Book Review: Tender Is the Flesh

I love writing that challenges me. I don’t read it all of the time. In fact, I usually like to sandwich these books between very pleasurable reading (sweet or spicy romance). That’s not to say that I don’t read romance novels that are challenging. Kennedy Ryan and J. L. Seagars have had me journaling and doing inner work as well.

By now, you should have an idea about me that I love a good theme, some tension, and great characterization. If not, you should read my analysis of “The Menu.” It’s about as close to a love letter to a specific genre of horror and fiction that I am willing to get. 

“Horror with a Message.” 

Anyway, enough with the lead up. As the title says, I’m talking about “Tender Is the Flesh” by Agustina Bazterrica. I don’t know if I am just a sucker for a horror novel written by a woman or what, but this one gave me exactly what I enjoyed. 

This book occurs during a post-pandemic time period. The pandemic was caused by a zoonotic virus that affected all animals. Because of this, there are no domesticated animals allowed. That means no pets, no furried companions, and no meat…from animals. In order to maintain a level of order as well as provide a solution for overpopulation and poverty, humans are raised for meat and now known as “Special Meat.” 

People aren’t allowed to view this as cannibalism even though from most of the interactions, everyone knows that this is in fact cannibalism. The humans they are slaughtering are referred to as “head” like cattle. The cuts of meat are given names similar to the names we give to the parts of pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, etc. There's also a lot of “we don’t talk about Bruno” in this story. On top of that, there are people that don’t believe in the virus. There is a theory “conspiracy or founded” that the government invented this virus to control the population. 

Anyway, you actually see on the page how the humans are raised and slaughtered. You even see how the meat is prepared both in a butcher shop and in the home. How much more delightful is it when meat is as fresh as possible because you have a head you are slowly carving up while they are alive? It’s more than a delicacy. This is real life now. Unfortunately, the poverty problem isn’t gone because everyone is not able to afford this “Special Meat” that has the benefit of inspections and stamps of approval. No the poor or “Scavengers” get the poorly maintained, diseased, and in many cases rotten meat. 

Photo by Dr Muhammad Amer on Unsplash

Now, you may be reading at this point and already checking out. How could I read such a book and find it enjoyable? Why would I sit through such a thing? 

Honestly, quite easily. I get to watch videos of adults and children dying at the cost of my tax dollars anytime I want. On top of that, I get to watch people that look like me (I’m Black, in case you were wondering) get killed via state sanctioned violence at least annually. I get to watch this, hear about it, and go about my day and maintain some level of sanity and humanity even though, let’s be honest…I would not be considered a human in this book. I would be head. Let’s also be clear, in years past, I would have been considered head. There are also a lot of people right now, today that would love to treat me as head, but can’t because I won’t allow it while I’m still sentient or alive. There are also people that would sit idly with their hands folded and say they can’t do anything about it. Just like there was in this book. Oh also, the humans they were slaughtering for meat had their vocal cords removed, so they couldn’t talk, scream, cry...all of that.  

So yeah, I not only read and finished the book, I also enjoyed the book. 

This story follows a man named Marcos Tejo as a pretty high up inspector and problem-solver in this industry. I’ve met men like him before. They are pretty impressive and to be quite honest just a little creepy. There are a lot of characters that work in Ag. Some are great people that you know are doing this work because they believe in feeding people. Some are just doing their jobs and collecting a paycheck. Some enjoy their jobs a little too much and can come off a little odd. You can’t put a finger on why they are odd until something happens. Then, you have that “I knew you were a weirdo!” moment. 

Photo by Madie Hamilton on Unsplash

Anyway, Marcos is a married man that is going through a lot in his personal life. He is married, but he and his wife recently lost a child. She left to stay with her mother to grieve. In addition to that, his father has dementia and is in a very expensive nursing facility. He has to pay top dollar to assure that his father’s body isn’t harvested for meat and/or given to the scavengers. He has a sister that is really, really a twit. She does everything she can do to keep up appearances. She is also married and has the dream family of two sons. She also likes to pretend everything is fine even when they aren’t fine. 

We follow Marcos as he goes throughout his days. We get to see his oddly convenient relationship with the neighborhood butcher, Spanel. We also get to see his camaraderie with the men that work at the feedlots and the slaughterhouse. It all seems so normal even though as a reader something in you screams that none of this is normal. I know for me, I recognized the pretense as a grasping at lost humanity. 

I don’t think there is an ounce of humanity left after the “Transition,” but that is just my opinion. There are a lot of attempts to mimic it and recreate it. His sister is the most obvious example of that, but Marcos does it as well and more apparently so in the end. It’s in his excuses and his apathy. It’s in his judgement of others and of himself. It’s in his desire to hold on to things that make him feel something regardless of if it is a good, bad, or right feeling.  

I won’t spoil the ending, but as you experience Marcos actions, thoughts, and feelings it really just solidifies the lack of humanity for me. I predicted the ending about halfway through the book and was correct. Could that be because I’m a writer or because I’m a member of a currently oppressed group? I don’t know, and genuinely, it doesn’t matter. 

Bazterrica captured so much in the large and small details that really drove home this point. Oh…also the lab visit, whew…the Mengele comparison was apt and so timely. We need more books like this that force you to sit in discomfort. I love this type of writing and aim to do the same.

Until next time…Later Babes…

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash