This is a fictionalized tale of the infamous Tarare, The Glutton, a tortured young man who lived in France around the time of the French Revolution. The story opens at the end of his life where he is comforted by laudanum chained to a hospital bed. Over the course of the night, his short life (he’s in his twenties) is revealed via confessions, of sorts, to the nun who watches over him while the doctor is summoned. These “flashbacks” recount his birth to an impoverished, unskilled, single mother – thus the humble beginnings of shame and ridicule sets the blueprint for the next two decades. Sadly, Tarare is described as weak-minded, people-pleasing, and overly trusting, so when he leaves home on the cusp of adulthood, the reader is not surprised when he is easily manipulated into becoming a sideshow headliner for a roving band of charlatans and thieves. His unnatural ability to unhinge and extend his jaw allows for him to ingest both organic and inorganic objects and digest most with little discomfort. He is exploited for the amusement of the masses and financial gain:

“In this time Tarare swallows rusty nails and dry bones and rotten cabbage and dead things and things living,
squirming, frightened. Trotters and snouts, sod and corks, snakes and rats, mice white and brown and
throbbing in mute terror as they are dangled by their tails above the mouth, scrabbling their tiny person-like
hands uselessly. And Tarare sees that the crowd that gathers wherever they go indulges this theatre of
horror with screams and shouts and wild widened eyes. Tarare sees that what he gives them is a kind of
pleasure, and that the more appalling the thing he does, the more pleasure he brings them.”

It is not only the hustlers who use him to their benefit; he is also used and abused by the military and medical “professionals.” Tarare’s self-described appetite is more like an insatiable hunger. To the modern reader, he obviously has a mental syndrome and/or physical abnormality that drives him to despicable acts leading to gross ingestion of the unimaginable (in equally unbelievable quantities) without gaining any weight. Sadly he was born centuries too soon to receive the proper care needed to diagnose and treat his condition.

The author writes beautifully and stays true to the tones, phrasing, and language of the era; great historical fiction is woven into the pages. The religious, national and provincial political, and social views are reflected in the encounters Tarare has with the common folk (peasants), religious leaders (priests/nuns), military (soldiers), and edicts from the ruling class (aristocracy).

Trigger warnings are for animal cruelty, lewd/gross and inhumane acts, graphic violence.

Thanks to the publisher, Granta Books, and NetGalley for an opportunity to review.

Blakemore's prose is bold, unflinching, and lingers in your mind long after the final page. A unique and unforgettable reading experience.

The Glutton imagines life of the Great Tarare, a historical figure known for bottomless appetite, in the 18th century France.

The story begins with Tarare being locked up and under watchful eye of a nun. He relates his story to her. It begins in the small village of Tarare, where life is tough. At sixteen, he gets pushed out of the house, and in order to survive, he joins misfits. His limitless appetite is notices and used for a show.

The character of Tarare is wonderfully developed. His story is dark and can move many hearts. What shines through this story is the lyrical prose. However, the poetic descriptions take time to reveal the story.

I believe this book is more for those who are into expressive writing, rather than the story itself.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Glutton.

I've never heard of Tarare before and the premise was so intriguing I was excited my request was approved.

Told by Tarare on his deathbed, the troubled young. man confesses to a young nun how he came to end up in her care.

It's not a pretty story.

It's graphic, disgusting, filthy, and sad so squeamish readers should be aware and prepared.

I know this is the author's fictional account of Tarare, but it's very sad.

The author can write and the research she did shines through.

I also enjoyed the historical and political backdrop of France in the 18th century during which Tarare lived.

But I didn't enjoy the format of the narrative; no quotation marks for dialogue, and long paragraphs with no breaks.

The entire story read like a long summary or recap, long exposition and descriptions.

This is a fascinating and compelling fictional story based on the real Tarare, his story having been lost to history, who had the unfortunate bad luck to be born during a time when his medical condition was not understood.

.K. Blakemore has taken us back to France and given us a glimpse into the strange and unusual life of Tarare, a young boy who lived in the 1700’s and was born to a woman who rented her body to feed herself and her children. Tarare was a real person who was pushed out of his home for making a mistake, by his mother’s latest paramour. As he is beaten and left for dead, but he survives and thus his real adventures begin. At seventeen, he was still a boy and unaware of the world away from his small village.

Tarare wanders with no money and is desperate for food and stumbles upon a band of misfits to take care of him, give him clothes, and food. In his hopeless state and his constant insatiable appetite, Tarare wants to please and starts to perform. His eating becomes a showing, as he downs massive amounts of food, objects, and dead animals to make money. All this happens on the backdrop on the French Revolution as the group heads towards Paris.

Tarare is telling his story to a Sister Perpetue, a nun in a charity hospital as he is chained to a bed in a holding cell. The book proves the author has an extensive vocabulary and a fine imagination. She brings great skill in building the story, even though at times it is rather gruesome and very dark. Her sympathy always lies with this innocent boy, and she draws his many sides so beautifully.

Blakemore really gives us a real sense of life in pre-revolutionary France and Tarare is her great foil. This book is unusual, but the writing, oh how beautiful it is.

The Glutton by A.K. Blakemore is the fictional account of Tarare, a French peasant turned sideshow attraction and spy. While some of the events portrayed in this book are no doubt fictional, the author has clearly done a lot of research into this young man's life, who did indeed live in the 1700s.

Also known as the Bottom Man, Tarare led a rather sad life after being cast out by his stepfather and left to die. Wandering the fields disoriented, he soon runs into a band of con men, who take him in as their companion. Once they find out about his neverending appetite, the men find a way to use this for their monetary gain.

I adored Tarare's bleak journey through life and the gruesome accounts of his appetite. Blakemore is a fantastic author and I can't wait to read more. An easy 5 out of 5 stars.

This story is about Tarare a French peasant. He is born a bastard. His mother decides to become a whore so she can care for him. Tarare is different from all of the other children. They say he is a bit funny. His mother meets a man named Nollet. Nollet has an illegal trade. Tarare makes a huge mistake and Nollet trys to kill him. When Tarare heals from the attack he realizes he has an incredible hunger.
The story is told by Tarare to a nun that has to watch him 24 hours a day. Tarare tells her his life story and about how he deals with his hunger. Tarare's hunger leads him into mania.
The writing is beautiful. I loved reading about the French Revolution and some more interesting history. I also loved how the book was narrated. I didn't however love the book. Tarare comes off as a naive boy/man that is taken advantage of and abused, which he is.... Except when talking to the female nun. When talking to the nun he loves to disgust her and use his vulgarity to scare her. I didn't care for this at all. Throughout the whole book he treats everyone with a certain respect and kindness except for her. I just didn't understand the complete change of character. This book is tedious. I am glad I read it though and I will always remember it.

Tarare is a historical figure that has always fascinated me. Although some of his exploits have probably been exaggerated throughout the ages, it seems indisputable that he had a monstrous appetite. This novel tells his life story from his humble birth to his agonizing death. It reminded me of Perfume by Patrick Susskind with all of its graphic details. Not for the faint of heart as Blakemore spares no details, no matter how foul, but historical fiction fans and people with strong stomachs will find much to (ahem) savor here.

Thank you to Scribner and NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy, which I received in exchange for an honest review.

What a unique story. This was a page-turner. I was flying through the chapters. I absolutely love this genre and this is such a fun addition to it.