Baby Teeth, by Zoje Stage

Right out the gate I need to tell you that this won’t be a book everyone will enjoy, but the psychological suspense fan in me absolutely loved it, albeit dark and complex. After reading The Push back in the fall, I knew Baby Teeth would be a great follow-up and I couldn’t have been more right. Baby Teeth is an uncomfortable, horrifying account of a little girl who loves her Daddy and would love nothing more than to see her mommy dead. YIKES. Again, not for everyone!!!!!

This story is told from two different perspectives: Hanna (7-year-old child) and her mom, Suzette. Hanna is manipulative and diabolical and wants her daddy all to herself. Suzette wants nothing more than a relationship with her daughter, but only receives hate and manipulation in return. I mean, what would you do if you had a child who hated you to the core? And on top of that, a spouse who never witnessed your child’s cruelty and was completely blind to their ways?

Baby Teeth is creepy and haunting in all the ways a story like this should be. It’s a classic evil chid trope (think The Omen, The Orphan, The Good Son, etc.). If you’re thinking about having kids, this book might just be the best kind of birth control out there.

I loved the suspense and the way the relationship between Hanna and Suzette progressed through the story. I absolutely hated that dad was so oblivious to everything. This one evoked all the emotions, including horror, and I honestly couldn’t put it down. If you’re a fan of the evil child trope too, I think you’ll love this one.

4 out of 5 stars

TW: dysfunctional mother/child relationship