I have read disturbing stories in the past, some that are accompanied by intricate artwork (like manga), but nothing compares to Bazterrica’s novel about a society that relies on human flesh to survive. The logic of the story made me question so much, but I had to reel my doubts back in after realizing that I might have been overthinking things.
And yet, there is much to talk about.
About the Book
Tender is the Flesh (2017)
Author: Agustina Bazterrica
Genre(s): Adult, Dystopian, Gore, Horror
Theme(s): Cannibalism, Death, Sex
Trigger(s): Abuse, Cannibalism, (implied) Coercion, Gore, Neglect
Summary
Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans —though no one calls them that anymore.
From Goodreads.com
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.
Review
I give this book 3 out of 5 stars: ⭐⭐⭐
I hope that no one misunderstands my rating; a 3 out of 5 rating does not mean that I did not like the book or that the book is bad. (You can look at my rating scale if you are interested.) Agustina Bazterrica’s story is as interesting as a book about cannibalism can get. The novelized world is a replica of our own; people kill and consume in more ways than one.
The Writing
As I read Bazterrica’s novel, I could not help but question the logic behind cannibalism. It is apparent that in this dystopia, animal meat is tainted by a virus that kills humans. However, the science behind this virus is conflicting given the variety of animals that people consume. (Think fish and cold-blooded creatures…) It is difficult to envision a world where a single virus affects all animals of all species. It is also difficult to believe that people would immediately choose to slaughter humans before choosing more ethical options, like vegan alternatives and the more controversial (and new) lab-grown alternatives.
I will say, though, that my doubts are stemmed by my own overthinking. I just cannot help it. The author does not give enough information about the dystopia anyway. It is known that the story takes place sometime in the future; however, the progression of the virus and the decision to capitalize on human flesh is incredibly vague. There is also no specific setting in the story, so it is hard to make sense of the situation.
Spanish-to-English translations make the writing awkward… I am not a fan of the writing style due to the unnatural dialogues and vague setting. However, I understand that this issue may be expected in translated works. I will say that the characters often speak as if they are selling something. It somewhat fits the premise of the story; the people in this dystopia are convinced that eating human flesh is okay, so whenever they speak, they seem like they are still trying to convince themselves, or are convincing others, to continue the practice.
My dislike of the writing comes from the plot itself, or lack thereof. The first couple of chapters do not move the story anywhere. Instead, readers get many descriptions of the gross practices of the human meat industry and a brief existential crisis from Marcos, the main character. But these things do not do anything for the story. It took me a long time to even consider if there was a plot to the story at all, or if Bazterrica only wrote it to criticize the current meat industry. The book often reminded me of the bizarre anti-meat campaigns that certain animal rights activist groups would share. You might know the ones I am talking about—think nude models in meat packages. And at times, the story reads like a stranger rendition of a Marquis de Sade story, where people are put in compromising and humiliating positions for the gratification of a more privileged few.
The Characters
My impression of the characters were not positive. A lot of the background characters were simply terrible… People who are working in the human meat industry are desensitized to the grotesque practices, but even regular people who are not involved in the industry are cruel for no reason. It seems like Bazterrica paints a narrative that all humans are disgustingly cruel. And that may be true; however, some characters come off as self-righteous for what they do. They justify their actions by convincing themselves and others that they are feeding their communities, or they are blunt about just making a business out of it.
However, there is an abundance of nameless and insignificant characters that are cruel for the hell of it. For instance, the main characters’ (Marcos) niece and nephew make jokes about killing, and cannibalizing him and several teenagers are randomly depicted torturing and killing a litter of puppies. The villainy is apparent, which makes the story more off putting—however, it is off putting for the antagonistic characterization and not just the context of the story. Bazterrica created a world that replicates our reality, but she ruins the realism by making everyone the bad guy when there should not be a bad guy at all.
Cannibalism on its own is disgusting, but the author introduces the concept as a morally-gray issue. Bazterrica suggests that Marcos feels guilty for subjecting people to gross conditions, but he is used to his reality; he justifies his work with the desire to use his earnings for his ailing father. Many of his actions are done because he is emotionally fueled… The story would be more interesting if every character that is introduced were as layered as Marcos or if they served a better purpose. Cannibalism is sensationalized, and these characters are aware of it. However, Bazterrica strips nearly everyone of any sense of humanity. They are like empty shells, which is disappointing because the book explores one of the most inhumane things a person can do to another individual.
I will say that the story benefits from the times when there is a focus on Marcos’ character and not on the gore and other explicit details. Marcos is morally complex; he is plagued by his past, present, and future. He cares for other people, though his methods are questionable and often lead him to dark and violent paths. I commend Bazterrica for writing a character who can be pitied and hated.
The Themes
There are many themes that are sprinkled throughout the story. I only talk about a few in my review.
What influenced my rating to remain 3 out of 5 is the themes. The book is a heavy one. Tough topics like sex, death, and cannibalism are difficult to talk about, let alone explore in a fictional setting. The book is not just an edgy commentary on the meat industry. It is clear that Bazterrica took time to craft a world that is seeped with the worst of humanity.
Cannibalism is the book’s most prominent theme as it is either mentioned or described in every single chapter. But I think that dehumanization is the most explored theme despite the former’s constant presence. Dehumanization works in various ways in the book. The people who have the misfortune of being held in processing facilities are referred to as “studs,” “heads,” or “breeders.” The people that are used for meat are undermined by the short terms their “owners” identify them as. They are also categorized by their meat quality, country of origin, or if they are “purely bred.” There is no addressing the unfortunate by name; they are only identified by their worth as meat products.
Surprisingly, they are still addressed by pronouns or by their sexes. This is similar to how humans may categorize livestock animals or their pets. It is disturbing to read a story about a society that normalizes cannibalism and other human rights violations.
Humanizing is also an explored theme. The author describes a lot of the dehumanization that occurs in this dystopian world, but the main character goes through a period where he shows some pity for the “head” female that El Gringo gifted him. What is interesting about this is that he cares for her the way a person would care for their pet dog or cat; he gives her a home in a barn, he feeds and waters her, and he provides blankets for her when she seems cold. The more interesting aspect of Marco’s character journey is that he names this “head” Jasmine. And although she is finally given some humanity, she is still degraded by him. Marcos holds this woman prisoner; she is seemingly unaware of everything and Marcos takes advantage of her. This adds to Marco’s depravity; he is not a hero and he is not a villain—he is simply not a good person.
Eugenics is only briefly covered in the story, though I think it is worth mentioning. It did not surprise me to see this play out in the story. Cannibalism is not necessarily treated as a racial issue due to the diversity of the so-called “breeders” and “heads.” What is interesting is that in this dystopia, race plays a large role in reproducing, distributing, and slaughtering the humans. The more desirable of the bunch are used as “breeders” and the rest are just sent to slaughter. The author’s word choice also clues readers in on the grotesque practice of breeding. As previously mentioned, the author also makes the choice of addressing individuals by their nationalities or sexes. Those who are unfortunate and are fated to be slaughtered may be bred with others of different ethnic backgrounds. These people are considered “mixed.” Bazterrica suggests that mixed “products,” the cross-bred, are of lower quality when compared to those who are “pure-bred.”
My interpretation of these decisions is that the author is criticizing not only the meat industry, but also the disparities that people may experience due to their races. I will say that the author’s approach is intriguing; she keeps the descriptions of the characters very vague and almost animalistic.
Like death, sex is treated as carnal and taboo; Marcos had sex with a female butcher named Spanel. This decision is made spontaneously while she was still covered in human blood from work. And strangely enough, Spanel, who was once described as someone as detached from life by Marcos, became lively after their encounter. Spanel had finally smiled after criticizing others for smiling. It is an interesting detail to add the sexual encounter between both characters.
Spanel had once mentioned that smiling reveals the shape of one’s skull, and the skull is often the depiction of death. She is a butcher who works with human meat as she is having sex with Marcos, Spanel is walking a fine line between life and death.
On a similar note, sex is treated as a restorative activity. Marcos has sex with Jasmine, the “head” that was gifted to him. Little by little, Jasmine went from seemingly feral to more human-like. By giving her a name, Jasmine can no longer be viewed as livestock. The finale of the book made the disparity between “heads” and other humans much broader when Marcos takes Jasmine away from her baby. Marcos convinces himself that Jasmine is still closer to an animal despite her recent humanization.
‘She had the human look of a domesticated animal.’
Marcos to his wife about Jasmine
Part 2, Chapter 19 of Tender is the Flesh
This reminded me of the Epic of Gilgamesh, in which the wild character, Enkidu, is “tamed” by the sacred prostitute Shamhat. In both stories, the wild characters gain a sense of their humanity through sex and social stimulation. However, Jasmine was always a resource to Marcos; she is a sexual object, a baby-maker, and a literal piece of meat. Jasmine was never truly an equal to her counterpart (unlike Enkidu, who was like a brother to Gilgamesh). I am not sure if Bazterrica had Gilgamesh in mind when writing Marcos’ relationship with Jasmine, but it is something to think about…
If you have reached this section of my review, thank you, Dear Reader, for taking the time to read what I have written. Agustina Bazterrica’s story is a dark one. It is perhaps the most horrific book I have ever read. Despite my complaints of the writing, I did kind of enjoy reading Tender is the Flesh. I think that it is something most lovers of horror and gore will enjoy. I am open to reading more books by Bazterrica or books that are similar to this one. I am open to book suggestions, if you have any.
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