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A review by vengefuldime
Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
3.0
While the comparison to factory farming is easy to make, what I was thinking of the most while I read this book was the politics of who gets to be human. If it is only exaggerating the current realities of food, it doesn't feel quite the same, especially as it does not delve very deep into other perspectives within the world. The larger worldbuilding is summarized in order to focus on the personal experiences of the protagonist. Through his eyes, the reader can see the many ways that something terrible can become commonplace. There are no heroes- through power, status, money, vague well-meaning, fear, and taboo desires everyone has some motivation to keep the status quo. The fact that the explanations are flimsy doesn’t seem to matter, and language is twisted to make things a bit more palatable. What is unspoken is distasteful, without even considering the danger of being killed yourself. It becomes very easy to claim that that other group is fundamentally different, and therefore should be treated differently. This translated easily into what kind of person "counts"- but I don't know that it comes across as fully intended. It definitely has intentions that I find interesting, but it feels shallower than I would expect for the topics.
I do like the ending. I was surprised but it makes sense, and wraps up the plot while also showing how little changed. The writing is matter-of-fact and sometimes cold, while the action switches between the many ways the new society is disturbing and the protagonist’s unhappy life. While the reader is never in danger of becoming attached, it is easy to see why he thinks the way that he does. It’s a sad snapshot of dehumanization. It’s hard to read at times (especially concerning children), but there is also a kind of distance from the tragedies- the “heads” are literally voiceless. The simplicity I can see driving people away, as well as the government/shadowy figures conspiracy to fake the disease. It brings up questions rather than diving deeply into the subjects within, and then cuts away.
I do like the ending. I was surprised but it makes sense, and wraps up the plot while also showing how little changed. The writing is matter-of-fact and sometimes cold, while the action switches between the many ways the new society is disturbing and the protagonist’s unhappy life. While the reader is never in danger of becoming attached, it is easy to see why he thinks the way that he does. It’s a sad snapshot of dehumanization. It’s hard to read at times (especially concerning children), but there is also a kind of distance from the tragedies- the “heads” are literally voiceless. The simplicity I can see driving people away, as well as the government/shadowy figures conspiracy to fake the disease. It brings up questions rather than diving deeply into the subjects within, and then cuts away.