The Spirit Bares Its Teeth

Book • 2023 • Horror  

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This book contains 69 potentially triggering events.
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Your Triggers
Does the dog die?
324 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Unanswered Triggers
Yes
0
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
There's an epilogue. Does that count?
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Are there bugs?
26 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Does a dragon die?
26 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Not explicitly
1 comment | Add comment
Are there fat suits?
23 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Is a minority is misrepresented?
22 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Is someone hit by a car?
22 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Is a child's toy destroyed?
22 supporters
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Yes
0
No
0
Yes
0
No
0
Yes
0
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
An imaginary rabbit that was a stand in for the protagonist's inner voice is graphically killed in a metaphorical way.
1 comment | Add comment
Abandonment
4
ScherzoSeven
Silas is abandoned by his parents in the beginning of the book.

Mary is stated to have been sent to Braxton's so her father could get rid of her. Several of the other girls are implied to be there for the same reason.
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Is an animal abandoned?
75 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Abuse
Yes
8
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Silas' parents abused him for most of his life, including hiring people to abuse him.
1 comment | Add comment
3
ScherzoSeven
Mrs Forrester is implied to welcome her husband's abuse of her and seems to consider it necessary.

Charlotte also considers the abuse necessary and is grateful for it.
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone stalked?
26 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
1
ScherzoSeven
Domestic violence is frequently talked about

The Headmaster abuses his wife. She was also a former student of his.
1 comment | Add comment
2
angelicRemm
The whole school the main character attends is about abusing women, essentially.
2 comments | Add comment
2
ScherzoSeven
Mrs Forrester was a former student.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
9
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Silas is constantly gaslit, especially by his brother.

Veil Sickness is frequently blamed.
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone abused with a belt?
16 supporters
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Yes
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No
4
Is a child abused?
87 supporters
Yes
9
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
The protagonist is 16 and the girls in Braxton with him are all around the same age. All of them are abused by the Headmaster and his wife. Many instances happen on page.

The protagonist was also abused by his parents, with instances on page and in flashbacks.

It is implied that one of the girls will be abused by her husband. She is 14.
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Animal
Were animals harmed in the making?
108 supporters
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Yes
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No
4
Does a horse die?
76 supporters
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Yes
0
No
5
Does an animal die?
(besides a dog, cat or horse)
139 supporters
Yes
6
No
0
1
KatKat
metaphorical rabbit dies and Silas mentions dissecting dead pig fetuses
1 comment | Add comment
Are animals abused?
160 supporters
Yes
3
No
2
2
ScherzoSeven
Not on page, but slaughterhouses are mentioned and Silas practiced surgery on dead animals from alaughterhouses.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Yes
8
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Silas practiced surgery on animal cadavers. This does not happen on page, but is reccounted.

An animal that is a stand in for an inner voice is metophorically killed. A real animal does not die, but the scene is still graphic.
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Is an animal sad?
63 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
1
ScherzoSeven
Yes, but the animal isn't real. It's the imaginary rabbit that acts as Silas' inner voice
1 comment | Add comment
Are rabbits harmed?
52 supporters
Yes
4
No
1
2
ScherzoSeven
An imaginary rabbit is graphically killed.
1 comment | Add comment
Does a cat die?
138 supporters
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Yes
0
No
5
Does a pet die?
129 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Are there spiders?
43 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Assault
1
ScherzoSeven
One of the girls is descibed as always having a hand print on her face
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone drugged?
27 supporters
Yes
8
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Chloroform is mentioned as being used
1 comment | Add comment
Is there pedophilia?
91 supporters
Yes
9
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Violet eyed girls are targeted at a very young age.

The Headmaster is implied to be a pedophile and later confirms this.

One girl is married off at 14 because she is pregnant.

Another girl also is impregnated.

A character states that he would have taken Silas at a very young age if Silas' father had let him
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Is rape mentioned?
68 supporters
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Yes
9
No
0
Yes
5
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Both by other characters and as part of surgical procedures
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
10
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Silas reccounts several times men attempted to kiss him forcefully as a child.

Early in the book, Silas is forced to undress in front of a mirror.

In chapter 19, Silas is kissed against his will by the Headmaster.

In Chapter 30, someone attempts to SA Silas.

There are multiple references to thr Headmaster assualting the girls, but only the one on-page instance which was previously mentioned.

Though it doesn't happen on page, we see the aftermath of two girls being raped by their suitors.

There are many mentions and implications of SA.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
8
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A former student returns and her mouth and eyes are both covered.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
2
ScherzoSeven
No one is raped on page, but there is an attempt.

There are also both implications and confirmations that other characters have been raped off page.
1 comment | Add comment
Bodily Harm
Yes
9
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
There's frequent mention of surgical cutting, self inflicted or otherwise.

A few characters are cut accidentally.

A character performs surgery on herself.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
There are several hand injuries throughout the book, including cuts, burns, and an infected wound.

None seem to do lasting damage
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
The dislocation happens in Chapter 24 and is set in Chapter 25
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A character is choked in Chapter 12. His injuries are occasionally mentioned after that
1 comment | Add comment
1
ScherzoSeven
A character is choked by another in Chapter 12.

It's hard to breathe in the veil and this is mentioned.

A character is planned to be killed by asphyxiation and their potential death is described
1 comment | Add comment
Is there decapitation?
26 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there cannibalism?
30 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
0
angelicRemm
A character ends up ingesting part of a persons eye, but it isn’t super graphic, not compared to the rest of the graphic violence described in the book.
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
3
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Maybe? A building collapses with people in it, but it isn't clear who is still alive when it happens
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone choked?
17 supporters
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A character is planned to be executed via asphyxiation.

A character is choked in Chapter 12
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone burned alive?
36 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Yes
2
No
1
0
angelicRemm
Arguably, yes. A building collapses with people still inside, but those deaths are not graphically described.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there body horror?
39 supporters
Yes
10
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
The appearance of the spirits represents the worst thing that happened to them. The ones described definitely land in body horror territory
1 comment | Add comment
Is there amputation?
27 supporters
Yes
5
No
0
1
KatKat
does an eye getting ripped out count? if so, yes
2 comments | Add comment
Does a head get squashed?
54 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there Achilles Tendon injury?
18 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Is there a hanging?
34 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
0
ScherzoSeven
Though it doesn't ever happen on screen, it's something that's brought up regularly as a threat.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
4
No
1
0
angelicRemm
It’s implied a character is strangled to death, but it isn’t played out in their POV or heavily described.
2 comments | Add comment
1
gayratdad
Silas describes in detail multiple times in the book that he wants to surgically removed is uterus himself-- the process, what it would feel like etc.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
In Chapter 8 a character breaks an arm
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
A character's teeth are removed off page.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
3
No
1
1
ScherzoSeven
There are hand and feet injuries. None are explicitly targeting the fingers or toes.

The foot injuries described in Chapter 18 could still be very upsetting
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone tortured?
72 supporters
Yes
7
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Several characters are vivisected.

A character is forced to walk on glass.

The students at Braxton are subjected to physical and psychological abuse to cure a disease that doesn't exist.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
4
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
In Chapter 12, a character falls from a staircase.

In Chapter 24, a character is thrown down stairs.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
8
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
The book opens with a surgical eye removal and dissection. The patient is awake when it happens.

Silas frequently fantasizes about removing his eyes, but in a violent and surgical manner. He also reccounts performing the same action on animal cadavers.

There are several references to surgical eye removal. Twice we see the aftermath on page in shocking scenes.

A character has his eyes violently removed in Chapter 30.
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone stabbed?
13 supporters
Yes
5
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
A prominent stabbing scene happens in Chapter 30
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
10
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
There is a lot of on page gore, probablynot truly excessive, but I said yes just in case.

Surgical procedures are often described an a few happen on page.

Injuries are frequently described in detail. Injuries happen a lot in this book.
1 comment | Add comment
Children
Does a kid die?
37 supporters
Yes
6
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
The girls that are killed are all in their teens
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
8
No
0
2
ScherzoSeven
Not by the author, but by the characters within the book.

Speakers are allowed to marry young, so violet eyed young girls are picked out by suitors starting at a young age.

Silas reccounts people sexualizing him as young as 10 years old.

Silas and the girls at Braxton's are frequently sexualized by the men around them and are the victims of SA, despite being around the age of 16 or younger.
1 comment | Add comment
Creepy Crawly
Are there bedbugs?
15 supporters
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Yes
0
No
4
Death
Yes
10
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A major character is killed off page. Her body is later described.
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone die?
1 supporters
Yes
9
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Several characters die on and off page.
1 comment | Add comment
Disability
Yes
0
No
5
Is the r-slur used?
29 supporters
Yes
2
No
1
2
ScherzoSeven
No, but other ableist language is used instead. ("Imbecile", "feeble minded")
1 comment | Add comment
Family
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A character's mother dies before the events of the book. This is explained in Chapter 17.

A character's father is killed in Chapter 30. The character is not upset by it.

A girl is killed who is described to be "like a sister" to another girl. They were not related and were actually in a relationship.
1 comment | Add comment
Does a parent die?
17 supporters
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A character's mother died before the events of the book. This is explained in Chapter 17

In Chapter 30, a parent is killed on screen. Their offspring is not upset about it.
1 comment | Add comment
Fear
Are there ghosts?
0 supporters
Yes
10
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Ghosts are mentioned frequently and several appear on page
1 comment | Add comment
Are there jump scares?
54 supporters
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Yes
0
No
3
Are there clowns?
11 supporters
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Yes
0
No
5
Gross
Does someone vomit?
82 supporters
Yes
8
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
In Chapers 1 ,5, 16, and 32.

Vomit is mentioned a few other times
1 comment | Add comment
Is someone eaten?
27 supporters
Yes
1
No
2
0
ScherzoSeven
No, but it's mentioned as a hypothical
1 comment | Add comment
Is there on-screen pooping?
34 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Does someone spit?
10 supporters
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
In Chapters 5, 30, and 32.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there audio gore?
43 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Law Enforcement
Is there copaganda?
25 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
LGBTQ+
Yes
0
No
3
1
ScherzoSeven
There's no slurs, but still transphobia
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
1
ScherzoSeven
The two trans characters are constantly deadnamed throughout the book.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there bisexual cheating?
20 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Medical
Yes
6
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Needles are used to stitch wounds in several scenes.
1 comment | Add comment
0
ScherzoSeven
Sort of. Braxton's itself is a bit of a mental institution.

There's a character later on who is the product of another institution. The location itself is never shown, but we see what is done there.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A hospital is never actually shown, but there is an operating theater where surgical procedures have been carried out
1 comment | Add comment
Mental Health
0
angelicRemm
The girls at the school are described and treated as mentally ill, even though it isn’t actually a real illness, and is much more like how hysteria is treated in real human history.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
8
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
A character is implied to have bit themself in Chapter 15.

Another character attempts surgery on themself in Chapter 21
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
0
No
5
1
ScherzoSeven
This book has really good autism rep
1 comment | Add comment
1
ScherzoSeven
Sort of. The girls at Braxtkn's aren't actually sick, but a few were sent there or punished for attacking people.
2 comments | Add comment
Yes
9
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Lots of it.

Silas was abused by his parents for his autistic traits, both physically and verbally.

His parents also hired tutors to "train" the autism out of him.
1 comment | Add comment
0
angelicRemm
No one specifically attempts, but it is talked about in regards to characters performing surgery on themselves
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
0
angelicRemm
The main character is autistic, and has a few meltdowns throughout the book. One of the biggest ones I can think of is from his first meeting with his suitor at the school.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there misophonia?
34 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
3
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Not explicitly, but there's scenes that could be interpreted that way.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
2
ScherzoSeven
Not exactly because this is a historical novel, but Silas' tutors were paid to "train" his autistic traits out of him. This was very traumatic for Silas.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
The main character experiences body dysphoria.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there body dysmorphia?
27 supporters
Add comment
Yes
2
No
1
0
ScherzoSeven
Two characters are trapped in a basement
1 comment | Add comment
Does someone have an eating disorder?
36 supporters
Add comment
Yes
1
No
2
Yes
0
No
3
Yes
5
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Silas seems to from his experiences with his tutors. He also explicitly states that he has repressed memories from his childhood and the men that would come around.
1 comment | Add comment
Noxious
Are there sudden loud noises?
32 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there shakey cam?
35 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there screaming?
12 supporters
Yes
3
No
0
1
angelicRemm
Yes, but only described, since the medium is a book.
1 comment | Add comment
0
ScherzoSeven
"Fuck" and "slut" are both used frequently
1 comment | Add comment
Are there flashing lights or images?
42 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Pregnancy
Is a baby stillborn?
21 supporters
Yes
4
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Off page, mentioned in dialogue
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
6
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
A character mentions that another character miscarried. That character is later blamed for the miscarriage.
1 comment | Add comment
1
ScherzoSeven
A character's pregnancy is mentioned.

Two other named characters are stated to be pregnant on page. One terminated the pregnancy in a graphic scene where the fetus is described.

A healthy baby is present in the epilogue
1 comment | Add comment
Are there abortions?
12 supporters
Yes
8
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
C21
In Chapter 21, there is a graphic on page abortion, though it is performed like a C section.

The scene is very bloody and traumatic and the fetus is described.
1 comment | Add comment
Prejudice
Are there homophobic slurs?
38 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
1
ScherzoSeven
Lots of it.

Most is directed at Silas because he's autistic, but another autistic character also is a victim to this.

Most of the women in the book and Silas are said to have "Veil Sickness" and are treated horribly because of it.
1 comment | Add comment
Are there usages of the n-word?
29 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Are there "Man in a dress" jokes?
29 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
1
ScherzoSeven
Constantly. The main character is a trans man in a historical setting. A few characters are aware of this and STILL misgender him, including one character who had previously been supportive.

Another character is a trans woman and is also consistently misgendered.

They are not, however, misgendered by each other and friends who are aware of their identities.
1 comment | Add comment
Yes
4
No
0
2
ScherzoSeven
One of the girls who is killed was in love with another girl.

Another girl is implied to be queer, but it's not confirmed.
1 comment | Add comment
Are there fat jokes?
46 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there aphobia?
17 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there hate speech?
22 supporters
Yes
4
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
Harsh language ableist language is used
1 comment | Add comment
Race
Is there blackface?
26 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Relationships
Yes
7
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
It's common for violet eyed girls to be married off young to much older men. This is discussed, and we also see a few instances of it on page.
1 comment | Add comment
Religious
Yes
3
No
1
0
ScherzoSeven
Not really, but the Speaker society almost fits into the territory and their rules and practices are brought up a lot
1 comment | Add comment
Sex
Yes
3
No
0
0
ScherzoSeven
The protagonist is forced to strip and dress in women's clothes in a traumatic scene.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there bestiality?
73 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
0
ScherzoSeven
Violet eyed girls are constantly objectified by men who wish to use them to "breed heirs"
1 comment | Add comment
Are there incestuous relationships?
National Sexual Assault Hotline 800.656.4673
77 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Yes
3
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
There are a lot of references and mentions, but nothing on page.
1 comment | Add comment
Sickness
Is there dementia/Alzheimer's?
25 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Social
Are there anti-abortion themes?
32 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Spoiler
Is Santa (et al) spoiled?
3 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Does it have a sad ending?
45 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
4
Violence
Does someone drown?
18 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3
Is there blood/gore?
52 supporters
Yes
8
No
0
1
ScherzoSeven
Lots of it.

Surgical procedures are discussed and a few happen on screen. (Chapter 21 has a particularly upsetting scene)

Many injuries happen on screen.
1 comment | Add comment
Is there gun violence?
24 supporters
Add comment
Yes
0
No
3