Tender is the Flesh

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 she haunts Marcos. Her trembling body, and watchful gaze, seem to understand. And soon, he becomes tortured by what has been lost - and what might still be saved.

Bazterrica's writing is ferocious; she has vision and intent. When you least expect it, her narrative hits her target, and leaves you trembling, Bazterrica plunges her readers into a whirlpool of indescribable inhumanity. This book will pull you in, take hold, and not let go until you reach the final page - perhaps far longer than that. Without a doubt, my favourite read of this year, What a compelling, terrible beauty this novel is. My heart was breaking even as my skin was crawling, There's nothing described that isn't done to livestock... grimly engrossing, with a sucker-punch ending. And it may well put you off that bacon sandwich, Sitting comfortably? Not after even the tiniest nibble of this gut-churning, brilliantly realised novel

Agustina Bazterrica is an Argentine novelist and short-story writer. She is a central figure in the Buenos Aires literary scene, co-curating the event series 'Siga al Conejo Blanco' and coordinating reading workshops. She has received several awards for her writing, most notably the prestigious Premio Clarín Novela for her second novel, Tender is the Flesh, which is being translated into 10 languages.

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