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Tender Is the Flesh cover art

Tender Is the Flesh

Written by: Agustina Bazterrica
Narrated by: Joseph Balderrama
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Publisher's Summary

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.

©2017 Agustina Bazterrica. English language translation ©2020 Pushkin Press Limited. Originally published in Argentina in 2017 by Alfaguara as Cadáver Exquisito. All rights reserved. (P)2020 Audible, Ltd. All rights reserved.

What listeners say about Tender Is the Flesh

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    4 out of 5 stars

Unflinchingly ugly

The narrator is a repulsive hypocritical man, and the world it paints is grotesque and perverted. Theres not so much of a traditional plot, as a sequence of interactions which allow you to see a full scope of the consequences of this world, and allows you to compare it to our current society. What 1984 was to the red scare, It feels like this book is to late stage capitalism and the factory farm industry. I found myself going numb to alot of the body horror because its so abundant, and you definitely need a strong stomach. I did enjoy this book and reccomend it to those who are fans of political horror, that being said its disgusting and i never wanna read it again.

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You may or may not regret your experience.

I was never an avid reader in my younger years and it is now clear why. This book will ensnare you, believe me. The narrator is the icing on the cake(understatement). Don't leave this one on the back burner.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

was recommended and told it was very twisted

really wasn't that exciting to me, very predictable and slow going. good narration though. not scary.

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DISTURBING

I like others was not expecting that kind of ending. I thought he loved Yasmine……..

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you're gonna need a strong stomach for this

phenomenal story, great voice work, but man if it doesn't become incredibly uncomfortable every once in a while. loved the ending. loved everything about it.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

hyped book - mediocre story

the performance is really good, I only finished it bc the narrator is amazing. The plot is weak, but it does make you uncomfortable at times. no big deal though.

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Disturbing

This was a fantastic look at a potential reality.
It was a gruesome, heart wrenching read that makes you wonder how far we would go to survive and be happy.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Want a part 2

The story is good, but I guess I would have liked more details. Maybe a sequel? I’d read that too.
I also find myself wishing to hear from a woman protagonist as her experience in this world would be so different from Marcos’.

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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Mal
  • 2021-09-22

A must on speciesism

Brilliant poke at cognitive dissonance. Touches on issues from pandemic, to abattoirs to experimentation. Spoiler: this is reality

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Wow

Definitely a great read, not as gory as some made it out to be. Love the main character, hated him by the end

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1 person found this helpful