Review: Tender Is the Flesh

Author: Agustina Bazterrica

Started reading: March 10th 2022

Finished the book: March 21st 2022

Pages: 224

Genres: Horror, Fiction, Dystopian

Published: February 6th 2020

Source: Ebook

Goodreads score: 3.91

My score:

Synopsis

It all happened so quickly. First, animals became infected with the virus and their meat became poisonous. Then governments initiated the Transition. Now, 'special meat' – human meat – is legal.

Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans – only no one calls them that. He works with numbers, consignments, processing. One day, he's given a gift to seal a deal: a specimen of the finest quality. He leaves her in his barn, tied up, a problem to be disposed of later.

But the specimen haunts Marcos. Her trembling body, her eyes that watch him, that seem to understand. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost – and what might still be saved…

My thoughts

Thanks to Senna for reading this book with me! I was very curious about this book after reading the synopsis. I think the worldbuilding and the unique storyline is what made me give it 3 stars. The goriness and what the world has become in this book, wasn't all that "fun" to read. The ending didn't wow me, so 3 stars it is.

Pros

• Human: I really like that we follow a person that questions everything other people are doing. He still has to make money, but he is very skeptical about what others do and he questions them and himself every time. Marcos feels very real to me and I love how he's the voice of this book, because he doesn't JUST agree with everything and anything that is happening. He feels like one of the few that didn't lose his morals.
• Thought through: When the world was set up I was blown away about how everything was thought through. Things like a funeral aren't necessary anymore, because people just eat other people when they die. The jobs were really different and fit the world very well. It just felt like animals were replaced by humans; human farms, human breeding centers and processing plants. I hadn't thought about it in that way at all when I started reading.

Cons

• Different choices: I'm not sure if I'd live in this world (and others with me) that you would just start eating humans. And it feels like it went that way in this book. What about vegan food, vegan meat or products based on soy? There are so many good options right now, like tofu or chickpeas. I'm not sure it's all that believable, maybe it would be if you'd have a part of society that just eats vegan.
• Barbaric: What took some of the fun away from me is that this book is very graphic and barbaric and not for people with a weak stomach. I think the book was partly written to shock people and I'm not sure it's for everyone when a book is written like that. For me, it sometimes took away some of the fun. But what do you expect when you read a book about eating humans?!

Overall

Definitely one of the more unique books I've ever read. I loved the plot and the worldbuilding. The fact that eating human meat is just repulsive is what adds to readers curiosity. I think this book would be good if you can handle a bit of gore, if you like to read something provocatieve and if you're curious about this new, dystopian world.

Other opinions on this book

"The novel is horrific, yes, but fascinatingly provocative (and Orwellian) in the way it exposes the lengths society will go to deform language and avoid moral truths."

- Taylor Antrim, Vogue

"Propulsive and deranged, a weird and quick read that strays far enough from our current reality to be utterly engrossing. A book that will stick with you for a long time."

- Thrillist

Thanks for reading!

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