Tender Is the Flesh

This book made me feel disgusted in a way that a book has never made me feel. It was really fascinating, and upsetting, and I'm glad it's over. I'm not a huge fan of the horror genre, so perhaps it wasn't for me. But, as brutal as this book was, and how clearly allegorical it was, it surprisingly did not have a lot to say beyond "imagine what it would be like if we had industrialized meat but made from humans". Maybe it did say something more than that (it did seem to touch on the topic of how we so easily can dehumanize others), but I didn't grasp it. ANYWAY, it was okay, thanks TikTok for the recommendation.

I counted three times during this quick read my jaw dropped because something was just so revolting to think about past the words on the page. Comfortably uncomfortable throughout with impressive meaning to derive and think about long after the last page. Content warning for those who aren't usually into horror lit like myself

This gave me a lot to think about, so I've posted a longform review here.

This book is short. I think that is a good thing. What the book has to is interesting and valuable to think about but it says one thing well and even though the book was short it started to feel long. I was very happy that I finished the book and didn't set it down. I think this would be a good book club book ( with the right people ) or just a book to talk about -- the discussion of the book was better than the book , to me.

Following the spread of a virus that makes animal meat deahtly to humans, society turns to produce "special meat", humans engineered to be eaten. Tender is the Flesh takes you to the frightening daily life of the "meat hunter" of a processing plant, charged with contracts, meat quality etc. The story starts slow but becomes more and more frightening as the pages go and you're unable to let it go until the very end. It left me a deep mark and brought me quite a lot of things to think about.

I THOUGHT HE LOVED HER screams

A revolting dystopia, disturbing and dark, beautifully written.

Every permutation of what would happen if cannibalism became the only option for survival is explored. Can anyone be refined or cultured (the pinnacle of being human) in a world where other humans are bred for meat? What does it mean to be civilized or wild? What connotations does the word “domestic” take on? I’m not entirely sure what the intended message of the book is but there are many possible to choose from, and they are all thought provoking.

All the content warnings for this one. This was tough to get though at some parts, but it masterfully conveyed how ruthless our society can get and much atrocity can be excused when in "crisis".

Horrifying. This book is punishment for my gleeful enjoyment of Korean Pork Belly Rhapsody on Netflix.

À supremely disturbing and horrifying book, but it will be seared into my brain probably forever.