Teeth (edition 2013)

Just not feeling this one. At all. Will come back to at a later date.

Hannah Moskowitz has been on my radar for years, but only since I started blogging has she become a high priority to acquire, particularly once I discovered Cuddlebuggery. Kat Kennedy has a shrine in her corner of the internet devoted to Hannah Moskowitz, perhaps only slightly smaller than the shrine to Melina Marchetta. Seeing such passion inspired in a reader, I can't help but be curious. Teeth is, without a doubt, one of the weirdest, most unique books I've ever read, and I can see what all the fuss is about.

Moskowitz's writing in Teeth is not of a style that generally appeals to me, but the writing style perfectly dovetails with the mood of the story and the character of Rudy. Jenni of Alluring Reads described the writing as 'choppy,' when we were discussing this book on Twitter. That descriptor really fits perfectly. The choppy writing mimics the cracking ocean and continuous discomfiture of the setting. The breaking waves, the storms, and the gray sky all reflect Rudy's emotional arc, and further reinforce the dark tone of the novel.

My favorite aspect by far is Moskowitz' use of magical realism. Teeth reads and feels like a contemporary novel, but with the twist of these magical fish, which, when eaten, can cure diseases and prolong life. Rudy's family moved to the island in a last-ditch attempt to save the life of his younger brother, who developed cystic fibrosis as a toddler. Unable to obtain a lung transplant, the parents heard about this island with magic fish and gave up their normal life to move to this tiny, weird place in the middle of the ocean.

Rudy, a sullen, sarcastic teenager, resents the move. He misses his friends and normal life, and, even with the fish, he's not sure how much hope there is for his brother. His life now consists solely of watching his brother for improvement, running barefoot (something he does now, perhaps as an attempt to connect with the world around him?), and homeschooling. Most of the people living on the island are old, extending their lives by the consumption of these fish.

The island becomes much more interesting for Rudy on the day he discovers that he is not, in fact, the only teenager. He meets Diana, a beautiful teenage girl, who will not leave her house, and begins to think about the prospect of getting action again. He also meets, more strangely, a fishboy, as in half-boy/half-fish. A freaking mermaid, as if magic fish that can help his brother's lungs are not weird enough.

Without a doubt, Teeth is my favorite mermaid book thus far. Moskowitz' take does not romanticize. Teeth, though he becomes dear to Rudy, could never be described as anything but ugly, at least to human eyes. He's slimy, has webbed hands and sharp fish's teeth. Worst for poor Teeth, he cannot breathe underwater. He breathes oxygen, effectively trapping him by the shore with the humans he hates so much, since, despite his fish half, he cannot just disappear into the open ocean or he will drown. His origin story, though creepy and disgusting, is perfection, with a sort of Greek mythology flair.

Before I read this, I'd heard much made of the GLBT themes in this book. Those really are not the biggest or most important theme, though. What Teeth really delves into is what it means to be human and whether animal lives are worth less than human ones. Teeth really gets the reader to consider these classic questions through a different lens, and I loved this philosophical focus.

Though I did like the characters and very much enjoy their story, I would have liked a bit more character development. Rudy and Teeth are the only ones that were adequately fleshed out. The portrayal of Diana and her mother particularly disappointed me, as I would have liked to find out more about their motivations and really delve into their characters, like if Rudy had managed to get his hands on those journals, perhaps. His parents and little brother, Dylan, lacked personality too, having little existence outside of Dylan's illness.

Teeth is a dark, creepy story, completely unlike anything else I've ever read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who really wants to look at the world in a new light. This will most definitely not be my last Moskowitz novel. ( )

Cover Impressions: I really like the cover of this one. I received an EARC, but I really wish I could see the physical copy. I am rooting for shiny and textured scales.

The Gist: Rudy's brother suffers from Cystic Fibrosis. In an attempt to save his life, the family moves to a remote island that is famed for a special type of fish that can heal and prolong life. Without the excitement of friends and frivolity, Rudy finds himself longing for a companion - and then he finds Teeth, and begins to discover the dark secrets of the island and its inhabitants.

Review:
I requested Teeth because I had heard great things about Gone Gone Gone and it has been sitting on my TBR pile for quiet a while. Those who love Hannah Moskowitz seem to RAVE about her. However, if Teeth is indicative of her writing style, perhaps I best stay away.

I loved the premise for Teeth. The mysterious island with magic fish that could heal and prolong life in otherwise terminal cases, was fascinating. I longed to find out what made the fish so special and what secrets were being hidden by the inhabitants of the island. Unfortunately, much like Rudy, once I began to receive my answers, I wished I had never asked the questions. The setting was interesting, the morality issue that made up much of the first half of the book was thought- provoking. Had the novel continued in this frame of mind, I would have been left much more satisified.

To be honest, I am finding it difficult to write about what bothered me, and that is a testament to how much it bothered me. Teeth involves numerous incidences of rape. We see both a woman raped by a fish, and a mermaid/fishboy raped by men - over and over again. Once this plot point was revealed, I could no longer enjoy the story. Even now, it leaves a sick taste in my mouth to recall the details.

Moskowitz is certainly a writer who can evoke strong emotions in the reader. She is skilled at writing in a way that is raw and heart-wrenching. I do believe that most readers will recognize the beauty that can be found in this story. Teeth is well written, and I can recognize the genius in it - I just didn't like it. I felt like I was watching a car crash - I knew that continuing would result in seeing things that I could never forget but I just could not look away. In the end, I could not get past the pain. I ached for Teeth. I wanted so badly to rescue him and by the last page, I was left feeling sad and empty.

Due to the nature of the rape in this book, as well as the frequent swearing, I would not recommend it for my teenage students.

Teaching/Parental Notes:

Age: AT LEAST 16 and up
Gender: Both
Sex: Kissing, talk of masturbation
Violence: Rape, Physical fighting/abuse, gunplay, murder
Inappropriate Language: LOTS! Fuck, Shit, Slut, Bastard, Bitch, Asshole
Substance Use/Abuse: Smoking ( )

When it comes to TEETH by Hannah Moskowitz, I have really only three words: Magic. Gay. Fish.

I think by this point I’m a Hannah fan for life. I loved the previous two books I’ve read from her and this one was no exception to that love. I will say that this book will most likely not be for everyone, but if you’ve read and liked any of Hannah Moskowitz’s other books or think the synopsis sounds great, then definitely pick it up. Not only is Hannah’s writing amazing, but the characters and plot are wonderful. And guys, when I say the writing is amazing I mean it. The way words and sentences are strung together and flow is beautiful, and you can easily feel the desperation, loneliness, love, friendship and fear that is present in the story. The writing easily lets the characters come alive.

Rudy’s family has moved to a remote island in order to save his sick brother. Why? Because this island is home to a species of fish that has magic properties and can cure any sickness. Rudy hears screams at night that he’s told is just the ocean – but he meets Teeth and realizes that he was hearing screams all along. Rudy jumps off the pages. He’s so smart, loving and caring, both selfless and selfish at the same time, and though he makes lots of good choices he makes some bad ones too. And Teeth – half boy, half fish, Teeth is endearing. He tries so hard to protect the fish from being eaten and likes to pretend things are fine when in reality the fisherman catch him every night and do reprehensible things to him. Honestly, throughout the book I just wanted to give him a hug. He desperately just needs a hug. He’s so innocent but world-weary.

There’s a lot of emotion and depth to this story, with questions of what you would give up or do to keep a loved one safe and what happens when it comes down to family or friends. There are tough situations involving rape, and when to know what’s right or wrong. Teeth has had such a difficult and undeserved life – it’s heartbreaking. The relationships here are all so different as well. It’s interesting to see and explore the dynamics of them. TEETH is an engrossing read and the ending of the book comes quickly and is so resigned and sad. There is a moment that is so abrupt it’s jarring, but fits the situation.

TEETH by Hannah Moskowitz is an impressive, heartbreaking, page-gripping, emotional book. It’s almost hard to place it in a specific genre. I would go with magical contemporary. It is such a showcase of intense important issues twisted with a merman element in Teeth. You will cry with and for these characters and if you’re looking for a perfect happy ending, it’s not to be found. It’s difficult to explain how TEETH reaches out and pulls you in. So many feels to be had in one book and I loved it. ( )

This was the most incredible book I've read in so long. The characters were painfully real, their feelings wrenched at my heart, and I could hear the ocean in my head throughout. I feel almost like I could never read anything again that didn't have that silly, lovely, amazing Fishboy in it. This was such a unique story. ( )