This is without a doubt the most upsetting thing I've ever read. I loved it, I think??

Great commentary on how humans can be fully aware of the suffering they inflict and the warped social norms they participate in, yet continue to carry out atrocious acts anyway without much hesitation. Every character has their unique way of justifying what they do. We as an audience see the moral fallacies in it all, but I think that's simply because the horrors of our reality are a bit more tame than the ones in this book's universe. There are a lot of dystopias that seem far fetched, not this one.

Browsing some of the other posts, I notice that some people are interpreting the ending as a "change of heart" on Marcos' part. I disagree.

I don't believe he ever fully humanized Jasmine. I think any of the love and care he expressed toward her was actually a by-product of the devotion he felt for his unborn child. She was just the carrying case for his ultimate desire.

I think when he originally "enjoys" her (this phrasing made my skin CRAWL!!) he was desperate for any type of physical intimacy because he was so starved of any tenderness in his life. But once he went over that initial hurdle of sexuality he got over that quick. I think he does feel some sort of shame originally when he first domesticates her, but he views his actions as slightly less violent than what he witnesses from other characters so he holds himself on a moral pedestal.

My only question is how they're going to explain that he and his wife miraculously birthed a child, when most characters knew he and the wife hadn't seen each other in what seems like years and the wife was never pregnant. I don't view that as a total plot hole though, I think "turning the other way" is a big thing in this book's world.

Going to look up some vegan recipes now...yeesh!