Name: Tender Is the Flesh
Rating: 3.730163727959698 (794 reviews)
ISBN: 9781782275572

Agustina María Bazterrica

Everyone's eating human meat. Would you? A vivid, shocking dystopian novel from an Argentinian rising star.

Tender Is the Flesh

Syrina

High Fidelity

Jenn

Amanda Autumn Berrey

Alli

Fayee Magan

There's something about her he'd like to break.

Who eat their domestic head alive, part by part. 

she's a nuisance, this naked woman in his barn.

The only achievement I wish I don’t reach…

Not all of them are grandparents, or will be. They're just seniors, people who have been alive for many years, and per- haps that's their only achievement. 

The blood continues to drip down the table. 

After all, since the world began, we've been eating each other. If not symbolically, then we've been literally gorging on each other.

Many people have naturalized what the media insist on calling the “Transition”. But he hasn’t because he knows that transition is a word that doesn’t convey how quick and ruthless the process was. One word to sum up and classify the unfathomable. An empty word. Change, transformation, shift: synonyms that appear to mean the same thing, though the choice of one over the other speaks to a distinct view of the world.

There’s something admirable in her artificial indifference.

There’s something about her he’d like to break.

And though he wasn’t crying, the tears were there, behind the words he couldn’t say.

Not all of them are grandparents, or will be. They’re just seniors, people who have been alive for many years, and perhaps that’s their only achievement.

His sister’s kids. There are two of them. He thinks that she was never much interested in maternity, that she had her kids because it’s one of the things you’re supposed to do in life, like throwing a party on your fifteenth birthday, getting married,renovating your home and eating meat.

He had to teach her not to feel fear. Fear that was learnt, ingrained, accepted.

She had the human look of a domesticated animal.

tianna

The blood dripping from the arm falls right past the edge of the table, between her lips and his crotch. 

"The mask of apparent calm, of mundane tranquility, of the joy, at once small and bright, of not knowing when this thing I call skin will be ripped off, when this thing I call mouth will lose the flesh that surrounds it, when these things I call eyes will come upon tht black silence of a knife.”

Agustina Bazterrica

Everyone's eating human meat. Would you? 'This book will pull you in, take hold, and not let go until you reach the final page – perhaps far longer than that. Without a doubt, my favourite read of this year' Christina Dalcher, author of VOX 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... Agustina Bazterrica is an Argentinian novelist and short-story writer. She is a central figure in the literary scene of Buenos Aires, where she co-curates the event series 'Siga al Conejo Blanco' and coordinates reading workshops. Agustina has published a short-story collection and two novels, for which she has won several awards. Tender is the Flesh, her second novel, won the prestigious Premio Clarín Novela and has been translated into nine languages and optioned for a TV series.

Tender is the Flesh

leaf

✨ Initial vibe: Unsettling, disgusting and intriguing. 💭 Loved: I absolutely loved the way the process of everything was laid out. Even though it was disgusting, it showed how inhumane humans can be. 🪞 Didn’t love: I got so bored of the zoo scenes. 🌙 Fav Quote: “The human being is the cause of all evil in this world. We are our own virus.” 🍵 Aftertaste: I felt empty and sad and angry.

charlowwe

fascinating disturbing book— never reading again tho

Особое мясо

It is such an exciting book! I wrote this while reading it.

First, I want to discuss how the author describes different aspects using colors, making it so easy to understand. The white walls, white floors, and white clothes feel just like a psychiatric clinic. On the other hand, the green and blue walls in one of the departments signify freedom and grief (forests, grass, etc.). These symbols immediately tell me the true meaning of the situation.

Second, about the dream—I think all the metaphors speak to Marcos's own feelings and mental health. Marcos clearly has a mental illness. I don't know why, but I like this part so much. To be honest, this book completely spellbound me with its dark atmosphere.

OMG, I was so excited about Jasmine's pregnancy. I thought, 

I also really like the phrase or metaphor "all of them are his." It is so good because even though we are all individual people, we share identical emotions, thoughts, and feelings. We have a lot of good and bad qualities, just like everyone else. We are one of millions.

"Here and there, there are babies. He stops and climbs a tree to pick one of the babies, but when he manages to do so and holds the child in his hands, the infant disappears."

That dream, or his losing faculties, teaches us a lesson: if you experience severe stress and constantly think about it, it will haunt you everywhere. Stress just eats away at your brain and consumes so much information. So, I am really sorry for his dad. Also, maybe it is a shot in the dark, but I think the human slaughterhouse wasn't an accident—it mirrors the mental health of the main character.

"He pulls the meat tenderizer he brought from the kitchen out from behind his back and raises his arm. The blow hits its target, not just the forehead, but right in the center of the burned brand."

 would die, or that animals are just animals. A knife in the back from the most important person in your life... It is impossible.

sermon bible

It is such an exciting book! I wrote this while reading it.

First, I want to discuss how the author describes different aspects using colors, making it so easy to understand. The white walls, white floors, and white clothes feel just like a psychiatric clinic. On the other hand, the green and blue walls in one of the departments signify freedom and grief (forests, grass, etc.). These symbols immediately tell me the true meaning of the situation.

Second, about the dream—I think all the metaphors speak to Marcos's own feelings and mental health. Marcos clearly has a mental illness. I don't know why, but I like this part so much. To be honest, this book completely spellbound me with its dark atmosphere.

OMG, I was so excited about Jasmine's pregnancy. I thought, finally, this man will feel happy.

I also really like the phrase or metaphor "all of them are his." It is so good because even though we are all individual people, we share identical emotions, thoughts, and feelings. We have a lot of good and bad qualities, just like everyone else. We are one of millions.

I feel so sorry for his dad.

"Here and there, there are babies. He stops and climbs a tree to pick one of the babies, but when he manages to do so and holds the child in his hands, the infant disappears."

That dream, or his losing faculties, teaches us a lesson: if you experience severe stress and constantly think about it, it will haunt you everywhere. Stress just eats away at your brain and consumes so much information. So, I am really sorry for his dad. Also, maybe it is a shot in the dark, but I think the human slaughterhouse wasn't an accident—it mirrors the mental health of the main character.

"He pulls the meat tenderizer he brought from the kitchen out from behind his back and raises his arm. The blow hits its target, not just the forehead, but right in the center of the burned brand."

WTF?! I thought he would die, or that animals are just animals. A knife in the back from the most important person in your life... It is impossible.



Wow. I couldnt put this book down. It was dark, but unique, and kept me hooked. It’s a book I keep thinking about after I read it. This is my first book diving into the horror genre and it has set the standards high. Many times i thought “what did i just read”. 

Kupkake

grotesque and the ending left me PISSED. its philosophical too bc what even is the distinction between human and animal meat. what makes us so different

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.

thya

Saboroso Cadáver

Bárbara Borba

Interesting thought experiment. Dystopic world looking at the morality issues of overpopulation, old age, medical tests, greed, power, status symbols, rituals ppl socialize with but could actually be harmful, pets, governmental propaganda of viruses for social control and of course food industry. Interesting topics, the novel goes through a lot in a short space. The characters had some moral dilemmas about human consumption, but still corrupted shown at the ending.

Disturbing and uncomfortable in a way that makes you think about the world today 

Riley Lawes

I read this in the original spanish, Cadaver Exquisito. Great descriptions, nice plot, I recommend if people enjoy dystopian societies. Would have been 5 stars if it had given me a longer end, kinda saw it coming and went kinda fast to finish. Couldn’t put it down though.

Valentina Moreno Escobar

erin

now that is a really terrifying horror book. literally throwing up.

Nikol

read this under 24 hours, thoughts have been provoked and flabbergasted

A causa de un virus mortal que afecta a los animales y contagia a los seres humanos, el mundo se ha convertido en un lugar gris, escéptico e inhóspito, y la sociedad se divide entre aquellos que comen y aquellos que son comidos. El Premio Clarín 2017 fue otorgado a esta novela mayor, una sólida y escalofriante pesadilla futurista en la que el canibalismo es legitimado en gran parte del mundo a causa de un virus que afecta a los animales y resulta mortal para los seres humanos. ¿Qué resto de humanismo puede caber cuando los cuerpos de los muertos son cremados para evitar su consumo? ¿En qué lugar queda el vínculo con el otro si, de verdad, somos lo que comemos? En esta despiadada distopía -tan brutal como sutil, tan alegórica como realista-, Agustina Bazterrica inspira, con el poder explosivo de la ficción, sensaciones y debates de suma actualidad. La crítica ha dicho... «Novela mayor, cuya acción transcurre en el interior de una atmófera densa e hipnótica en la que el lector queda atrapado desde las primeras líneas como si fuera uno de sus personajes.» Juan José Millás «Una sólida y escalofriante novela futurista con un inesperado final de cuento. Una alegoría sobre la sociedad caníbal en la que vivimos; un trama sorprendente y bien dosificada, escrita con una prosa afilada como un cuchillo.» Jorge Fernández Díaz «Con un lenguaje directo y despojado, Cadáver Exquisito incursiona en los mecanismos siniestros de una sociedad distópica y caníbal. Las imágenes, tanto repulsivas como fascinantes, se suceden una tras otra y recuerdan por momentos a los cuadros violentos de Francis Bacon y de Carlos Alonso. La novela rodea al lector con una sensación de amenaza al volver visibles algunas prácticas oscuras y normalizadas de la vida cotidiana actual.» Pedro Mairal

Premio Clarín Novela 2017

Cadáver exquisito

Este libro me puso a cuestionarme por horas sobre cuál sería del límite de la humanidad. ¿A qué nivel de crueldad e insensibilidad podemos llegar los humanos si se nos lleva a eso? Agustina Bazterrica hace la pregunta de qué haríamos si los animales ya no pudieran ser utilizados como una fuente de proteína, y la respuesta realmente me revolvió el estómago. Disfruté leer cada capítulo de este libro, aunque hay que admitir que más de uno fue difícil de terminar por los temas que se tratan y por la tranquilidad con la que los personajes los comunican, porque al fin y al cabo esa vida tan trágica es su realidad a la cual la mayoría sienten la necesidad de acostumbrarse con tan de mantener la cordura. El final fue absolutamente desgarrador y definitivamente hizo que perdiera la pizca de esperanza que llegué a sentir por el futuro de la sociedad presentada en este libro, pero este libro es un verdadero imperdible (si estás dispuesta/o a cuestionar tu propia humanidad).

Dani Lupi

I was completely disturbed the entire book. Es una metafora bien intrigante, pero siento que es un tema que se debe discutir. Osea, wow. Lean a su propia discreción. 

Tsu 💙

tash

belle

"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.."--Publisher.

one of those books that makes you think and think and think and think ... gruesome and grotesque, absolutely devoured

plantdad

disturbing and terrifying the more i think about anything in this book

james cao

cannibalism horror— probably would have been better to read in original language. huge commentary on power imbalances and racism , classism, and the commodification of women vs men once people are stripped to the values of their bodies. people would detach themselves from such horrors easily as long as they stay “human”. reminded me a little of the vegetarian , as the entire book is through the pov of a man and takes away any autonomy the women have as they’re all viewed from his perspective (or simply seen as an animal) 

jade shen

🤢 everyone should go vegan idc this shouldn’t happen to animals either🥲🫵🏼

Helena

An extremely disturbing read. Gripping in a very macabre way. I will need time to properly digest this one. 

Steve Collins

im so glad i don't eat meat because this book would have made me physically sick for consuming it recently. crazy story

Tender Is the Flesh

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