Tender Morsels

Lanagan doesn't pull any punches in the first couple of chapters of this book, it's brutal, but not graphic and it works well to establish the basis for everything that follows.

In subverting fairytale tropes, or in writing the subtext, Tender Morsels is very well done. It bothered me that it asks or presents a whole lot of questions, with almost no answers. That's not to say it's a failing in the book, asking questions is good, but some of them will be on my mind for a while.

Is life actually better than heaven? Lanagan seems pretty clear that it is, as was I before I read this, but I don't see what's so great about their lives in the real world.

Is vengeance better than forgiveness? More satisfying, yes, but is it to be applauded?

Is innocence unmaintainable? How might a woman be different without growing up in fear? And so on, and so forth.

I liked it a lot, I will read it again, and maybe I'll get a few more answers.