A review by bethanyangharads
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

challenging dark sad tense

5.0

In a dystopian future where animal meat is toxic and human meat is legalized, Marcos works in the business of slaughtering humans. When he receives a captive woman as a deal-closing gift, he locks her away, but her fearful presence begins to haunt him. Struggling with guilt, he confronts his role in the brutal system and wonders if redemption is possible. 

Reading Tender is the Flesh by Augustina Bazterrica left me shaken in a way I can’t quite shake off. The premise—a world where humans are farmed for meat—feels uncomfortably possible, especially with the unsettling laws and ethical shifts happening in our own world. The graphic, unromanticized writing doesn’t shy away from the horror, forcing you to face it head-on. It’s twisted, yes, but I found myself unable to look away, haunted by its chilling portrayal of a dark, possible future. I’ll never forget it, but a warning: check the triggers before diving in.