Scan barcode
queersubtext's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Sexism, Colonisation, and Racism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Cannibalism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Racial slurs
jamiee_f's review
I couldn't motivate myself to finish
I looked up the ending after I met the men who created the center by paying slaves to participate and submit their bodies/souls to the process, because the book was moving too slowly, and it was no longer fun how unlikable all these characters were. I was more interested in understanding the how and why of the process, that's what I was hoping for, but it didn't feel fleshed out enough (no pun intended). I also didn't like the reveal at the end that our main character decided to dedicate her own soul to the Centre. Like...why? It was unsatisfying to me.
I wanted to like it, I wish the ending third did it for me, because the premise was so call and the first two thirds I enjoyed! I would try another work from this author.
Graphic: Classism, Sexual assault, Death, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Slavery
Moderate: Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Terminal illness, Toxic friendship, and Sexism
melliedm's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A part of me wanted to stay in this narrative for another 200 pages, but it truly does end in a powerful place, leaving us with the questions of what Anisa has observed vs what she has learned.
Graphic: Classism, Death, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Colonisation, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Hate crime, Cannibalism, Vomit, Cultural appropriation, and Racial slurs
hazel_oat's review
- 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
1.0
Graphic: Cannibalism, Xenophobia, Death, Confinement, Sexual content, and Animal death
Moderate: Violence, Colonisation, Domestic abuse, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Classism
thehannahclaire's review
- 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
2.5
Graphic: Cannibalism and Body horror
Moderate: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Classism, Colonisation, Gore, Islamophobia, Racism, and Sexism
beanie_bob's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
I read Tender is the Flesh a couple of years ago and honestly, I don’t want to read another cannibalism book. I know as a theme and metaphor the girls are loving it (hello Ethel Caine, Bones and All, and Hannibal TV show) but I am not one of those girls.
Luckily, I think the cannibalism here is not a metaphor for an all consuming love (or whatever the girls are saying on Twitter). I think the characters delude themselves about their actions being justified or even morally superior because they obtained (dubious) consent. They convince themselves that they can live on forever this way. I think this is more or less an exercise in the extremes privelleged people go to not interact with the real problems of today (poverty, inequality, inaccessibility) in order to create a flimsy vision of the future. A future that seems to only benefit them and their circle.
Let’s talk characters
Anisa: if you need a main character to be likable
Naima: The realest one, ride or die, if Naima has 0 fans then I am dead. She is full of life and genuine emotion and reflection. Not academically fetishized enlightenment.
Adam:
Shiba: Cool, mysterious, thoughtful. She seems representational of what Anisa feels like she lacks. But also, she has a life outside of Anisa.
I think this book is messy and imperfect but I think that it gives a lot to ponder by the end. Not black and white moral ponderings (the things that are morally wrong in this book are self evident to me), but thoughts on class, race, gender, language, respect, dignity, consent and privilege.
Graphic: Xenophobia, Colonisation, Racism, Classism, and Cannibalism
Moderate: Islamophobia
Minor: Animal death
zarakoconnor's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Suicide, Racial slurs, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Colonisation, Islamophobia, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Misogyny, Xenophobia, and Medical content
Minor: Cannibalism
emilywemily6's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Grief, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Toxic friendship, Cannibalism, Colonisation, Classism, Cursing, Alcohol, Body horror, and Death
Moderate: Hate crime
Minor: Medical content, Pedophilia, and Drug use
spess's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Classism
Moderate: Racism, Misogyny, Islamophobia, Cannibalism, and Colonisation
Minor: Animal death and Hate crime
albernikolauras's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
The Centre follows Anisa as she finds out about a language school that allows you to master the language in 10 days (for quite a price) and how Anisa's life changes because of it. This book is rich in character study as you follow Anisa into her obsession of becoming a renowned translator. This book drips with discussions on colonialism and its affects on language, people, and their families. I think it handles this discussion on a level that I wished Babel had (disclaimer - I DNFed Babel 30% in so maybe it changed).
Such a fun book with such a complicated character.
Graphic: Death, Cannibalism, Colonisation, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Xenophobia, Classism, and Misogyny