In a dystopian future where a virus has made animal meat poisonous to humans, leading to the consumption of human flesh as a replacement protein source, 'Tender Is the Flesh' by Agustina Bazterrica explores the societal implications and ethical dilemmas that arise from this gruesome practice. The novel follows Marcos Tejo, a man working in a slaughterhouse where humans are processed for consumption, as he navigates through a world where cannibalism has become legal and normalized. The book delves into the detailed descriptions of this new world order, exploring themes of callousness, economic feudalism, and the dark sides of human nature.
The writing style of 'Tender Is the Flesh' is described as chilling, vivid, and thought-provoking, with a focus on world-building and delivering a message rather than character development or plot intricacies. The author, Bazterrica, paints a grim picture of a future society where the boundaries of morality and humanity are blurred, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths about human behavior and societal norms.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers for the book include violence, sexual assault, murder, cannibalism, and animal abuse.
From The Publisher:
Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans-though no one calls them that anymore.
His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the "Transition." Now, eating human meat-"special meat"-is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing.
Then one day he's given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he's aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost-and what might still be saved.
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4 comment(s)
The terse sentences were a good fit, but the story relies very heavily on the 'what if' premise and while it touches on various different issues, it doesn't really go beyond the obvious.
*3.5*
It had interesting themes and a decent narrative, but it was a bit dry, especially stylistically.
It was an engaging story but ended too sharply for this reader. The horror shines best in the world building. Some characters seemed flat. Would've liked more. Still recommend!
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Tender Is the Flesh?
About the Author:
Agustina Bazterrica is an Argentinian novelist and short story writer. She is a central figure in the Buenos Aires literary scene. She has received several awards for her writing, most notably the prestigious Premio Clarin Novela for her second novel, Tender Is the Flesh.
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