Book Club: Tender is the Flesh

“Noone can call them humans because that would mean giving them an identity. They call them product, or meat, or food.”

Hey there, YYC! Welcome to Book Club

Books have a way of sparking conversations—and sometimes revolutions. This series is all about highlighting reads that challenge, inspire, and connect to the vegan ethos. Today’s feature is a book so haunting and thought-provoking, it was the tipping point for my mom’s decision to embrace a vegan lifestyle. Shout-out to the incredible team at Monday’s Plant Cafe for recommending Tender Is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica—this book is not just a read, it’s an experience.

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What’s It About?

Tender Is the Flesh imagines a dystopian future where an unexplained virus renders all animal meat unsafe for consumption. Humanity’s solution? Turning to human meat, rebranded as “special meat,” and building an entire industry around it. Yes, it’s as unsettling as it sounds.

The story follows Marcos, a disillusioned worker at a processing plant for human livestock. Grieving the loss of his child and haunted by his role in this gruesome new normal, Marcos lives on autopilot—until he’s gifted a “female” human bred for slaughter. This act forces him to grapple with his own complicity and humanity in a world that’s blurred every moral boundary.

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Why It’s a Must-Read

Bazterrica’s writing is razor-sharp and visceral, pulling you into a world that feels both alien and disturbingly plausible. The book explores chilling themes:

• Dehumanization: What happens when we strip humanity of its value?
• Ethical elasticity: How far will society go to normalize the unthinkable?
• Power structures: Who profits from moral compromise, and who suffers?

The brilliance of Tender Is the Flesh lies in its refusal to moralize. As Bazterrica herself said in a 2020 BBC article, “The books that really impact me are the books that make me question things, not the ones that tell me what to do.” And question things you will—about systems of exploitation, the food industry, and the concept of “personhood”.

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Why It Matters

This book is dark. It’s provocative. And it’s not for everyone. But it’s also the kind of story that lingers in your mind, quietly reshaping your perspective. This book is an excellent primer for the topic of speciesism – the practice of treating members of one species as morally more important than members of another species. For some, this book will provide a catalyst for change—a moment when all those abstract ideas about ethics, compassion, and consumption are challenged on a deep level.

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Join the Conversation

Have you read Tender Is the Flesh? What books have shifted your perspective or challenged your values? Let’s talk in the comments or on social—tag me with your thoughts (@veganinyyc). And if you haven’t read it yet, consider picking up a copy. Fair warning: this one will stick with you long after you turn the last page.

Until next time, stay curious and compassionate. 🌱