempt for freedom lands him at Braxton's Sanitorium and Finishing School, where people with so-called Veil Sickness are either cured into perfect wives or seem to disappear. He finds new allies, but also great danger at the sinister school.

Having read White's previous Hell Followed With Us, I was expecting something quite dark and gritty, and this certainly is that, a young adult novel that has a lot of horrifying things happen. The narrative centres around the "school" and what happens when Silas is there, with a pretty expected narrative of uncovering secrets and trying to find allies when everyone with power seems to be part of it. As it is so focused, a lot of the wider world and implications aren't really explored, so though this is in some ways historical fantasy, it is the gothic horror elements which feel more developed, though the historical setting is of course vital.

The characters are messy and interesting, and the softer side of the novel is in the connections between some of them, even when these don't come easily. Silas' relationship with Daphne in particular is very sweet, bringing a 'trans teens find each other' element to a harsh narrative. There are also interesting snippets of the ways in which Silas relates to and interacts with the girls in the school, both due to being a trans man in a closeted environment and due to being autistic.

This book is a gripping read, full of darkness, that combines some classic gothic elements with a story of surviving in a society that wants you to be completely unlike yourself.

Andrew Joseph White can do no wrong. If they have no fans, I am dead. EVERY NEW PUBLICATION GETS BETTER.

This is uncomfortable, eerie and disturbing and I have never wanted a book to last longer more than this. The characters were enthralling and the plot reveals itself in a slow burn release that I just couldn’t get enough of.

I cannot express how excited I am for Compound Fracture. May AJW write many many more books

This was the first book I read of the author and be sure that I will absolutely read more of his works. I went into The Spirit Bares Its Teeth knowjng I would be hotrified and sick to my stomach but this book is much more than that. It's about finding yourself and being seen by the world around you and accepted by it. I felt seen in Silas' autism and I loved him as a main character and what he represents.
The only thing I didn't like was the ending. I feel like the "one year later" section was a bit unneeded amd the book was complete with just the last chapter.

This book left me absolutely awestruck. Its unique blend of historical horror with supernatural and Victorian elements sets it apart, making it challenging to draw comparisons to other works. It's important to note the presence of trigger warnings, as some readers may find certain elements disturbing.

While the story started off a bit slow for me, I trusted the recommendations of other reviewers and persisted—and I'm so grateful I did. Silas, the main character, is trans and autistic, and I found myself wholeheartedly rooting for him as he navigates the oppressive society of 1883 London, resisting pressures to conform at every turn.

Do yourself a favor and dive into this book. If you're a fan of dark, spooky tales with supernatural and Victorian undertones, this is a must-read.

“You can’t cure something that isn’t wrong. It doesn’t work like that.”

Short summary:
In 19th century London the Veil between the living and the dead has thinned. Mediums with violet colored eyes are the only ones able to communicate with the dead but there is a shady society, the Speakers, that keep them under their thumb. Sixteen year old Silas Bell is diagnosed with Veiled sickness and shipped away to Braxton’s Sanatorium where girls are turned into docile wives or simply disappear. When the ghosts of the missing girls reach out to him, he decides to help them but will he be able to without succumbing to the same fate?



This was the first book I’ve read from this author and I cannot wait to read more of them.
The writing style really draws you in, I was hooked from the very beginning. It is a very unique story and I kind of went in blindly but it did not disappoint in any way, shape or form. I’m that kind of person that closes their eyes when there’s something surgical happening during a tv show/movie so those passages were kind of hard to read for me but I understood the necessity of it. I adored the relationship between Silas & Daphne! I loved how they immediately could be their true selves with each other.

Btw; that plottwist at the end???

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to NetGalley and Daphne Press for a free e-arc in exchange of an honest review!

WHAT.A.BOOK!! It feels like I read it in one sitting, and I still need more! I enjoyed Hell Followed With Us, but The Spirit Bares Its Teeth blew my mind. I can't find anything I didn't like, so GO AND READ IT!