Book Review: Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Title: Tender is the Flesh

Author: Agustina Bazterrica

Release Date: November 2017

Rating: 3.5

Synopsis

In a world where a virus has made animal meat inedible, a Transition occurs where human meat has become the replacement. Marcos was a vet and son of a pig slaughterhouse prior to the Transition, now he is the assistant manager to a meat processing plant / tannery where he must scout and purchase heads (what they call the humans used for meat). While struggling with the humanity of the world around him, and what is expected of him in his job, he is also grieving the loss of infant son, Leo, and the estrangement of his wife in her grief. One day, he is given a gift. A pure head. And from there Marcos must reckon with his humanity and morals. 

Review

Just preface, please check the content warnings. I will list a few below at the end of this review but I strongly recommend also checking for yourself. This book is very disturbing, so it’s not for the faint of heart. The author does an amazing job with the writing though, it is so beautifully written. It is both soft and stark. I absolutely loved the tone and writing style. It is pretty detailed and graphic, so also keep in mind that it is pretty gory. This book does make you question humanity, question your own morals, and really just gets you thinking about where you beliefs lie. I think if you don’t mind gore, and can get down to it’s core this is definitely a story worth reading. I did rate it 3.5 out of 5 because I wished the ending was a little more poetic. 

TW: gore, SA, death of a child, death of a parent, grief, murder, cannabalism