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dylan_tomorrow's review against another edition
Rant from a review comment, saved for late ruse in my review once I've finished the book. (Move along, nothing to see here! :D)
Fantastic full review. I am not finished, but I am three quarters through and already too depressed to continue, so I've stalled it for the time being. Those feels, it hurts! :( T_T I already need a support group!
Utterly concur on her amazing characterization. She is so unbelievably good at that and in giving us the complex taste of those characters through their dialogue and through their inner monologues.
But man, I hope she ever writes something more tonally close to Gone, Gone, Gone in the future. Because Teeth is very close to too dark for me to stand. And given her stellar writing, I would just hate to miss out on stuff by her because of it being to dark and painful to stomach ...
Please don't fall for the temptation of grimdark, Hannah Moskowitz. It would suck and the world would miss out on your gritty, yet hopeful writing (like in GGG) that I honestly find better than Teeth, where the drama comes close to contrived way to many times.
—Ooops, what a rant! :D I shall save it for later use in my review! ^^
Fantastic full review. I am not finished, but I am three quarters through and already too depressed to continue, so I've stalled it for the time being. Those feels, it hurts! :( T_T I already need a support group!
Utterly concur on her amazing characterization. She is so unbelievably good at that and in giving us the complex taste of those characters through their dialogue and through their inner monologues.
But man, I hope she ever writes something more tonally close to Gone, Gone, Gone in the future. Because Teeth is very close to too dark for me to stand. And given her stellar writing, I would just hate to miss out on stuff by her because of it being to dark and painful to stomach ...
Please don't fall for the temptation of grimdark, Hannah Moskowitz. It would suck and the world would miss out on your gritty, yet hopeful writing (like in GGG) that I honestly find better than Teeth, where the drama comes close to contrived way to many times.
—Ooops, what a rant! :D I shall save it for later use in my review! ^^
scrollsofdragons's review against another edition
4.0
4.5 I love Teeth, he's just such a babe and his relationship with Rudy was everything. The author does characters so well and writes really compelling stories and the brotherly relationships are so strong, both in this and Gone, Gone, Gone that I need to check out more of her works. I do feel though that they're just a tad on the short side, I feel this novel could have delved a little deeper in which is why it's not a full five stars but it's close.
Spoiler
That ending was so emotional when Rudy had to say goodbye to Teeth who had to leave not only his babies but his first true friend and although it's sad it was such a perfect way to finish this story. I am still bitter over Diana for grassing him up, like that's your brother and those men abused him, she will never be forgiven.eirasnow's review against another edition
5.0
This book was bad for my heart. It was brilliant and weird and beautiful and sad. This one destroyed me the way A List of Cages did. I should take a break getting destroyed by a book. I'm an emotional mess right now. The characters felt so real. This book was written in first person narrative, and the writing greatly captured the voice of the protagonist.
I have read two of Hannah Moskowitz's books (this one and Gone, Gone, Gone) and loved them to bits. My only wish is for their story to never end, that I would see more of Teeth and Rudy and the adorable Dylan.
I have read two of Hannah Moskowitz's books (this one and Gone, Gone, Gone) and loved them to bits. My only wish is for their story to never end, that I would see more of Teeth and Rudy and the adorable Dylan.
tandewrites's review against another edition
5.0
I wish I could explain why this book means so much to be but I can’t. I don’t even know where to start. It’s been a month or more since I read the book and it still takes up so much of my headspace. I’m going to tell you about it alongside some of my favourite quotes.
//“I ignore people who need me and latch on to people who don't. I dive into every other world except my own just because I want something more glamorous than my real life. I do destructive shit so a stupid hypocritical fish will like me.”
Rudy’s family has moved to a remote island where there’s magical fish that can cure serious illnesses, hoping to cure his younger brother’s cystic fibrosis. As the only teenager on the island, Rudy is bored and lonely until he meets and starts a tentative friendship with Teeth, the ugliest half-human half-fish (not quite a merman) that he has ever seen.
Their relationship is completely flawed and dysfunctional, but the characters are so beautifully written that I was in love with their complexity and desperation and charm. There were moments where I was having doubts about the story – was it too dark, too sad, too depressing – but then Rudy and Teeth stole my heart, and I didn’t need to suspend my disbelief in Moskowitz’s ability for a moment, and this book has made its way onto my favourites list.
// “I close my eyes and listen to the ocean. I'm thinking about sailing, to England or maybe France. The way the wind would feel on my face and the sound of his voice screaming my name through his laughter. The waves would crash like applause.”
I love the setting of this book so much because it reminds me of home. The descriptions were incredibly vivid, saying so much in few words. I’ve lived my entire life within fifteen minutes of the ocean, surrounded by grey storms and fishing villages and freezing cold salt water. And it was this sense of familiarity that fully brought me into the world, feeling the sea breeze and smelling salt in the air as I turned each page. Well, swiped my phone screen. I need a physical copy of this book to hold and cherish forever.
// “I wish we would all just fall apart so I wouldn't have to listen to the downfall happen, so slowly, so painfully.”
Teeth has a tortured-hero complex. As a half-fish, he feels as if he has a responsibility to protect the fish from the fisherman who torture and abuse him for this. He’s abandoned and unloved and naïve but he feels as if he has a purpose. He feels so realistic, which is a strange thing to say about a fishboy. I want anyone reading this review to go meet him and care about him and fall in love with him too. But be aware that there is graphic content that may be triggering to some readers.
I said earlier that the Rudy and Teeth relationship stole my heart, but it broke it, too. I have a complicated relationship with the ending of this book. On one hand, the writing is so raw that the ending makes sense, emphasising all the chapters before of brutality and blood and darkness. On the other hand, the relationship is ‘unfinished’.
// "I'm afraid I'll drown."
If you’re looking for a twisted fairytale of magic and miracles and teeth and tears, this is for you. It deserves all the love and the reads and the stars. I want to throw myself into the ocean.
Rating: ★★★★★ (the full five)
//“I ignore people who need me and latch on to people who don't. I dive into every other world except my own just because I want something more glamorous than my real life. I do destructive shit so a stupid hypocritical fish will like me.”
Rudy’s family has moved to a remote island where there’s magical fish that can cure serious illnesses, hoping to cure his younger brother’s cystic fibrosis. As the only teenager on the island, Rudy is bored and lonely until he meets and starts a tentative friendship with Teeth, the ugliest half-human half-fish (not quite a merman) that he has ever seen.
Their relationship is completely flawed and dysfunctional, but the characters are so beautifully written that I was in love with their complexity and desperation and charm. There were moments where I was having doubts about the story – was it too dark, too sad, too depressing – but then Rudy and Teeth stole my heart, and I didn’t need to suspend my disbelief in Moskowitz’s ability for a moment, and this book has made its way onto my favourites list.
// “I close my eyes and listen to the ocean. I'm thinking about sailing, to England or maybe France. The way the wind would feel on my face and the sound of his voice screaming my name through his laughter. The waves would crash like applause.”
I love the setting of this book so much because it reminds me of home. The descriptions were incredibly vivid, saying so much in few words. I’ve lived my entire life within fifteen minutes of the ocean, surrounded by grey storms and fishing villages and freezing cold salt water. And it was this sense of familiarity that fully brought me into the world, feeling the sea breeze and smelling salt in the air as I turned each page. Well, swiped my phone screen. I need a physical copy of this book to hold and cherish forever.
// “I wish we would all just fall apart so I wouldn't have to listen to the downfall happen, so slowly, so painfully.”
Teeth has a tortured-hero complex. As a half-fish, he feels as if he has a responsibility to protect the fish from the fisherman who torture and abuse him for this. He’s abandoned and unloved and naïve but he feels as if he has a purpose. He feels so realistic, which is a strange thing to say about a fishboy. I want anyone reading this review to go meet him and care about him and fall in love with him too. But be aware that there is graphic content that may be triggering to some readers.
I said earlier that the Rudy and Teeth relationship stole my heart, but it broke it, too. I have a complicated relationship with the ending of this book. On one hand, the writing is so raw that the ending makes sense, emphasising all the chapters before of brutality and blood and darkness. On the other hand, the relationship is ‘unfinished’.
Spoiler
I think they might’ve loved each other deep down, but they’re torn apart so suddenly that they never reach that point on page and there’s no closure. This is maybe the only book I’ve read where I wanted a kiss.// "I'm afraid I'll drown."
If you’re looking for a twisted fairytale of magic and miracles and teeth and tears, this is for you. It deserves all the love and the reads and the stars. I want to throw myself into the ocean.
Rating: ★★★★★ (the full five)
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