Tender Is the Flesh

This book was good. I am still sitting with that ending. It was sort of what I was expecting, but also much better than what I thought would happen.  

It is a slow start to the book as it spends a lot of time building and explaining what the world has become. There is also a part with some puppies later in the book that I found hard to read. I can see why the author has included it but damn why do that to puppies. The horror of this book comes from what the world has transitioned to and what the people have allowed.

Though out the book it was interesting to read the changes to this society and the process of identifying humans as animals.  

The second part of the book did feel a little rushed which is sad as the second half raised some of the more interesting topics/issues of this world. It’s brought up that the main character helped develop some of the regulations for this system and it left me wanting more time with this line of thinking. I did sometimes wish the author explored more of the impact of this new system on the people.  

This book is thought-provoking but doesn’t focus on right and wrong. There are no real discussions about any of the issues in the book instead we are exposed to increasing horrors. The thoughts and views are left to us to work out and live with.  

I did still enjoy this book as it was brutal and unrelenting.