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.

This was a great use of French Revolution in the novel, I was invested in what was going on with the characters. A.K. Blakemore does a fantastic job in writing a good historical novel with real characters. It was just as good as the Manningtree Witches and I appreciated getting to read this.

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.