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melliedm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A part of me wanted to stay in this narrative for another 200 pages, but it truly does end in a powerful place, leaving us with the questions of what Anisa has observed vs what she has learned.
Graphic: Classism, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Colonisation, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Hate crime, Cannibalism, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Racial slurs
hannahyorkey's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Racism and Death
lilcubana31's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.0
Moderate: Cannibalism
millie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25
my main problem with this book is that the author just doesn't know what it want to be : a thriller? contemporary? scifi? horror? they try to sprinkle a little bit of everything but just ends up not sticking to the wall at all or very clumsily.
i understand the metanarrative of it all and i think it was done very well and effectively, the idea of absorption and consumption pushed to the limits was sort of interesting? however i will say that being in anissa (the mc)'s head was an annoying and pitiful experience and i did not like her which is probably the point but yeah, for a 30-something woman i do find her quite gullible and influencable, doing all of this because of a crush? no thanks.
i just... i am sort of disappointed in a way that i can't seems to explain, except that this book didn't work for me, it may work for other people.
Graphic: Body horror and Cannibalism
Moderate: Death, Racism, and Rape
hazel_oat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Graphic: Cannibalism, Xenophobia, Death, Confinement, Sexual content, and Animal death
Moderate: Violence, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Classism
gardens_and_dragons's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I think this was fascinating look at (some kinds of) translation as a product of colonization and capitalism versus for love of other people. But also, I think that it was fairy predictable based on the themes and dialogue from one of the side characters. I enjoyed it mostly but did drop it down a bit because it meandered quite a bit and the story again, was a bit predictable once I thought about it more.
Graphic: Body horror, Cannibalism, and Sexual content
Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, and Xenophobia
lostinabookishworld's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Cannibalism
Minor: Sexual harassment
thehannahclaire's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Cannibalism and Body horror
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Classism, Colonisation, Gore, Islamophobia, Racism, and Sexism
stellahadz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
This is definitely the kind of book you have to dive deep into, so it might be fun for a book club or reading group. At times it feels like there are just a few too many topics and themes being stuffed into a relatively short book, but Siddiqi's prose is excellent. I'd love to read more of her work.
Graphic: Cannibalism
Moderate: Racism, Classism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Death of parent
beanie_bob's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I read Tender is the Flesh a couple of years ago and honestly, I don’t want to read another cannibalism book. I know as a theme and metaphor the girls are loving it (hello Ethel Caine, Bones and All, and Hannibal TV show) but I am not one of those girls.
Luckily, I think the cannibalism here is not a metaphor for an all consuming love (or whatever the girls are saying on Twitter). I think the characters delude themselves about their actions being justified or even morally superior because they obtained (dubious) consent. They convince themselves that they can live on forever this way. I think this is more or less an exercise in the extremes privelleged people go to not interact with the real problems of today (poverty, inequality, inaccessibility) in order to create a flimsy vision of the future. A future that seems to only benefit them and their circle.
Let’s talk characters
Anisa: if you need a main character to be likable
Naima: The realest one, ride or die, if Naima has 0 fans then I am dead. She is full of life and genuine emotion and reflection. Not academically fetishized enlightenment.
Adam:
Shiba: Cool, mysterious, thoughtful. She seems representational of what Anisa feels like she lacks. But also, she has a life outside of Anisa.
I think this book is messy and imperfect but I think that it gives a lot to ponder by the end. Not black and white moral ponderings (the things that are morally wrong in this book are self evident to me), but thoughts on class, race, gender, language, respect, dignity, consent and privilege.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Colonisation, Racism, Classism, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Islamophobia
Minor: Animal death