Consumed (book)

Consumed is a 2014 novel by Canadian author David Cronenberg. It is Cronenberg's debut novel, following a long and successful career as a filmmaker known for his body horror films.

The novel is a work of speculative fiction that explores themes of sex, technology, identity, and disease. It follows the journey of two photojournalists, Naomi and Nathan, who are investigating strange and disturbing phenomena. Naomi is tracking the story of a French philosopher who may have been cannibalized by his wife, while Nathan is documenting the case of a Hungarian woman with no nipples who believes internal organs are being replaced by 3D-printed ones. Their separate investigations gradually converge, revealing a complex web of interconnected conspiracies and bizarre transformations.

Consumed is characterized by its graphic descriptions of physical decay, surgical procedures, and sexual encounters. Cronenberg employs his signature body horror style to examine the anxieties and possibilities of a world increasingly shaped by technological advancements and mediated experiences. The novel's narrative structure is fragmented and non-linear, reflecting the disorienting and fragmented nature of modern life. The book has generated considerable discussion and debate concerning its explicit content, its exploration of contemporary culture, and its relationship to Cronenberg's filmography. It is often categorized as a work of literary horror or transgressive fiction.