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rmnedder's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
What a deeply disturbing little book! Despite its short length, Of Cattle and Men is incredibly atmospheric, full of beautifully done prose (which is a stark and welcome contrast to the casual brutality everywhere). The slow crawl of dread towards the inevitable end is masterfully done. There are some questions I wanted answers to that went unanswered, but I'm not necessarily upset about that!
Come for the abattoir animal horror, stay for the insightful reflections on humanity, morality, and death. As always, read the content warnings.
Come for the abattoir animal horror, stay for the insightful reflections on humanity, morality, and death. As always, read the content warnings.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide and Classism
Minor: Racism
archaicrobin's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
A dark and visceral look at the meat industry through the perspective of a man working in a slaughterhouse as the stun operator. Edgar has compassion for the animals he slaughters and shines a light on the inhumanity of slaughtering animals so the masses can ingest it guilt free with little to no understanding of what must be done to make that burger. As we’ve become more civilized we’ve become more barbaric, and that is shown here in this novel. I’ve been a vegetarian for 20 years and this novel touched on a lot of issues with the meat industry and our current society that I feel everyone should be aware of. Edgar was an excellent narrator for this tale because you see a man that’s good at his job despite his compassion towards the animals and goes above and beyond to ensure they’re treated respectfully even in the stun box. There is so much to say about this novel and its themes and I think it’s one definitely worth a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Vomit, and Classism