[6] One of Brottman's points in the study is that recounting stories of the horror of the cannibalism taboo—whether through myth, fairy tale, true crime or film—actually strengthens our communal ties.

[5] The first part of this section covers documentaries and art-house films such as Paul Bartel's Eating Raoul (1982) and Peter Greenaway's The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989).

[5] The Headpress Guide to the Counter Culture (2004) points out that Brottman is not condescending to her subject matter, but criticizes the book for its lengthy film synopses.

[6] The Journal of Popular Culture writes that Brottman's theories as to the communal ties created through the horror of the subject of cannibalism are "argued persuasively".

[7] Reviews reprinted at the book's publisher's site include Total Film, which calls Brottman's work, "worryingly exhaustive, [and] hungrily informed," and Terrorizer which writes that the book is "an informed study of both cultural and cinematic cannibalism... [which] combines meticulous research with a fascinating insight into the origins of cannibalism, infamous real-life perpetrators and the celluloid treatment of the subject.