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mayhemreading's review against another edition
2.0
What is the hype around this book? Humans are gross and selfish!! … Is this your first day on planet Earth?
The main character needs the electric chair?!
The main character needs the electric chair?!
mayosonnet's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
kate_e_l's review against another edition
4.0
Hauntingly sad. Greatly enjoyed the themes and symbolism.
If you are squeamish or faint of heart, however, I would pass on this.
If you are squeamish or faint of heart, however, I would pass on this.
shebbles's review against another edition
3.0
Dark, twisted, shocking, gross and unreadable at points.
I thought it was a compelling read but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone I love
I thought it was a compelling read but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone I love
berbs's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
alidagodinho's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
sunny_slattery's review against another edition
1.0
This isn't my first rodeo with a society who practises/normalized cannibalism.
Therefore, my opinion might be a bit "harsher" than the ones that you see on booktok or from people who had their first reading experience with cannibalism with this book.
Tender is the Flesh, for me, felt very flat and predictable.
While reading this book I kept thinking "Oh! A new topic is being brought up, cool... Wait, we aren't going to talk about this again?"
Multiples attempts were made throughout this book, and I cannot deny that, however you have barely to no following of a discussion, with these topics.
For example, early in the book, we learn that human skin is being used by a "strange" designer and he wants, absolutely, black skin for his project, we also learn that white people skin's being more valuable. Are we going to discuss why, and talk about even in a cannibalistic society, racism is still involved? The answer is no. It is mentioned that immigrants and poor people have almost disappeared, since the legalization of cannibalism, but it stop there into when it comes to that discussion.
I do understand, and acknowledged, the fact that this book is supposed to represent some sort of society where these practise are normalized. I do get that. But it's just not doing it for me.
Every felt flat. No dimension. Nothing. I am, as a reader, being shown many things about this society but everything feels so detached, and the fact the main character is so detached from his reality does not help at all.
The use of SA/R*ped/grooming against women is gross and unnecessary. I do not care if you disagree on that part. I find it so despicable when authors use these themes to show that their world is so "dark and cruel." (Special mention for the animal abuse, especially with the dogs. Disgusting.)
And the fact that a lot of people over look the grooming/r*pe/SA that the main character did on the female head is so disgusting. Do we have explicit scenes? No, thankfully no. But it doesn't take away from the fact that he actively groomed and abuses a being just for the sake of having a child, because he lost his recently.
Again, I do understand that he's not supposed to be a likeable main character.I genuinely do get that. And yes, it is expected that at some point, that he will do things that I won't agree with. Trust me, I get it. However, I wish people, who review this book, would talk more of the grooming, because not only it is an important topic, it also takes a huge part in the second part of the book.
If he didn't groomed her, she wouldn't be pregnant. Period.
I mentioned this earlier. The story was very predictable, as soon as the female head was offered to the main character, I knew he was to going to abuse her. And when I learn she got pregnant and he kept saying "his baby". And not theirs. I knew he was going to kill her.
Nothing about this book was very challenging.
I almost wish, the author has chosen a diary format for their story, I feel like it would made more sense and would have shown better how normalized all of this is, the absurdity of the government, the hypocrisy of people/meat eater, it would have shown that the main character is conflicted about all of these things and chose, for selfish reasons, to let his morals on the side.
Because the third pov did no justice to all of these. None.
A stronger world building would have been nice to. Yeah.
Also special mention to my physical copy that kept falling apart, I do not know what happened in the warehouse when it was made, but I kept, effortlessly, taking the pages off, they simply did not want to stay in the book.
I never have experienced this before, and tbh, this should have been my first sign to not read this book, because not only the story was not good, I kept being frustrated with the fact that my book was breaking itself apart while I was reading it.
Yeah. Don't waste your time.
Therefore, my opinion might be a bit "harsher" than the ones that you see on booktok or from people who had their first reading experience with cannibalism with this book.
Tender is the Flesh, for me, felt very flat and predictable.
While reading this book I kept thinking "Oh! A new topic is being brought up, cool... Wait, we aren't going to talk about this again?"
Multiples attempts were made throughout this book, and I cannot deny that, however you have barely to no following of a discussion, with these topics.
For example, early in the book, we learn that human skin is being used by a "strange" designer and he wants, absolutely, black skin for his project, we also learn that white people skin's being more valuable. Are we going to discuss why, and talk about even in a cannibalistic society, racism is still involved? The answer is no. It is mentioned that immigrants and poor people have almost disappeared, since the legalization of cannibalism, but it stop there into when it comes to that discussion.
I do understand, and acknowledged, the fact that this book is supposed to represent some sort of society where these practise are normalized. I do get that. But it's just not doing it for me.
Every felt flat. No dimension. Nothing. I am, as a reader, being shown many things about this society but everything feels so detached, and the fact the main character is so detached from his reality does not help at all.
The use of SA/R*ped/grooming against women is gross and unnecessary. I do not care if you disagree on that part. I find it so despicable when authors use these themes to show that their world is so "dark and cruel." (Special mention for the animal abuse, especially with the dogs. Disgusting.)
And the fact that a lot of people over look the grooming/r*pe/SA that the main character did on the female head is so disgusting. Do we have explicit scenes? No, thankfully no. But it doesn't take away from the fact that he actively groomed and abuses a being just for the sake of having a child, because he lost his recently.
Again, I do understand that he's not supposed to be a likeable main character.I genuinely do get that. And yes, it is expected that at some point, that he will do things that I won't agree with. Trust me, I get it. However, I wish people, who review this book, would talk more of the grooming, because not only it is an important topic, it also takes a huge part in the second part of the book.
If he didn't groomed her, she wouldn't be pregnant. Period.
I mentioned this earlier. The story was very predictable, as soon as the female head was offered to the main character, I knew he was to going to abuse her. And when I learn she got pregnant and he kept saying "his baby". And not theirs. I knew he was going to kill her.
Nothing about this book was very challenging.
I almost wish, the author has chosen a diary format for their story, I feel like it would made more sense and would have shown better how normalized all of this is, the absurdity of the government, the hypocrisy of people/meat eater, it would have shown that the main character is conflicted about all of these things and chose, for selfish reasons, to let his morals on the side.
Because the third pov did no justice to all of these. None.
A stronger world building would have been nice to. Yeah.
Also special mention to my physical copy that kept falling apart, I do not know what happened in the warehouse when it was made, but I kept, effortlessly, taking the pages off, they simply did not want to stay in the book.
I never have experienced this before, and tbh, this should have been my first sign to not read this book, because not only the story was not good, I kept being frustrated with the fact that my book was breaking itself apart while I was reading it.
Yeah. Don't waste your time.
msharlotbronte's review against another edition
challenging
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Disturbing apocalyptic story with fantastic writing. The ending surprised me.
daflasek's review against another edition
4.0
W ogóle książka jest bardzo dobrze napisana. Jedna rzecz która mnie denerwowała była to że książka nie była napisana w pierwszej osobie. Po jakimś czasie się przyzwyczaiłam to tego.
Wszystcy mówili jak dobre jest zakończenie tej książki, więc kiedy zbliżałam się końca oczekiwałam jakieś dramatyczne zdradzenie ale co się stało w połowie nie miało sensu. Niby się zakochał w tej Jasmin i widział ją jako człowieka i miał dziecko z nią ale potem ją zabił. Niewiem, moim zdaniem jakieś dziwne, ale nie mówię że jest złe bo jest nawet dobre.
Też są różne sceny które po prostu nie są potrzebne bo do niczego nie dodają. Jak kiedy wtedy on mówi do tego który chce czarną skórę i nigdy od niego nie słyszymy, albo kiedy musiał zatrudnić jednego z dwóch aplikantów i niby wybrał tego który był psychopatem (czy coś takiego) ale potem wszystko jest git i znowu o tym nie slyszymy. Może to jest głupie ale tak mi się wydaje.
Nawet że ma małe elementy które może są do poprawienia, polecam.
4.5/5
Wszystcy mówili jak dobre jest zakończenie tej książki, więc kiedy zbliżałam się końca oczekiwałam jakieś dramatyczne zdradzenie ale co się stało w połowie nie miało sensu. Niby się zakochał w tej Jasmin i widział ją jako człowieka i miał dziecko z nią ale potem ją zabił. Niewiem, moim zdaniem jakieś dziwne, ale nie mówię że jest złe bo jest nawet dobre.
Też są różne sceny które po prostu nie są potrzebne bo do niczego nie dodają. Jak kiedy wtedy on mówi do tego który chce czarną skórę i nigdy od niego nie słyszymy, albo kiedy musiał zatrudnić jednego z dwóch aplikantów i niby wybrał tego który był psychopatem (czy coś takiego) ale potem wszystko jest git i znowu o tym nie slyszymy. Może to jest głupie ale tak mi się wydaje.
Nawet że ma małe elementy które może są do poprawienia, polecam.
4.5/5