Review: Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

Publication date: November 29th, 2017

Pages: 209

Spice: N/A

Synopsis:

Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans--though no one calls them that anymore.

His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the "Transition." Now, eating human meat--"special meat"--is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing.

Then one day he's given a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he's aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost--and what might still be saved.

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Story: Some of the best stories created by authors are of the variety of situations in the near or distant future that could become a reality. A world where we are forced to consume each other for protein because animals are no longer an option feels like something that could never happen when we think about the world we live in now. However, with the occurrence of Covid is it not possible an illness we never planned for could very easily take over the world with the Government instilling fear and desperation to its people? Agustina Bazterrica managed to harness that breakdown of society in a story that featured a man who seemed to be struggling with the change in societal norms but who was at the forefront of the processing of humans for the meat industry. The story is a series of twists and turns that shows what the world is like in the present time as well as what happened in Marcos life during this change. There has not been a book that has consumed me and spat me back out on the other side of it as thoroughly as Bazterrica's in a long time. I took the book in both hands, shook it as if I could shake out a new ending, and then smacked it like it was a naughty child in need of a spanking. I made threats to my other book friends of tossing the book in the freezer to make it think about what it did to me. But even through all the horror and discomfort the story exhibited I couldn't argue that it was a stellar work of (hopefully) fiction.

Characters: The cast of characters is a motley crew of conundrums. In one respect some of them seem like decent people but in another they are cogs in the machine that promotes the breeding and consumption of human beings. Marcos seems to war with himself and the state of things. He has even taken to not eating meat any longer even as he is as deeply engrossed in the world of human processing as he can get. You can't help but feel for the man. His wife has left him, he has suffered a tragedy, his father is unwell, and his sister only wants to be in his life when it is convenient for her. He seems like he is the type of character that might be able to turn things around. But he is a complex character that you never fully understand until the very end. He was masterfully done by the author as were the rest of the cast.

Writing: The writing was not an obvious translation except in some facets. I did listen to the audiobook and the narrator having a strong Spanish accent actually worked really well with the story. The way that the author took unpalatable circumstances but could portray it in a way that it almost seemed to be understandable is a skill that not many authors have in any language. The verbiage and style created an eerie feel to the text that leaves the reader feeling off-center and a little uncomfortable. This was all by design to encapsulate the reader in a grotesquely horrendous landscape.

Overall: It is very hard for me to put into words how much I mutually hated and loved this book. I don't want to give away too much to ruin the story for any other readers who wish to go on the journey with Bazterrica. I will say that when I went into the book I knew that I would have to take frequent breaks. I was warned that it was not for the light of heart and even with my ability to read more unconventional books, I knew this one might get to me. However, it was utterly and completely addictive. I found myself devouring the book (poor choice of words) in the matter of only a singular day. I couldn't put it down and even after I finally did I had to pick it back up to read the ending again and make sure it hadn't been a figment of my imagination. This book will stay with you and make you uneasy. You will look for signs of your own world starting to collapse and turn to chaos and madness. You may also consider going off meat for a while if not all together. I know I am certainly considering it. But even so, this is a can't miss sort of book.