Tender Is the Flesh

Tender Is the Flesh is a dystopian novel by Argentine author Agustina Bazterrica.

Tender Is the Flesh is a dystopian novel by Argentine author Agustina Bazterrica. Originally published in Spanish in 2017 as Cadáver exquisito, it was translated into English by Sarah Moses and published in 2020. The novel depicts a society in which a virus makes animal meat unsafe, leading to legalized cannibalism and industrialized human slaughter.

Plot

The novel follows Marcos, who works in a meat-processing plant in a society where animal meat is no longer safe to eat. As human consumption has been legalized, he becomes increasingly conflicted by the system and by his own losses.

Publication history

Tender Is the Flesh was originally published in Spanish in 2017 under the title Cadáver exquisito. The English translation by Sarah Moses appeared in 2020.

Themes

The novel is commonly discussed as a dystopian work about dehumanization, industrialized violence, and the normalization of cannibalism. Its premise has also been read as a critique of exploitation and food production systems.

Reception

The book received significant attention in English-language publishing and reviews after its 2020 translation. It was described by some sources as prizewinning and widely discussed for its disturbing imagery and social commentary. The novel is available in English in Canada and has been widely discussed in English-language literary media, though it has no specific Canadian setting or subject matter.