Tender Is the Flesh
Aug 2020 · Sold by Simon and Schuster
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249 reviews
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224
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About this ebook
THE RUNAWAY NATIONAL BESTSELLER AND INTERNATIONAL SENSATION
Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore.
His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing.
Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.
Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore.
His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how he makes a living. After all, it happened so quickly. First, it was reported that an infectious virus has made all animal meat poisonous to humans. Then governments initiated the “Transition.” Now, eating human meat—“special meat”—is legal. Marcos tries to stick to numbers, consignments, processing.
Then one day he’s given a gift: a live specimen of the finest quality. Though he’s aware that any form of personal contact is forbidden on pain of death, little by little he starts to treat her like a human being. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost—and what might still be saved.
THE RUNAWAY NATIONAL BESTSELLER AND INTERNATIONAL SENSATION
Working at the local processing plant, Marcos is in the business of slaughtering humans—though no one calls them that anymore.
His wife has left him, his father is sinking into dementia, and Marcos tries not to think too hard about how...
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Ratings and reviews
249 reviews
Sarah Lemler
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September 3, 2025
This book was well written from a language and readability standpoint. I could see myself maybe enjoying another book by this author, but not this one. The idea intrigued me but there were just too many holes in the story for it to hold my attention. There were also enough details that didn't jive with how science and meat processing actually work that I just kind of couldn't get into it enough to really care. It seemed just a hair too far outside the suspension of disbelief.
B N
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January 26, 2024
started out intriguing. I was captivated, but in a way someone Is when driving past a bad car crash. you can't help but read this out of some morbid curiosity. halfway through the intrigue falls apart and the novel unravels. I felt like the author had a hard time deciding how to end this. the characters are all awful except the Main character. he's the one person in this book that actually like because he has his humanity still. then the book ends. your left hating everyone in it. it's morbid. dark. ultimately it falls flat on its face though, with no real direction.
Nina Phillips
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August 7, 2026
The premise and the world was such an interesting set-up. I would havr loved if we focused on that more and what lead the world to devolve like it did. The story itself, though, wasn't my favorite. It didn't really seem to have a purpose, and the main character just seemed to go through the motions of life. Idk, I just struggled to see what the point was.
About the author
Agustina Bazterrica was born in Buenos Aires in 1974. She has a degree in art from the University of Buenos Aires, works as a cultural administrator, and has served on the jury for literary competitions such as the Premio Fondo Nacional de las Artes. She writes essays and fiction and has published one short story collection and three novels, including Tender Is the Flesh, which won the Clarín Novel Prize, was a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards, and was named one of the best books of the year by The Washington Post and Vogue. Tender Is the Flesh also became a worldwide bestseller, with more than 600,000 copies sold in the United States alone. Her work has been translated into more than thirty languages and has sold over one million copies worldwide.
Sarah Moses is a Canadian writer and translator of French and Spanish. She has translated work by Latin American authors, including Tomás Downey and Ariana Harwicz, whose novel Die, My Love was longlisted for the International Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize, the Premio Valle Inclán, and the Best Translated Book Award. The Unworthy is the third of Agustina Bazterrica’s books she has translated into English. She is also the author of a collection of short fiction, Strange Water.
Sarah Moses is a Canadian writer and translator of French and Spanish. She has translated work by Latin American authors, including Tomás Downey and Ariana Harwicz, whose novel Die, My Love was longlisted for the International Booker Prize and shortlisted for the Republic of Consciousness Prize, the Premio Valle Inclán, and the Best Translated Book Award. The Unworthy is the third of Agustina Bazterrica’s books she has translated into English. She is also the author of a collection of short fiction, Strange Water.
Agustina Bazterrica was born in Buenos Aires in 1974. She has a degree in art from the University of Buenos Aires, works as a cultural administrator, and has served on the jury for literary competitions such as the Premio Fondo Nacional de las Artes. She writes essays and fiction and has publishe...
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