Warning: spoiler ahead.

I've just finished reading "Meat" and I found it disturbing.

Joseph D'Lacey is a talented writer and it wasn't his voice that threw me. It was the subject matter of cannibalism.

The subject still haunts my thoughts.

"Meat" is set in a post-apocalyptic society in the small town of Abryne. There is no separation of church and state, and there's a power struggle going on between the parsons and the meat packers. And the boss meat packer is one scary dude.

The main hero fights an internal battle. On the one hand, he despises working in the slaughter house, punishing his body as penance for his wrongs. On the other, his family's survival depends on his remaining complaisant. Should he continue to slaughter the Chosen? Or should he do what he believes is right and cut his family and himself off from this horrific society? His struggle rings true. I couldn't help but wonder how I would respond in such a terrible situation.

Joseph D'Lacey describes the slaughter house in very vivid terms. All five senses are involved and it isn't easy to read, especially when I realized what the Chosen really were. I could picture each stage of the process, and let me tell you it gagged me. That said, I believe it was worth it.

"Meat" is peopled with believable characters. D'Lacey avoids stereotypes. Good is never only good and evil never veers into the ridiculous. I cared what happens to the hero and his family, to the human cattle, and even to one of the parsons.

To sum it up, "Meat" is a contradiction of brutality and compassion. It is a read well worth a little nausea to get to the just and beautiful end. I recommend you read Meat.

Meat
Joseph D'Lacey
Bloody Books (February 21, 2008)
ISBN-10: 1905636156
ISBN-13: 978-1905636150

Reviewed by Sarah Wilson Basore