I thought I would really enjoy this one as the synopsis was right up my street. However, I am writing this review a few days after finishing it and I can’t remember enough about it. It felt a lot longer than it needed to be and was quite slow, overall. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers.

Hunger in time of revolution.

A fantasy feel in some ways to this historical story based on real 'gluttons' who ate ridiculous amounts, ridiculous items.

27-year-old Tarare is watched constantly by Sister Perpetue at his bedside. He is dying. He is also an object of intense fascination and horror - the stories about this young man could hardly be believed. He has eaten rats, offal, even a human child.

As is often the case, the doomed man tells his life story to his watcher. And we come to understand both him and his country somewhat through the telling. As he traverses a poverty-laden childhood, a father-replacement smuggler and life-changing injury, an overwhelming and constant hunger that leads him to discover his slight frame can pack in unbelievable amounts of food. To the doctors puzzled by this, who determine how best to use it for the good of all.

Tarare is both sympathetic and pathetic. I didn't feel I liked him, but I did feel sorry for him. But the evocation of the period is also depressing, dark and brutal, and throwing a naive and helpless young man into that mix did feel cruel. He could not win.

The novel's setting does come alive through this story, it's one you are glad to escape from to somewhere with more hope, more joy. The audiobook occasionally felt a little ploddy, I lost concentration a few times but some scenes will stay with me quite vividly.

Such stories will always be fascinating to us, extremes of human capability mixed in with myth. This may be too violent/distasteful for some. Those who liked Perfume and Les Miserables, this may be for you.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample audio copy.

The Glutton was a trip! It was poetic, horrifying and at times heartbreaking. The kind of writing, story telling that will stay with me. I don’t believe I’ve read anything like it before. The novel pulled me in and I hoped to find meaning to why Tarare ended up here. The entire thing was difficult, like a freak show I had to see.
I also listened to the audiobook and it was narrated by Philippe Spall who did an excellent job.
The novel is fitting for a Halloween release.
Quote:
“I am lost on a sea of hunger, blue and black and heaving and full five fathoms deep below and rarely, rarely do I feel anything besides hungry, rarely, rarely does a jolt of feeling or emotion pierce the hide of my hunger, and never, never have I been able to live the life God presumably gave me to live….” -this book
Thanks Scribner and Bolinda Audio via NetGalley.

The writing in this book was absolutely gorgeous, very lyrical and poetic. The characters and places were well written and very descriptive. The story was good although a little gruesome at times it kept me wanting to know more. Quite a slow burn but worth it

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc