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A review by skillyillian
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
what in the deep fried "special" fuck did i just read
it does what it's meant to do, in every way. it's slow going as hell, i spent half of this kinda bored, but the ending is as "oh my god" as people say it is. tbqh a lot of this felt gratuitous. i'm not opposed to gore but the stuff about kids was too much for me, by a lot. that being said, this is basically the handmaid's tale of cannibalism. you could just barely see it happening in extremely specific circumstances, and it's a great statement on the way society is willing to look the other way at the most obscene atrocities as long as we don't have to actually watch it happen. governments, media, the testaments of experts (and "experts"), make up so much of how we view the world, and the author shows that in crystal clear detail. as soon as they say it's fine, we take it at face value and move on, ignoring what's happening behind the curtain. kinda makes you think about what else goes on in plain sight that we turn a blind eye to so that we don't have to openly acknowledge it.
anyway, extra half star for joseph balderrama as a thank you for not gagging in my ears throughout the audiobook
it does what it's meant to do, in every way. it's slow going as hell, i spent half of this kinda bored, but the ending is as "oh my god" as people say it is. tbqh a lot of this felt gratuitous. i'm not opposed to gore but the stuff about kids was too much for me, by a lot. that being said, this is basically the handmaid's tale of cannibalism. you could just barely see it happening in extremely specific circumstances, and it's a great statement on the way society is willing to look the other way at the most obscene atrocities as long as we don't have to actually watch it happen. governments, media, the testaments of experts (and "experts"), make up so much of how we view the world, and the author shows that in crystal clear detail. as soon as they say it's fine, we take it at face value and move on, ignoring what's happening behind the curtain. kinda makes you think about what else goes on in plain sight that we turn a blind eye to so that we don't have to openly acknowledge it.
anyway, extra half star for joseph balderrama as a thank you for not gagging in my ears throughout the audiobook
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Confinement, Death of parent, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Excrement, Grief, Infertility, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Death, Infidelity, Violence, Rape, Trafficking, Alcohol, Blood, Cannibalism, Dementia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gore, Medical content, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Sexual content