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A review by sic_vic
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Wtf did I just read? The author was so detailed and thoughtful with the entire process of cannibalism. This is extremely graphic and detailed. It’s literally an A24 horror film.
<Spoiler> below
The ending messed me up soooo bad. Why did it have to end so abrupt? I wish I found out if the teenagers had the virus. I wonder if he caught the virus when petting the puppies, since he coughs and looks ill at the end of the book.
I saw someone say that his morality changed when he ate meat again. After losing his dad, he had nothing morally keeping him grounded. He was rude to the nurse who was also grieving Marco’s dad’s death. He felt like he didn’t owe her respect anymore because his dad was gone. He could do whatever he wanted, even if he was disgusted with everyone else. He stopped viewing people as people. He was okay with killing scavengers because they were the bottom of the population resorting to cannibalism in a desperate situation. He was okay with poisoning them in revenge for Luis the driver. He was okay with killing Jasmine because his wife came back and now had a son again. His wife didn’t have good morality either, since she was interested in getting more kids out of her. At the end Marcos had nothing keeping him at a disadvantage, so he began accepting the system. What once was cruel and a sacrifice for him, at the end became the benefit and sacrifice of others. Even if their sacrifices weren’t consensual. (As he once stated himself)
<Spoiler> below
The ending messed me up soooo bad. Why did it have to end so abrupt? I wish I found out if the teenagers had the virus. I wonder if he caught the virus when petting the puppies, since he coughs and looks ill at the end of the book.
I saw someone say that his morality changed when he ate meat again. After losing his dad, he had nothing morally keeping him grounded. He was rude to the nurse who was also grieving Marco’s dad’s death. He felt like he didn’t owe her respect anymore because his dad was gone. He could do whatever he wanted, even if he was disgusted with everyone else. He stopped viewing people as people. He was okay with killing scavengers because they were the bottom of the population resorting to cannibalism in a desperate situation. He was okay with poisoning them in revenge for Luis the driver. He was okay with killing Jasmine because his wife came back and now had a son again. His wife didn’t have good morality either, since she was interested in getting more kids out of her. At the end Marcos had nothing keeping him at a disadvantage, so he began accepting the system. What once was cruel and a sacrifice for him, at the end became the benefit and sacrifice of others. Even if their sacrifices weren’t consensual. (As he once stated himself)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Cannibalism, Violence, Sexual content, Physical abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Murder, Gore, Death, Child death, Body horror, and Blood