“When you’re sad, you cry. When you’re happy, you smile, you laugh. But what do you do when you’re angry? Not just mad, but filled with this ugly, consuming rage?”

Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison follows Rory Morris as she returns to her hometown to provide support for her pregnant twin sister, Scarlett. On the way home from the bar one evening, Rory hits an animal with her car, and is subsequently attacked when she gets out of the car to investigate. She survives, but develops new…quirks. Silver makes her feel sick, and she begins to undergo a horrific transformation each month under the guise of a full moon. Life begins to spin out of control as she attempts to balance providing support to her sister, becoming romantically involved with an old flame, and navigating her new, ever-changing body.

I will be the first to admit that I’ve never been big on werewolf stories. I’ve never found myself particularly interested in seeking out these tales. To the surprise of nobody, I was always Team Edward in my Twilight days. However, when I went to the library last week, I was in a very particular mood. I was pissed off at my body, racked with chronic back pain, and just wanted to indulge in some body horror to help quell my feelings. I figured, what is more horrific than not only being attacked by a werewolf, but then also losing complete control of your body in the aftermath? I took a chance and dipped my toes into a subgenre I typically never touch, and I’m glad I did. This book was not only cathartic to me in my current condition, but it was also an incredibly addicting read.

The women in this book are each suffering in some way. Both of the sisters are struggling with the lack of control over their bodies, Scarlett with her pregnancy and Rory with her lycanthropy. At surface level, it seems like they are in vastly different situations. However, upon closer examination, each of the sisters’ bodies are rapidly changing in ways they can’t anticipate. Neither of them feel like their bodies are their own anymore, that they are now simply vessels for something else entirely. Both sisters are uncomfortable, confused, and scared for their futures. The horror of werewolf stories is not due to the actual creatures themselves but is more so due to the complete lack of bodily autonomy. Though one sister is dealing with natural human changes, while the other faces supernatural changes, in the end each of their fears are real and valid.

This book uses lycanthropy as a great metaphor for unresolved rage and trauma. Rory experienced some abusive situations in her childhood, and she has never properly worked through her trauma. Instead, she’s let her anger and resentment build up over the years. When Rory begins to transform into the beast, it feels like a metaphor for her finally unleashing the rage she’s been bottling up for so many years. The idea of finally being able to let loose and release all of the anger and trauma you’ve been repressing sounds incredibly cathartic, even that release is caused by turning into a werewolf.

Something that caught me by surprise in this story was that Rory never really searches for a cure for her condition. At one point she goes to a paranormal shop to look for “werewolf stuff”, but she never really explicitly pursues trying to cure her lycanthropy. Instead, she simply accepts that she is a werewolf now, and begins working on adjusting her life around this new reality. I found that interesting, as stories like these typically feature characters desperately trying to return to their previous lives. Instead of battling it, Rory almost finds power in her new condition.

Such Sharp Teeth was a very charming and witty story. I absolutely devoured this one, as it was just so interesting watching each of the characters continue on their journeys. This was my first book by Rachel Harrison, and I definitely intend to read more of her work. I think this book also broke my indifference for werewolf stories, as I can already feel myself craving to read more books about people transforming into creatures under the pale moon light.