Baby Teeth: A Novel

Zoje Stage did a terrific job creating a despicable character in the protagonist Hanna. I absolutely abhored this evil, freakish child of 7 years old! I feel that her parents, Alex & Suzette, should have sectioned her much earlier than they did. Such as at 4 years old, when she began exhibiting definite signs of psychopathy.This novel was thrilling & spine-tingling.This novel marked Zoje Stage’s successful debut as an author.I was wondering throughout my reading experience, who she would turn out to become as an adult. Having returned “Baby Teeth” to Kindle Unltd, I next picked up the standalone sequel “Dear Hanna”, also via Kindle Unltd. It is here the reader will learn of Hanna’s future as a 23-year old Hanna. I have a feeling Hanna will not be able to contain her true self.Once again: Zoje Stage showed herself to be an author of great potential with her first novel “Baby Teeth”!

I have finally read Zoja Stage’s debut, Baby Teeth, and I’m so glad I did! This is a beautifully written, taut domestic thriller with tinges of such stories as The Omen or The Bad Seed, and while there isn’t anything overtly supernatural about this story, Stage keeps readers wondering just what the hell is wrong with young Hanna Jensen.Suzette and Alex are worried about their seven-year-old daughter Hanna. She refuses to speak (or can’t), and so Suzette insists on all sorts of tests to pinpoint the cause of her silence. Doctors can’t seem to find anything wrong with her, but Suzette knows something isn’t quite right with her daughter. Whenever Hanna and Suzette are together, Hanna misbehaves and refuses to listen to her mother. But when Alex is around, Hanna is the perfect child, sweet and playful and loving. Suzette needs a break and wants to put Hanna in school, but so far she’s been kicked out of every one they’ve tried. Suzette is at her wits’ end and things are only getting worse. And then Hanna speaks—but it’s not what Suzette expected to hear at all.The story alternates between Suzette’s and Hanna’s points of view, so the reader gets to experience what each character is thinking. This format worked great, and I liked how Stage made their voices so different. For whatever reason, Hanna hates her mother and is jealous of the close relationship she has with Alex. Hanna wants Daddy all to herself and Mommy is only getting in the way. So Hanna comes up with various plans to get Mommy out of the picture for good, and it’s truly horrifying to see such premeditation in a seven-year-old child. There are a few scenes that made me cringe, and I was waiting for Hanna to finally get what she deserves.Suzette was such a well drawn character, and she’s the perfect foil for psychopathic Hanna. Suzette has Crohn’s disease and has had it since she was a teenager, and Stage doesn’t flinch when it comes to the details of her illness, including various surgeries, scars, and the day to day trails of the disease. Because her own mother didn’t take her seriously when she got sick, she’s had to deal with it by herself, and this is one reason she’s determined to be a better mother to Hanna and help her through whatever is wrong. Stage does a great job of portraying Suzette as a woman who strives to be perfect but is having a mental breakdown as Hanna’s actions become more and more troubling. Her character reminded me a lot of Rosemary in Rosemary’s Baby, who was also going through something terrible but no one would believe her.For some reason I can see Baby Teeth as a Swedish horror film, set in Sweden with English subtitles. The story takes place in the United States, but it would be easy to switch it over to another country. Alex is Swedish, and Swedish words are sprinkled throughout the story, usually when Alex is speaking to Hanna. Seriously, somebody make this into a movie, I’ll be the first in line to see it!Readers who like solid answers by the end of a book might be disappointed that Stage never really explains what’s wrong with Hanna. As I mentioned before, there are hints that she might be possessed, and I thought that would have been an interesting direction to take. Instead, the author leaves it up to the reader to decide for themselves, although I was a bit frustrated at the open-ended conclusion. The author is publishing a sequel this year (or rather, a stand-alone story that revolves around the same characters), so perhaps she’ll finally explain everything.This was a lot of fun and a quick, fast-paced read. Recommended for readers who enjoy well crafted domestic thrillers, especially those with evil children!

I enjoyed the story, but was disappointed in the ending. Ending left you hanging with no resolve. Maybe they left it that way for a sequel.

Kept me interested to the end. One of those books you can't wait to finish but also hate for it to end. I'm starting the next one now. Hanna seems to be the only one who is a real person, the parents are being what they think is " right". They are actors in their own lives. They appear to be loving and happy when in effect they are hollow and greedy.

Wow! What a book!The GOOD:1. I could not put this book down. The story was so totally engrossing, I read it in one day...in between chores and a million other activities.2. As an RN, I was terribly impressed by the author's familiarity and expertise of Crohn's disease. Her medical knowledge was impressive, although I'm still not entirely certain what role the disease actually played in the book. I kept waiting for it to become clear, but it never really did. It seemed more educational than entertaining.3. While I'd ultimately classify this more as a family drama than a thriller, the characters were so well fleshed out, they felt very real. As a homeschooling mother myself, I could empathize with Suzette's frustrations.The BAD:1. The writing was odd. There were periods and capital letters all throughout the story where there simply shouldn't be. An example--“So … We have to make things better. Between us. I’m sorry if I pushed you too fast. I wish you could understand. School, and how important it is. If we’re together so much and I’m teaching you at home … And what you really need is other people." (page 225 on Kindle)There are so many grammatical errors in those few sentences! It was terribly distracting, and it happened again and again throughout the novel.2. I realize Hanna was supposed to be a 7-year old genius, but her thoughts, and those of her mother, were indistinguishable. Had the chapter headings not identified whose perspective I was reading, I wouldn't have been able to tell. No 7-year old, genius or otherwise, has thought processes like those Hanna was having. Her voice was that of a worldly adult. It was my one main gripe about Baby Teeth.3. Alex's inability to see Hanna for what she truly was was beyond annoying. I honestly felt sorry for Suzette throughout 90% of the book, having to deal with a husband who disregarded her at every turn, and allowed Hanna to undermine her authority. He was a very weak man.The UGLY:1. There is only one point to be made in this category, but I feel it encompasses the essence of the story.For the most part, I found Suzette to be a sympathetic character--she's a woman dealing with a chronic (and potentially body deforming) illness, a husband who disregards and undermines everything she says, a child who hates everything about her and wants to eliminate her from their family, and a career put on the back burner. Yet, there is a sense throughout the novel that Suzette's deepest, darkest, wholeheartedly negative feelings about her child, and motherhood, were made very clear to Hanna during her formative years. Children are very intuitive and can easily pick up on those energies.The conclusion was shocking...at least to the mother in me, but it was very, very well done.And can we just talk about the amazing book cover and even more amazing title for a minute? Because they're both pure perfection.4.25 well-earned stars!

The way the author conveys what is going through a 7 year old psychopaths mind is pretty convincing. The parents emotions are well written and the familial anguish is intense. If you have a child with behavioral issues, I highly suggest a trigger warning!

Read this book in a day because I couldn't put it down. Totally original story and I can only hope there is a second one in the works. Best book I've read in a while.

Amazing book ✨

I could not get enough of this book!Highly recommend to those who love psychological thrillers and creepy horror movies about evil kids. Also for people who aren’t triggered easily by family trauma and psychological problems.Very easy to read and very hard to put down! I hope for a sequel!

This was quite a different book. Not exactly a horror. Certainly had horrible people in it. Thought it was really well written. The story was told through the eyes of mother and daughter. I didn't like either of them. Which made for quite a good read. Amd i loved the end. Something of a twist. Certainly read more from this Author.

It keep me up in my toes during the whole read, but I cannot believe the final, is like the writer just got tired and left the book unfinished.