Scan barcode
A review by branwynnemay
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
challenging
dark
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Word to the wise: if you’re an empathetic person, do not just pick this one up.
The bleakness of The Jungle and the unrelenting horror of human nature of Parable of the Sower, The Road and 1984… but without any of the goodness those story’s authors offer the reader to hold on to. After all, to live in this world and be good, one would go insane- just as to read this book and be good, the reader must disassociate and consistently hold counsel with the questions this story begs. How deep is our collective cognitive dissonance that we can eat meat? Why don’t we care more about how our food is raised and slaughtered? What is our relationship to each other, ourselves and nature? If sociopaths have no empathy, what are we, and who do we want to be?
This story was too dark for me, too painful and despairing. It’s honestly the most horrific book I have ever read and I felt traumatized when it was over. The only way I should have read it was in small doses with a large book club who met often to have long discussions and support one another.
But I didn’t. And I’m sorry.
The bleakness of The Jungle and the unrelenting horror of human nature of Parable of the Sower, The Road and 1984… but without any of the goodness those story’s authors offer the reader to hold on to. After all, to live in this world and be good, one would go insane- just as to read this book and be good, the reader must disassociate and consistently hold counsel with the questions this story begs. How deep is our collective cognitive dissonance that we can eat meat? Why don’t we care more about how our food is raised and slaughtered? What is our relationship to each other, ourselves and nature? If sociopaths have no empathy, what are we, and who do we want to be?
This story was too dark for me, too painful and despairing. It’s honestly the most horrific book I have ever read and I felt traumatized when it was over. The only way I should have read it was in small doses with a large book club who met often to have long discussions and support one another.
But I didn’t. And I’m sorry.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Excrement, Fatphobia, Body horror, Child death, Classism, Death of parent, Gore, Infertility, Animal death, Blood, Child abuse, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Dementia, Dysphoria, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Suicide, Torture, Trafficking, and Violence
Graphic, gore, traumatizing, horrific, despairing