With Teeth

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If she's being honest, Sammie Lucas is scared of her son.Working from home in the close quarters of their Florida house, she lives with one wary eye peeled on Samson, a sullen, unk nowable boy who resists her every attempt to bond with him. Uncertain in her own feelings about motherhood, she tries her best - driving, cleaning, cooking, prodding him to finish projects for school - while growing increasingly resentful of Monika, her confident but absent wife. As Samson grows from feral toddler to surly teenager, Sammie's life begins to deteriorate into a mess of unruly behaviour, and her struggle to create a picture-perfect queer family unravels.When her son's hostility finally spills over into physical aggression, Sammie must confront her role in the mess - and the possibility that it will never be clean again. Blending the warmth and wit of Arnett's breakout hit, Mostly Dead Things, with a candid take on queer family dynamics, With Teeth is a thought-provoking portrait of the delicate fabric of family - and the many ways it can be torn apart. Longlisted for the Joyce Carol Oates Prize 2022. Show more