'Exceptional' Telegraph 'Shocking, sensual and moving... Unfailingly original' The Times The 18th century is drawing to a close, and unrest grips France. Tarare has been born into a life of slender means, but when a sudden act of violence ignites in him a ferocious appetite, his extraordinary abilities to eat make him a marvel throughout the land. Travelling to Paris and beyond, through the heart of the Revolution, he journeys into a world of upheaval and depravity, in which the hunger of one peasant is matched only by the insatiable demands of the people of France. 'A baroque triumph... Unforgettable' Financial Times 'Incredibly impressive... As original as it is refreshing' Irish Times 'A tour de force of sustained, visceral brilliance' Mail on Sunday 'There are few writers who can be truly likened to Hilary Mantel, but Blakemore is one' Observer