The Spirit Bares Its Teeth
The Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White, published by Candlewick Press on May 6, 2025, is a 400-page novel that delves into the gothic horror genre. Set in London in 1883, the story follows Silas Bell, a sixteen-year-old trans, autistic individual who grapples with societal expectations and personal identity. As the Veil between the living and the dead grows thin, Silas finds himself at Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium after a failed escape from an arranged marriage, where he confronts the haunting presence of missing students and the oppressive forces of the patriarchy.
Readers will encounter a narrative that intertwines themes of LGBTQ+ identity and social issues within a historical context. The book explores Silas’s struggle against conformity and the violent realities faced by trans youth, all while navigating a world filled with spirits and madness. This edition presents a unique blend of fantasy and social commentary, making it a significant addition to the teen and young adult literature landscape.
Official synopsis Publisher
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
A Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult Literature!
A blood-soaked and nauseating triumph that cuts like a scalpel and reads like your darkest nightmare.
New York Times bestselling author Andrew Joseph White returns with the transgressive gothic horror of our time!
Mors vincit omnia. Death conquers all.
London, 1883. The Veil between the living and dead has thinned. Violet-eyed mediums commune with spirits under the watchful eye of the Royal Speaker Society, and sixteen-year-old trans, autistic Silas Bell would rather rip out his violet eyes than become an obedient Speaker wife.
After a failed attempt to escape an arranged marriage, Silas is diagnosed with Veil sickness—a mysterious disease sending violet-eyed women into madness—and shipped away to Braxton’s Finishing School and Sanitorium. When the ghosts of missing students start begging Silas for help, he decides to reach into Braxton’s innards and expose its guts to the world—so long as the school doesn’t break him first.
Featuring an autistic trans protagonist in a historical setting, Andrew Joseph White’s much-anticipated sophomore novel does not back down from exposing the violence of the patriarchy and the harm inflicted on trans youth who are forced into conformity.
A Stonewall Honor Book in Young Adult Literature
A Chicago Public Library ‘Best of the Best’ Book
A Locus Award Finalist
A Kirkus Reviews Best Young Adult Book of the Year
A BCCB Blue Ribbon Book!
A Booklist Editors’ Choice
A Shelf Awareness Best Book of the Year!
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
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