Disturbingly good.

Trigger warnings for animal abuse & rape.

Marcos works in one of the processing plants & his good at his job, but he is also dealing with the death of his son, breakdown of his marriage, his fathers ailing health & now a 'head' (woman) has been gifted to him. The story tells how humans are now farmed for meat & the legalities of the process. But the woman gifted to Marcos is now a problem.

This book is disturbing from beginning right up until the very last moment. Is told very well & made me cringe quiet a few times in all the right ways. Stuck with me after I had finished.

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2 people found this helpful

Morbid, Dark, and Kinda Gross

Dystopian nightmare, society at its worst. Don't trust the protagonist. All I will say.

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So weird but worth every second

This book is so detailed and weird. It makes you question so much about societal norms. I would recommend it to everyone.

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Great story, excellent performance

I really enjoyed this book, some descriptions were quite dirsturbing but I was mostly shocked by how realistic the laws and protocols around consuming ‘special meat’ felt. As the cover art suggest, the story really had me wondering if I lived in that world, would I behave any different?

The ending left me feeling somehow shocked yet unsurprised at the same time. A great conclusion for this story.

I think the narration was my favourite audiobook performance of the year. Perfectly suited for the story.

In all I thought this was great book topped of by an excellent by Balderrama.

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Loved it

incredibly gruesome, grotesque and gory, thought provoking . could not stop listening to this one, nor for the faint of heart or of weak stomach

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Different

This is definitely different to anything I've ever read before.
If you are at all squeemish it probably isn't for you.
The only thing I disliked was initially I did struggle knowing which character the narrator was talking about due to the rapid third person.

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A good quick entertaing read.

It wasn’t as disturbing as I thought it would be, (Bones and All definitely succeeded in that regard) the concept was just too outlandish perhaps? It was entertaining though, and the voice actor was great. Female voices a little bit ick but overall great. A relatively short book, resulting in a fast paced story with no messing around.

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Superb Voice Acting

Joseph Balderrama is an incredible voice actor. The best audiobook I've listened to in a long time, perhaps ever.

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Interesting insight

Agustina Bazterrica’s Tender Is the Flesh is a chilling dystopian novel that explores the terrifying consequences of a society where cannibalism has been legalized. In this world, a mysterious virus has made all animal meat toxic, leading governments to regulate and industrialize human meat production. The story follows Marcos, a man who oversees the processing of “special meat” while grappling with his own moral conflict.

Bazterrica crafts a disturbing and thought-provoking narrative that forces readers to confront uncomfortable questions about consumption, morality, and the ease with which people can be conditioned to accept the unthinkable. The novel draws unsettling parallels to real-world history, particularly how societies have justified dehumanization to enable horrific acts.

With sharp prose and an unrelenting tone, Tender Is the Flesh is both a gripping thriller and a social commentary. While the characters are largely unlikable—perhaps intentionally so—this detachment only amplifies the novel’s eerie realism. Readers will find themselves unable to look away, even as the story pushes them into deeply unsettling territory. Dark, provocative, and unforgettable, this novel is a must-read for fans of dystopian fiction who can stomach its brutal vision of humanity.

This keeps it objective while still capturing the novel’s themes and impact. Let me know if you’d like a different approach!

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Near perfection!!!

Wow. I just wish there was more..

Not only one if the best read, well paced novels of the year but the book itself for me — is as wondrous, entertaining, enthralling & captivating as it is jarring.

An experience unlike any other, this is literary excellence in all of its glory!!!

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