EWB Book Club: A Spirit Bares Its Teeth by Andrew Joseph White

Endless Woders Books is a trans, queer, and neurodivergent-owned bookshop in Portland, OR. We exclusively feature books by and about people from historically underrepresented communities with a mission to help readers expand their worldviews and increase community engagement. We currently have a microbookshop inside Hungry Heart Bakery in the Montavilla neighborhood.

The EWB Book Club meets monthly with a rotating genre. For our May meeting, we will be discussing Andrew Joseph White's young adult historical horror novel, A Spirit Bares Its Teeth. The meeting is casual where we meet and chat about the book, including themes, thoughts, and questions we had.

If you purchase the book from us, you will receive a 10% discount. We offer free local delivery in Portland and in-store pickup.

Book synopsis:

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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Host or Publisher Endless Wonders Books