I almost didn’t read What Big Teeth by Rose Szabo because I’m generally not in to werewolves. However, since this book was getting great early buzz and the main characters was not, herself, a werewolf, I decided to give it a try and I am oh so glad I did, because What Big Teeth fit in perfectly with my current obsession with complicated, angry, powerful women.
What Big Teeth pulled me in almost immediately. There’s a short, intense prologue, and then a delightfully Gothic first chapter that let me know I was in for a good dark fantasy/horror read.
The Plot
Eleanor Zarrin unexpectedly returns to her sprawling family mansion after an unfortunate incident at the boarding school where she has been exiled for years. Eleanor can’t remember exactly why she was sent to boarding school; she just knows that no one in her monstrous family has responded to her letters since she left home.
Eleanor’s grandfather, sister, father, and cousin are all werewolves. They’re not “alas I am cursed to transform by the light of the full moon” werewolves or “the alpha claims his fated mate” werewolves.* These werewolves transform at will; they have a high prey drive; they have terrible table manners; they are wild and loyal and terrifying.
Eleanor’s grandmother is some manner of witch. Her mother is… something? Half her body is covered in strange polyps and she is incredibly uncomfortable out of the water. The family accountant is mysterious and wears dark glasses indoors, and seems to be around almost all the time.
As for Eleanor herself, she is definitely just a normal human being and there is definitely nothing weird going on with her.** She spent years waiting for her teeth to come in but realizes now she will probably never transform and run through the woods with her family.
A death in the family forces Eleanor to confront truths about herself and her family, all while trying to hold everything together. In true Gothic fashion, the plot is highly personal and most of the action takes place in the sprawling mansion.
Why It Worked For Me
What Big Teeth considers what it means to be a monster. It explores some similar themes to Girl, Serpent, Thorn, although in a completely different setting and with a very different plot. However, it still involves a complicated, angry young woman who doesn’t quite fit in with her family.
Eleanor doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere. Her family doesn’t seem to be happy that she’s returned, but she was an outcast at school, spurned by her only friend. She thinks she’s found her purpose when she tries to help out with the family business upon her return, but she’s in over her head and not receiving the support she needs.
What Big Teeth is incredibly dark. It involves ravenous werewolves, infant death, and necromancy (the reading entrails kind, not the raising the dead kind… but ok maybe a bit of raising the dead). Eleanor lives in fear of her own family, knowing that if she runs, their instincts will drive them to chase her.
The ending of this book was incredibly satisfying, with Eleanor not only coming into her own, but also discovering that she is not as alone as she thought.
I Guess I Read YA Now
As I’ve mentioned before, I haven’t traditionally read a lot of YA in the past. Partially this was because I was having trouble just keeping up with adult SF/F that I was interested in, and partially it was because I had some bad luck with choosing YA novels that just didn’t work for me. Now that I’m reading more than ever before, I actually have time to explore the exciting things that are happening in YA genre fiction, and I’m really glad for it. Books like Girl, Serpent, Thorn and What Big Teeth can easily hold up to their adult genre fiction counterparts, and in many ways, even exceed them.
I have to say, this is a pretty intense book, so keep that in mind if you are considering buying it for or recommending it to a teen in your life. If said teen already loves horror, they will likely eat this right up, but if they’re squeamish or prone to nightmares, this might not be the right choice.
*No shame if you like those tropes, they’re just not my jam.
**Definitely.
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