Teeth in Mock Printz 2026

Sep 11, 2013 Ann rated it it was ok

Shelves: family-relationships, country-small-town, male-relationships, friendship, young-adult, fantasy, coming-of-age, magic, disease, fantastic-creatures

I fully admit that two stars is harsh. I totally get my friends' reasons for appreciating it, and think they're all valid. But I just couldn't get over how much of this book horrified me. (view spoiler) ...more

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Jul 22, 2013 Terri rated it it was ok

While I appreciate a unique concept...While I appreciate a thought-provoking read...While I try to appreciate the latest trends in YA literature...A gay fish book? Sorry. I could not suspend disbelief. There were a few times that I actually laughed out loud at the preposterousness of "Teeth" by Hannah Moskowitz. I will give Moskowitz this - the book has generated widely differing opinions. And any talk is a positive. Right? And the book does appear on some early award potential lists. It just wa While I appreciate a unique concept...While I appreciate a thought-provoking read...While I try to appreciate the latest trends in YA literature...A gay fish book? Sorry. I could not suspend disbelief. There were a few times that I actually laughed out loud at the preposterousness of "Teeth" by Hannah Moskowitz. I will give Moskowitz this - the book has generated widely differing opinions. And any talk is a positive. Right? And the book does appear on some early award potential lists. It just was not for me.

As a last resort move to save their critically sick son/brother, Rudy's family has given up everything to move to a remote island where magic Elki fish supposedly cure the sickest of individuals. Rudy, our first person narrator and protagonist, is lonely for people his age, conversation, touch. While walking on the beach, he spots a horrendous looking boy about his age on the dock, who he quickly realizes is also part fish. When he later saves Fishboy as he is being raped by a fisherman, the two bond and begin to develop a relationship. Eventually, the two call each other brothers, and find themselves torn between their ideals and the reality of their situations.

What bugged me? The constant use of "fuck" and all of its manifestations for really no reason, as well as a plethora of various obscenities. It felt totally gratuitous. I also did not like the horribly dark, hopelessness of the book. The repeated rape of the lonely Fishboy in need of some touch, any touch, was horrific - and it was veiled in the author's use of language. A less than careful reader might even miss what's really happening. Many readers who've reviewed the book have wondered what they just read as a result. In addition, with the exception of the two main characters, Rudy and Daniel/Teeth/Fishboy, we learn little about the characters. Rudy and Daniel, however, are nuanced, multi-layered, and interesting. They are both filled with angst, questions about who they are, conflict, strengths and weaknesses. I did empathize with their loneliness and the no-win aspect of their situations. Finally, the author made the reader work too hard. And, after all of that work, the reader is left scratching his/her head.

"Teeth" is filled with metaphors, an English teacher's dream - though I can only imagine the uproar that would ensue if this book were to be studied in the classroom. I appreciate an author who believes in the intelligence of his or her reader, and doesn't spoon feed him or her. On the other hand, I don't appreciate a YA novel that is dense for density sake. The book would take a special reader - one who is patient, is willing to suspend disbelief, is smart, and is open-minded. And even at that, this is a stretch.

Just my opinion, but "Teeth" crosses the line in too many ways for me. Though mermaids/mermen are hot right now, this is not a book I recommend. ...more

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Aug 21, 2013 Kelsey rated it liked it

Shelves: high-school, fantasy

There's a lot of love going around out there right now for this book, but I thought it was so so. I liked the complicated yet realistic relationship between Rudy and Teeth. Teeth is fully developed and very interesting especially regarding his complicated identity as half-fish, half-human. I was pretty disappointed with the characterization of Teeth's family. Other than his family thinking that he's abnormal, I'm not sure why they disown him and why his mother still cries every week on the day h ...more

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Jul 16, 2013 Sherry Rampey rated it it was amazing

If Rudy had a dollar for every bad thing that has happened in his life recently, he'd be a millionaire. Fortunately, for him, life takes an interesting twist when he meets Teeth.

I really liked this book: 1) Because it dealt with real circumstances 2) Moskowitz added a bit of folklore to spruce up the plot and create a friendship, that strangely was kinda brotherly, and 3) it will make you want to go back and read it again.

What I did not care for was the "f" bomb being dropped constantly. I am ...more

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