A review by emviolet
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

dark sad medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

i heard a lot of great things about this book, and i do think the idea of the overarching metaphor (humans treating certain groups as less than, dehumanizing certain groups to make them seem “animal”, etc) could be really powerful. but…the amount of gruesome, awful images throughout the book are just painful, and there isn’t a lot of actual plot or development or action to make any of it feel justified. it just feels dark and violent for the sake of being dark and violent. i wanted to like it, i really did, and it had a few moments. but i don’t think i could ever recommend this to anyone. 
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