Cadáver Exquisito

To practice Spanish, I have picked up this book in the original version. The language is well suited for an apprentice. It is written in present, using simple words, practical vocabulary, and short sentences.

We are thrown into a world where a virus infected all animals with the exception of birds. This virus is lethal to humans, so a choice is made to destroy all animals including livestock, pets and wildlife¹. Although the birds have survived, people are afraid of them, and wear umbrellas all the time so they don’t get shat on.

Inevitably², people start craving meat. And so a lobby pushes the governments worldwide to legalize and institutionalize cannibalism. Crucially eating people remains illegal, so a selected population is turned into cattle.

Our protagonist is Marcos Tejo, a high level executive of a slaughterhouse/refrigeration company. Death of his son and the state of the world pushes him into depression. He finds his job and all people associated with the meat industry despicable, but as he cares for his very ill father and needs money.

Life is devoid of purpose, words have lost their meaning; things just happen.

We discover the details of the special meat industry by following Marcos through his weekly routine. He inspects various parts of the supply chain. Breeding farm, slaughterhouse, meat shop… The story is an increasingly disturbing horror show; eating people alive and grilling infants is introduced in chapter two! It only gets worse from there on.

Everybody but Marcos seems absolutely complacent with the new world order. It becomes normal to hunt humans for sport. Marcos’ sister installs a walk-in fridge and special room to keep live cattle in her apartment. His butcher friend talks about how they needed to adapt the cuts.

First few chapters seem an obvious criticism of the meat processing industry. Replace humans by animals, and you get modern day industrial farming. The next line of thought is criticism of individuals who work in unethical fields, despite knowing that it is morally wrong. Post-modernist would blame the society for forcing this reality upon us³.

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The story takes a different turn when Marcos is gifted a woman from one of his clients. Since he has stopped eating meat (a fact he needs to hide) he does not know what to do with her. Eventually he sleeps with her, impregnates her, and moves her to his house.