Such Sharp Teeth
By: Rachel Harrison
"Rory Morris isn't thrilled to be moving back to her hometown, even if it is temporary. There are bad memories there. But her twin sister, Scarlett, is pregnant, estranged from the baby's father, and needs support, so Rory returns to the place she thought she'd put in her rearview. After a night out at a bar where she runs into an old almost-flame, she hits a large animal with her car. And when she gets out to investigate, she's attacked.
Rory survives, miraculously, but life begins to look and feel different. She's unnaturally strong, with an aversion to silver--and suddenly the moon has her in its thrall. She's changing into someone else--something else, maybe even a monster. But does that mean she's putting those close to her in danger? Or is embracing the wildness inside of her the key to acceptance?
This darkly comedic love story is a brilliantly layered portrait of trauma, rage, and vulnerability."
Rory survives, miraculously, but life begins to look and feel different. She's unnaturally strong, with an aversion to silver--and suddenly the moon has her in its thrall. She's changing into someone else--something else, maybe even a monster. But does that mean she's putting those close to her in danger? Or is embracing the wildness inside of her the key to acceptance?
This darkly comedic love story is a brilliantly layered portrait of trauma, rage, and vulnerability."
Such Sharp Teeth has been on my radar since last year when I first finished Cackle. I really like how Rachel Harrison combines quirky horror stories with more serious underlying themes. For those of you who cringe at the thought of horror, other than the gruesome and graphic transitions into a werewolf, it is not terrifying and an excellent addition to your spooky fall to-be-read list.
Now how about a drink?
" He points to a small chalkboard on the corner of the bar. In Ash's perfect script it reads, Dracula's Blood Orange Spritzer, Poison Apple Bourbon, Black Magic Margarita.
'The bourbon one, please,' I say. 'What's in it?'
'Jim Beam Apple, ginger beer, dash of cider, and a cinnamon stick.' "
All of the party's drink specialties sound good, but I went with the Poison Apple Bourbon because that's what the main character, Rory, chose. You can mix the ingredients however you like them or if you would like an official recipe I tracked one down that is similar from Reserve Bar Cocktail Lounge. I discovered that I love Ginger Beer, specifically this one from Q, because it has an actual ginger bite to it and the drink itself is perfect for cuddling up with this slightly spooky read.
Even if you haven't read Such Sharp Teeth yet, it wouldn't take much to guess what were serving up alongside this werewolf story.
Meatballs, of course! Really, you could do any meat dish you like because Rory was not discriminate. The werewolf inside her demanded excessive amounts of meat and she was frequently dining on bacon, lunch meat, whole chickens, and any other meaty items she could get her hands on.
I used this Slow Cooker Grape Jelly Meatballs recipe from The Magical Slow Cooker because it's obviously meaty and nods to the many parties the twins' best friend, Ashley, threw that were always well decorated and brimming with Crock-Pots.
Such Sharp Teeth: ★★★★☆
I can't recall ever reading a book that focused on werewolves without throwing in vampires and other paranormal elements too so this was a fresh take for me. I liked reading about the changes Rory went through even when she was not actively transforming into a werewolf. The enormous appetite, the heightened sense of smell, and the freakish strength are all so much fun to read about. I also liked watching her research and try old lore remedies like silver and Wolfsbane and I loved that Rory handled her werewolf issue in a logical and realistic way. Like the way you or I might attempt to handle it if, you know, we were bitten by a werewolf. Attempting to cure ourselves and when that failed attempting to trap ourselves and place food around so we don't wander off and hurt someone. Yes, so logical! Every time I thought, "well, she should take a video of herself so people believe her". Boom! She did. It's the opposite of the feeling you get while watching the heroine of a horror film investigate a suspicious noise. Girl, just leave!
I know I just listed a ton of stuff that I loved about the werewolf aspect of this book, but it really had a deeper focus too. I think that's where the strictly "horror" fans were a bit turned off, but I expected it having already read Cackle and the fact that the blurb mentions that it's a "brilliantly layered portrait of trauma, rage, and vulnerability." I appreciated the underlying message about recovering from past traumas and the resounding effect unaddressed trauma can have on relationships regardless of how well one appears to be doing. Would I have liked a bit more of the gory werewolf scenes? Yes, but I also like that Rachel Harrison gives me a dose of self help along with my horror.
My only complaint is that the main character is just a bit too cool for me. The dry, witty dialog that people are raving about irritated me at times. Don't get me wrong. I appreciated the humor at times, but sometimes I wanted her to dig a bit deeper and let an actual emotion come through without the protection of jokes and sarcasm. Perhaps it was done in an effort to keep the heavier subject matter light, but there wasn't much of a break from it even when dealing with serious issues. Also does Rory actually like anything? Babies, no. Baby showers, definitely no. Small town bars, no. Parties at her best friend's house, ugh do i have to go? Really, Rory, just go to the party and like it.
So, if you're interested in a gory werewolf story that leans more dark comedy than horror then Such Sharp Teeth is for you! I have not read The Returned yet, so I can't say this is Rachel Harrison's best yet but I think it is even better than Cackle. Looking forward to seeing what else she comes up with in the future.
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