I'm not a big fan of sexual violence as a means to horror. But with gender being a main theme in "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" I knew it was going to be unavoidable. Knowing this I took the plunge and somehow made it out on the other side of this book. That being said, there is implied, attempted, and on-page rape/sexual assault. There is implied forced pregnancy. There are implied sexual acts on very young girls. There is the overwhelming feeling of being trapped in marriage and in sexual situations. This book is not for everyone. It is a VERY hard read. If you are a victim of sexual violence, I need to you to really think hard "Do I need to read this book" and "Am I in a place emotionally where I can read this book."

With that out of the way, I can not speak to the autistic or trans representation in this book. But I can say "The Spirit Bares Its Teeth" perfectly encapsulates the feeling of being a queer AFAB person existing in our fucked up patriarchal world. A main character sent to a sanatorium for female hysteria, with a supernatural twist on top. Its perfect and horrifying. I wanted it to be longer, I wanted more details. The characters are great, amazing, and feel so very alive. While there are a lot of characters here, no one ever felt like just a prop. The story was suspenseful and interesting. I honestly could not put it down.

Also you ya'll have to pick up the audiobook. Raphael Corkhill is amazing! Its unhinged.

My only complaint is that I think it could have been longer, especially the ending. Sometimes it just left a little rushed in places.

5/5 Honestly don't think I can recommend unless you are prepared for it.