My review for The Spirit Bares Its Teeth: (★★☆☆☆ 2/5 stars) I want to preface this review by saying that it’s going to be biased. I wouldn’t have picked up this book on my own; it was given to me to review, and I had never even heard of it before. From the cover alone, you can tell it will have some horror elements, but I wasn’t expecting just how disturbing it would be. There’s a lot of medical gore, and some of it honestly gave me goosebumps. It was very intense, and as someone who just turned 14 this year, I think I was too young for some of the content.
The story is set in an alternate 1880s London, where ghosts exist, and the government controls spirit mediums. The main character, Silas, is an autistic, transgender teen who refuses to conform to society’s expectations and ends up trapped in a finishing school meant to “fix” girls who don’t behave properly. The premise is fascinating, I just wish it had been handled better.
Firstly, I couldn’t really connect with Silas. Part of that is because I’m not trans, but also because I felt like Silas didn’t do much. He was very passive. It felt like things just happened to him instead of him making choices. And worse, he was sometimes selfish and lacked empathy, (especially in scenes like his reaction to his sister-in-law’s miscarriage). I also had issues with the writing. The narrative style was overwhelming. There were long, dramatic internal monologues, and the constant use of metaphors, especially medical ones became repetitive. I get that Silas is obsessed with anatomy, but it would’ve been nice to see other sides of his personality too. The “rabbit” imagery used throughout also felt like too much after a while.
Some readers might find this book powerful, especially if they relate to Silas’s identity and struggles. But for me, it wasn’t gripping or enjoyable. The pacing was slow, the characters felt flat (especially the side characters), and the whole experience was emotionally exhausting. I kept hoping it would get better, but by the end, I just felt disappointed.
Maria A – Keilor Down College Year 9
