Overview

"Carolanne wanted a perfect wedding, a perfect husband, a perfect family. She carefully performs her own roles (gal pal, bestie, girlfriend, wife, and expectant mother) and manipulates those around her to try and get the results she wants. Her desire to control the uncontrollable ultimately becomes her undoing. When things don't go her way, she exerts dominance over the one thing she does have total control over: her body; until that ""betrays"" her. After suffering a horrible loss, Carolanne spirals into a literal, all-consuming delusion causing her body to produce symptoms of a hysterical pregnancy - as a result of her slicing off bits of her own flesh and eating them. Chicago cartoonist and educator Beth Hetland's graphic novel debut is a brilliant psychological thriller that tears down the wall of a genre - body horror - so often identified with male creators. Heady and visceral, Tender uses horrific tropes to confront women's societal expectations of self-sacrifice despite those traditional roles often coming at the expense of female sexuality and empowerment."

Full Product Details

9781683969358

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Reviews

"Damn near perfect.-- ""Cinema Sentries"" If you enjoy reading stories with ambiguity, disappointments, and people making bad choices--you know, like real life--then you might like this book.-- ""Third Coast Review"" Hetland gets under the skin in her nimble and unsettling graphic novel debut. ... [Her] ability to maintain a sinister atmosphere in scenes both mundane and monstrous will keep horror fans turning the pages.-- ""Publishers Weekly"" Tender is full of beautiful, gross, expressive artwork that makes the reader squirm in their seat.-- ""Bloody Disgusting"" A strong debut with powerful visual storytelling, Tender digs into the existential dread of getting everything that you thought you wanted and still not being satisfied.-- ""Diabolique Magazine"" A brutal critique of gender roles, social media, cultural pressures & expectations, Tender is a triumph.--Rob Clough ""High Low Comics"" An incredibly paced horror story that's equal parts sardonic, gruesome, and tender. A Jeanne Dielman for the Instagram generation.--Katie Skelly"

There is a powerful, visceral quality to Hetland's cartooning. There is an intimacy here... and she's bold in expressing vulnerability.--Rob Clough

"Hetland gets under the skin in her nimble and unsettling graphic novel debut. ... [Her] ability to maintain a sinister atmosphere in scenes both mundane and monstrous will keep horror fans turning the pages.-- ""Publishers Weekly"" A strong debut with powerful visual storytelling, Tender digs into the existential dread of getting everything that you thought you wanted and still not being satisfied.-- ""Diabolique Magazine"" A brutal critique of gender roles, social media, cultural pressures & expectations, Tender is a triumph.--Rob Clough ""High Low Comics"" An incredibly paced horror story that's equal parts sardonic, gruesome, and tender. A Jeanne Dielman for the Instagram generation.--Katie Skelly"

Author Information

Beth Hetland is a Professor, Adj. at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she teaches several comics and comics adjacent courses. She holds an MFA (2011) from The Center for Cartoon Studies and BFA (2009) from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

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