Tender is the Flesh

Written by Agustina Bazterrica

Narrated by Joseph Balderrama

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 gift: 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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Aug 4, 2020
• ISBN: 9781797112671

Agustina Bazterrica

Agustina Bazterrica is an Argentinian novelist and short story writer. She is a central figure in the Buenos Aires literary scene. She won the prestigious Premio Clarin Novela for her second novel, Tender Is the Flesh, which has been translated into twenty-three languages. Several of the stories in Nineteen Claws and a Black Bird have also won awards, including First Prize in the 2004/2005 City of Buenos Aires Awards for Unpublished Stories and First Prize in the Edmundo Valadés Awards for the Latin American Short Story, among others.

Reviews for Tender is the Flesh

[James Porter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great book. I started listening because it was next in my recommended queue and I didn’t have anything else in mind. I was surprised by how engaging it was. Interesting topic with many great subtopics! Totally worth it!

[Jessica Solis · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Shocking , makes you think about our treatment of animals

[Jade Newman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The ending was the best part. What an amazing plot twist

[Ashlyn Heiner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

this was horrific in every way possible what the fuck

[Angela Griner · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A harsh look into the future... and a strong argument for veganism.

[Katrina Angela Valencia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so bleak, graphic, and so vivid and the ending made me feel gutted. As a veterinarian this hit so close to home, I remembered all the farms and the abbatoirs we went to when we were students and I could clearly picture in my head all the imagery in the book, which made the experience even more disturbing for me. I would think about this book, especially that ending, for quite some time that's for sure.

[Rebecca · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book gave me nightmares but I couldn’t put it down.

[Norie · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so grossly accurate it’s gross. I can’t even. I’m not sure what I just read yet I’m very clear on it as well. What in all the world.

[Cynthia Gomez · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is so gruesome. I had no idea what I was listening to when it first started so to jump I to this book and get hit with cannibalism, I was shook. I was going to stop reading a few pages in but I pushed through and I’m glad I did. Really makes you think about life and humanity. It’s very relevant to today’s society, to an extreme. I hope we never get there. Beautifully written and translated

[Lucia Garcia · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It is gory and terrible, but also terrifyingly relatable. I can totally see the world taking this route.
I cannot say for sure which type of person I would be in this world scheme, but I sure can see all those people going about their lives as if nothing terrible is happening.
Marcos strikes me as an ambivalent character that, even though he struggles a lot with the new world order, he still helped set it up and tales advantage of the loop holes for his own benefit.
Due to the nature of this book, I found it terrifying. It was really hard to read on at some points, but totally worth it.

[Alba Machado · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Horror satire science fiction. Genre salad, really. And as thought-provoking as it is chillingly engaging. Reminiscent of Brave New World and Stepford Wives.

[ShaTonya Wooley · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Wow! I’m so shocked that I actually liked this book.

[Leon Adrian · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm sure it is a great book, but I can't get pass the S sounds in this narration. They are so sharp. Like wow...this audio track really needs a de-esser. Assaulting my ears.

[Hope Nesmith · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The best book I will never recommend to anyone. Harrowing thought experiment on the arbitrary boundaries we create that allow us to needleesly exploit other living things.

[Selena Wallace · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I think there is so much behind this book period all the collaborations and metaphors that make Conceptually have a great book. However, nothing happened in this book It's just walking through a man's day-to-day life. Not really my style

[Michelle Koo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Dark. Well done. This will haunt me for a while

[Elaine Lameka · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

This book made me physically sick. I don’t recommend it

[leah hohn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Amazing and captivating! I could not put it down! Really makes you feel as if you are inside of this disturbing reality.

[Ejilrae Espiritu · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Terrible. Shock value trash. The twist had me rolling my eyes. Would not recommend.

[Cindy Glover · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I agree with every review here. I know this book will haunt my thoughts for the rest of my life. Im glad I read it, but I'll never read it again. I would read other works by this author. Side note- I have struggled to eat food in the last week while reading this.

[Amber Pockelé · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Astonishingly gruesome and impossibly crude. Terrifyingly plump storytelling. 5/5 stars.

[trishaley841 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Very disturbing but good read to all the horror fans out there.

[Jas Badyal · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica

This book messed me up. It's a bizarre near dystopian future where humans no longer eat animal meat due to a virus that spread rapidly, causing societal upheaval. Instead, there is a heavily regulated human meat industry. Cannibalism with red tape. The main character works in a slaughterhouse. It's not one to read when you're eating...your stomach will turn.

It's unsettling, disturbing, and the ending is one I will think about for years to come.

Audiobook review:

Narrator Joseph Balderrama brought narration alive and transported you to the narration in the book.

5/5

[Andreea P. · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I don't know how I feel. I have mixed feelings. I am destroyed. I am still processing.

[Marlee Blakeman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jaw dropping, thrilling, disgusting, and moving. This book will stay with you

[lucimarayalab · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

It was a very disturbing yet captivating read. The ending left me with no words..

[17dukej · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was worried that this would be a fast paced splatter novel based on the horrified reviews that I read, but it was a slow burned wound that made me question society. The allegory of meat production was obvious, but I think the horror of man's society crumbling and the class system remaining the same or worse is another horror that is less discussed.

[Denise Keang · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

These people are insane. This world is inside. Omg, how can anyone do thissssss

[Kirsten Atkinson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s kind of a weird book to follow along to but it has an unexpected ending. Overall a good story and a really good narrator!

[eian · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Disturbing, sad, suspenseful everything you look for in a good horror book.