I'm grateful for NetGalley and Fantagraphics for providing me an ARC of this book. It's a beautiful piece with wonderful art, and a well written story. It's haunting, at moments disturbing, but in the end memorable and has a lot to go back to. I've been looking forward to reading this book after seeing the earliest news from Fantagraphics about the upcoming release. Without saying much I'll provide a brief synopsis. A young couple are looking into starting a family, and our protagonist will stop at nothing for this next chapter in her life to take place. Evokes memories of Rosemary's Baby to me, but without the satanist group and complete feeling of isolation or dread. That feeling is still there at times, but not as overwhelming like in Ira Levin's book. Tender will be a graphic novel worth a lot of analysis and further discussion amongst readers and alternative comic fans alike.

This book will give you all the feelings. It's incredibly unique and creepy. The story was a psychological journey and one that at times was emotionally exhausting but so well written and illustrated.

Thank you Netgalley and Fantagraphics for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tender by Beth Hetland is a psychological, creepy, and a unique graphic novel. We will follow Carolanne, who is desperate and obsessed to have a perfect and curated life (or at least, to make it look perfect on the outside). Seeing her friend's happy life in social media pressured her to have the same life and control the uncontrollable. After a while, she got what she hoped for. A happy lovelife, got married afterwards, and later on, became pregnant. But when things go south, that's when the story becomes horrifying and dark. Her baby died (my heart ached for her), and her husband, which supposedly her support system left her and threw her off the bus made her snapped to the fullest. Her husband is sick for doing that and his therapist is sicker for suggesting divorce as a way to move forward. And as a result, Carolanne's degenerating mental health came up to a point that the story shifted and transformed to body horror. She lied to her friends that she's pregnant and at home, it's really disturbing to see her putting lines on her pregnancy tests to make herself believe that she's expecting a child. And don't me started with peeling off her flesh to cook and eat. It's really disturbing and traumatic. It left me flabbergasted.

Honestly, what really caught my attention was the book cover. Damn that piece of meat convinced me that I will enjoy reading this graphic novel and it did not disappoint! But trigger warning that this novel have heavy and sensitive contents such as: self-harm, depression, miscarriage, and animal cruelty to name a few. It's heartbreaking for me to see Carolanne's mental decline towards the end and Hetland's artwork vividly portrayed that. The imagery is too graphic that it made my skin crawl (which I think, was rather effective). It realistically and vividly portrayed how grief can eat you alive. And when I finished reading this, I stared into nothingness for quite some time, digesting what I just read. It's thought-provoking, fearless, compelling, and I was stunned.

If you want gory, fast-read and thought-provoking graphic novel, this is perfect for you.

Tender by Beth Hetland will be published on March 12, 2024.

3.75 stars.

First, I would love to see the physical copy of this. As glad as I am to have received an ARC, graphic novels always hit better when you have the hard version in front of you and get to take it in as it was meant to be seen.

Second, this was SAD! Multiple times I felt overwhelmed by the intense & ordinary sadness (check the trigger warnings, to get more specific would be a spoiler). Not only was it sad it was also disturbing. You could feel the main character slowly losing her shit, and you are not prepared for how far it goes.
The ending just had me sitting there staring into the void like 👁️👄👁️


Thanks for this ARC!

actual rating: 3.5/5 stars

tender follows carolanne, a woman fixated on the pursuit of an ideal existence: a flawless wedding, a perfect husband, and a curated family. as she meticulously plays her various roles, manipulating those around her to fit her vision, her desperate need for controlcauses her to unravel. when faced with uncontrollable circumstances and a devastating loss, carolanne's descent into madness takes a horrifying turn as she engages in self-harm, consuming fragments of her own flesh in a desperate attempt to regain control.

the art is the main selling point of this graphic novel. the art has an interplay of colors which intensifies the more nightmarish scenes, effectively capturing the emotional turmoil within. however, the story itself tends to lean towards the straightforward, allowing the bold art to shine while falling short in fully exploring the complex themes promised by the novel's description.

the graphic novel challenges traditional body horror norms by presenting a female perspective on self-sacrifice, societal expectations, and the consequences of relentless pursuit of an unattainable ideal. while trying to have a in-depth exploration of these themes, the narrative fell short in delivering a comprehensive and nuanced discussion of these subjects. the graphic novel touched upon the psychological toll of societal pressures and the protagonist's descent into madness, but the depth of exploration into these themes remained somewhat superficial.

thank you to fantagraphics books and netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Fantagraphics for a copy of Tender!

Imagine planning the perfect wedding, perfect marriage, perfect family, perfect life. But, well of course, none of that comes true - so what do you do when nothing goes to plan? Well for our main character Carolanne, she decides to have rituals like eating pieces of herself. This graphic novel has body horror and visuals that'll make your skin crawl. It's heartbreaking, heavy, and will make you go "wtf was that". :)

I was not sure what to expect with this graphic novel but I think I liked it, although disturbing. The imagery is well done and I liked the use of color. I think this book does a great job showing what the pressures of society to appear like everyone else does. Probably 3.75 stars, I would have liked a bit more meat to the novel.

I'm forever a sucker for feminine rage stories and this one was just unsettling enough without there being any scenes simply for the shock value and just tense enough to keep me engaged. There are certainly some graphic images throughout that made me uncomfortable, but that's body horror done right. The time jumps were a bit confusing for the story, especially in the beginning, and the time cards in between didn't help, but overall this was a freaky little insight into the brain of a woman who feels the need to control her life or else it won't turn out the way she needs.

4.5/5

Super duper disturbing, with very peculiar art and coloring.
I got sucked up into this world of expectations and time seemed so have stopped while I was reading it.

I got super invested, mainly thanks to the story that was super smooth.
This sense of quotidianity mixed with thriller and horror vibes, was the perfect mix to create this twisted graphic novel. All seemed normal at first, simply following the life of a couple.
Then we slowly discover that things are not always as easy as they seem and that it's easy to fall into a tunnel of no return.

Tragedies, very strong experiences and expectations can change people, but not always they decide to let it show.
And this is exactly what happens here. We follow and watch Carolanne falling into this dark and twisted abyss.

I definitely was not prepared for the impact that this book would have on me when I started reading - but wow. My reading experience with Tender by Beth Hetland was visceral and disturbing, exactly what I want when I’m reading horror.

Dark, twisted, and full of excellent artwork, Tender was an interesting take on what womanhood, motherhood, and living the prescribed happy life can actually be. I loved the use of warm, vibrant colors (especially when red showed up to create drama) and especially the pages with small panels to illustrate emotional experiences - both real and perceived. The writing, especially the dialogue between characters, had nice flow and meshed well with the art.

This is not a piece that I would recommend that anyone approach blindly due to the content.

Thank you to Netgalley, Fantagraphics Books, and Beth Hetland for the opportunity to access Tender as an arc.

Carolanne wanted a perfect wedding, a perfect husband, a perfect family. Her desire to control the uncontrollable ultimately becomes her undoing, because when things don't go her way, she exerts dominance over the one thing she does have total control over: her body.

I am not a grahoc novel girlie, but when I kept seeing Tender on so many lists of most anticipated releases of 2024, I just had to check it out.

I definitely connected with this graphic horror novel a lot more than with other graphic novels I had read before. The topics explored are familiar to me, which made the book very accessible to me.

It's very graphic (haha, I know it's a graphic novel lol) and disturbing, but ultimately left me wanting a little bit more. It felt at times quite static - but maybe that again is me struggling with this format in general.

Thank You to Fantagraphics, NetGalley, and Beth Hetland for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

This story was dark while incredibly deep, highlighting important issues women face; body dysmorphia, the need to present perfectly to others, how social media creates a warped sense of reality, the monotony of repeated expectations in order to make your partner happy, the putting on a good face so someone doesn't feel the weight of your struggles, how grief consumes us; I'm impressed, the artwork only adding to the beauty and horror. The fact Beth is from Chicago adds a little extra love on my behalf as well.

Carolanne feels trapped by what society says is the perfect life for a woman. When it doesn't happen naturally, she tries to force it to the point of getting pregnant. Something else she "isn't good at". Rejection leads to deep depression and spiral of shelf harm. There isn't anyone to help as she has pushed them all away for various reasons in her pursuit of the perfect life.
VERDICT Several triggers. Best suited for adult libraries that appreciate dark content.

Thank you, NetGalley and Fantagraphics Books, for the chance to read and review Tender by Beth Hetland.

Tender is Beth Hetland's debut graphic novel. It follows the story of a woman so consumed with the desire for a perfect life that she slowly has a nervous breakdown and starts eating her own flesh. At least, that's what the blurb says.

Tender is more the story of a woman let down by the support systems around her, who has a nervous breakdown because she's literally had a miscarriage, and her husband goes to therapy himself but doesn't care enough to make her go.

After this, we have some spoilers, so read at your own risk.

Carolanne (our main character) has a monotonous life, but a life nonetheless. She has a cat, friends, and a job, and while she doesn't have a partner and child, she's doing okay. Lonely and fearful of the world moving on and her without these things, but that's a sort of fear that's been programmed into women. We're supposed to be off the shelf by 25 and there is something wrong with us if we aren't.

Then you see Carolanne with a partner, a man who seems sweet but also seemed slightly off to me. For instance, the breakdown at Taylor's wedding about how Carolanne appears to be obsessed with marriage was a red flag, unless there was something that the author hadn't shown us? The weird way in which he goes to therapy but doesn't take her. There don't seem to be any follow-up visits for her either. The way he leaves without really trying to help her recover. She is in a terrible place with how she talks about trying again after 90 days as if the first thing hadn't happened.

The chapters where her nervous breakdown is complete, where she's literally eating herself were drawn very differently. I loved that Beth used art to show us how Carolanne was doing internally!

Overall, 4 out of 5 stars!

A psychological thriller about a woman obsessed with her vision for a picture-perfect, curated life.

Great writing and great art! Great!

Carolanne is constantly keeping up with the digital Joneses. She sees her peers who “have it all” online, and eventually it takes a turn for the better when she starts to date someone from her office, Lee, and they marry. There are some troubling red flags that Carol Anne uses to with deal with her partner, and her own emotions.

TENDER is a dark, psychological horror currently taking place in thousands of homes. If one does not learn to be happy with what they have, it’s enough of drive you the edge of sanity. Comparison is the thief of joy! I don’t think Carolanne has learned this life lesson. TENDER showcases dangerous female rage that will consume and destroy if left unattended.
I loved this read as a mother to a toddler, as a person in the workforce and as a woman of a certain age. I see these tendencies all the time, and it’s super easy to slip under. TENDER is a cautionary tale.

Thank you #NetGalley for this advanced reading ebook copy of #Tender by Beth Hetland in exchange for my honest review.

This book is really sad. It grapples with issues of mental health, death, grief, and societal expectations of women. I love that the author/illustrator uses just three colors throughout the whole graphic novel. I think it adds to the intrigue and makes the pink elements stand out more and kind of makes you stop and think about the images that are made to stand out. I think this was well done and I’m giving it three stars because the content was a little upsetting to me.

I finished reading it super fast, because I found this graphic novel very different from all the ones I've read before.
Thank you Netgallery, the publisher and the author for allowing me the opportunity to read it.
"Tender is a powerful and thoughtful graphic novel that explores gender roles and societal expectations for women through the genre of body horror. The story follows Carolanne, a woman obsessed with having a perfect, curated life, who ends up losing control over her own body.
Beth Hetland, the author and illustrator of this work, uses body horror to critique the social pressures often placed on women to be "perfect" in all aspects of their lives. The protagonist, Carolanne, is a complex and well-developed character, and her story makes us reflect on the roles we adopt and the expectations we impose on ourselves.
The narrative is taut and absorbing, and the illustrations are striking and moving. "Tender is a work that will stay with you long after you have read it, and is a must for fans of psychological horror and thoughtful comics.

UM, HELLO, THAT WAS CRAZY!!!!!

This was my first ever graphic novel/comic set, and I am in love. Beth Hetland is so talented, and I am so thankful to Netgalley, Fantagraphics, and the lovely illustrator and author for granting me advanced digital access before this twisty psychological horror comes out on March 12, 2024.

Carolanne is obsessed with gaining control, and as a single working cat-mom, she finds she's unhappy with her life and wants to change it. She begins obsessively stalking her friends' lives via social media and even going so far as to fantasize over her cube mate, a man she's never met, clipping out social media images of him for her memories scrapbook as if it were real. Fate has its way, and the two eventually do meet IRL and form a relationship, but in Carolanne's eyes, it's never good enough or as good as what other people have.

The two eventually marry and start trying for a baby but are unsuccessful and struggle through a miscarriage. This sends our wife into a SPRIAL, more than ever before, and her obsessive tics come back, craving routine and another go at childbearing. Lee, the husband, is more than done and leaves her to her mentally unstable antics, moving out and starting over in his world, and that about DOES it for Carolanne, sending her into a world of make-believe and mania that leads to the most unhealthy eating habits and perhaps even murder.

The illustrations painted the story SO WELL, and I couldn't get enough of the depicted horror sequences. I want more, and I will have more graphic novels in the future!

This was such a haunting, disgusting, page turning ride! The last couple pages of slides had my gut churning at the body horror. Definitely would recommend this to fans of Emily Carroll and Eric LaRocca.