Season to Taste - Natalie young

The novel follows Ruth, a middle-aged woman who is struggling with the recent death of her husband, James. Ruth has spent years in a dispassionate marriage and feels little grief over James' passing. However, what begins as a somewhat pragmatic response to her husband's death quickly spirals into something much darker.

After James dies unexpectedly, Ruth finds herself faced with the unthinkable: she decides to cook and eat his body. The decision isn't driven by hunger, but rather a strange compulsion—a way to process her grief and, perhaps, regain some control over her life and the emotions she has long suppressed. Ruth meticulously prepares the body, seasoning and cooking it like any other meal, which allows her to explore her relationship with food, power, and the complexities of her marriage.

As Ruth engages in this act, the novel explores themes of emotional and psychological detachment, as well as Ruth’s growing obsession with the consequences of her actions. Throughout, Ruth reflects on her life with James, the disconnection they shared, and how her unorthodox method of coping forces her to confront the meaning of their marriage and her own desires.

In the process, Ruth starts to question her own sanity, her motivations, and the extent to which she is using her husband's body to make sense of her past. But as the weeks go by, she begins to feel the consequences of her actions in ways she hadn't anticipated—physically, emotionally, and socially.