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Tender Is the Flesh

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Tender Is the Flesh

By: Agustina Bazterrica
Narrated by: Joseph Balderrama
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About this listen

It all happened so quickly. First, animals became infected with the virus and their meat became poisonous. Then, governments initiated the Transition. Now, 'special meat' - human meat - is legal.

Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans, only no one calls them that. He works with numbers, consignments, processing. One day, he's given a gift to seal a deal: a specimen of the finest quality. He leaves her in his barn, tied up, a problem to be disposed of later.

But the specimen haunts Marcos. Her trembling body, her eyes that watch him, that seem to understand. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost - and what might still be saved...

©2020 Agustina Bazterrica (P)2020 Audible, Ltd Dystopian Science Fiction Fiction Scary
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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.

Disturbingly good.

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

So weird but worth every second

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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.


Great story, excellent performance

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Loved the exploration of a world in which eating humans is normalised. Story is well told by the narrator

Stark dystopian fiction

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

Morbid, Dark, and Kinda Gross

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