Reviews

Super graphic and a level of gore that I found difficult to read. Not even the moral codings of the gore that were making it difficult to read, but just the actual descriptions of meat and blood. The translation was also a bit rough, there were some convoluted metaphors and clunky transitions. That being said, I was compelled to read it, hence the high rating.

A lot of reviews I read interpreted it as a meditation on veganism and the morals of animal abuse that we have normalized in society. They criticized the book for the poor, flippant handling of consent and rape. However, I read the entire book as sort of an allegory for rape and the effect of not looking head-on at some of the assault in the book didn’t really take away from that purpose for me because the only POV we are getting is somebody complicit in that rape culture.

I commend the ability of the writer to be able to hide the nature of the main character for so long and make us believe as readers that he was so different than the cloth with which he was made

“Because hatred gives one strength to go on; it maintains the fragile structure, it weaves the threads together so that emptiness doesn't take over everything. He wishes he could hate someone for the death of his son. But who can he blame for a sudden death? He tried to hate God, but he doesn't believe in God. He tried to hate all of humanity for being so fragile and ephemeral, but he couldn't keep it up because hating everyone is the same as hating no one. He also wishes he could break like Ency, but his collapse never comes.“

pyreknows's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

liviluvvvv's review against another edition

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2.0

The intriguing world setting of Tender is the Flesh could have been described in one sentence, or described beautifully in any other fashion than the way he did.

An excuse for writing pain, sorrow, and despair with no substance.

metzli's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

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

moinfemme's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

2.5

kimbermorgan's review against another edition

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2.0

Didn’t hit for me. The main character’s motivations weren’t clear. He was “only in it for his dad’s care”, then we are led to believe he cares about the FPG, but then kills her the moment his absent wife that he seems to no longer care about returns?

I also got lost in the prose quite a bit. I never knew when we were in the present or in a memory. The delineations weren’t super clear to me.

Also I need a much more in depth explanation for why we are eating humans and not just utilizing plant protein.

fi_reads_more's review against another edition

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dark medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

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