The Harrowing • By Kristen Kiesling & Rye Hickman
✨Graphic Novel✨Horror✨YA✨
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Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
Netgalley Arc Review:

What would you do if you could predict when someone was going to commit murder?

Years after her mother was murdered, Rowan is getting visions of blood and violence when she makes skin to skin contact with some people. Rowan seeks comfort in her father but is then drugged and kidnapped and sent to a facility which houses girls like her who can predict murder.

The art in this was beautiful and it had promise to be a really great story, and I feel like if the script had been a little bit more detailed and not so rushed it could have been so much better! But I did really enjoy the story, it really makes you wonder if people are born killers or if we’re capable of stopping a murder before it happened could we get that person the help they needed to never want to kill again?

i liked the premise of this one, but there was just a bit too much going on in this piece to get truly invested. there were a lot of big ideas being explored, and i do think the resolution was a bit of a twist, but i think this graphic novel would have been more successful if it were twice the length.

This book was different than I expected, but I really liked it. Similar to The Minority Report, this is a crime thriller about a teenage girl who discovers she is psychic and can tell if someone is going to commit a violent crime. But things are not as clean cut as those within the organization would like her to believe. My only bummer is that this digital arc was not in full color, which is actually really essential to the story. So I think the reading experience was impacted negatively.

Big thanks to NetGalley, ABRAMS Kids/Amulet books for the ARC of this graphic novel!!

I really enjoyed reading this graphic novel! It packed quite the punch within the story that was being told. One thing I really enjoyed about reading this, is the story made me think. Whether it was the ethical dilemmas that the character was facing, or the fact that there were Easter eggs hidden throughout the novel. Beyond the actual story itself, the illustrations were amazing. I found that they really fit within the mold of the story that was being told, adding to the darkness of it all. Also the color choices were fantastic!!

Another graphic novel to add to the several I’ve read already this year, and another cracker.

Harrowing, is something that is really upsetting, and the Harrows are struck with unsettling visions when they touch people who will, some time in the future, commit murder.

We find out that Rowan’s mother was a Harrow and that the headaches and visions Rowan gets means she will also be a Harrow.

but nothing is that simple, Rowan’s mother left when she became pregnant and is murdered when rowan is young, there are mysterious things afoot at Rosewood but will Rowan find out before it is all too late?

Absolutely loved the story telling in this book, along with the artwork it strikes a balanced narrative and exciting vision throughout.

The revelations when they come are excellent, thrown off track a couple of times by a couple of solid red herrings, one revelation was expected but another was so unexpected but was right for the story!

Great read and great conclusion, leaving the world open for further exploration.

Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"The Harrowing" is a truly nightmarish tale with hints of "Minority Report" and "Unbreakable". Harrows are people who can see future crimes that will be committed by people simply by touching their hands. An organization finds and trains Harrows to detect murderers and mark them so that handlers can intercept before the murders are committed. Rowan is a newly discovered Harrow, and due to her own mother's murder years before, she finds herself dedicated to the cause. But things change when her best friend since childhood turned boyfriend becomes a target of the organization. Rowan is left unsure of who to trust, questioning everything she thinks she knows. The story builds steadily in intensity, and readers will be swept along by intrigue and thought provoking questions. At the time of my reading, the art was in black and white, but it will be colored by publication. I expect the coloring to only enhance this powerful graphic novel. Recommended for horror, sci-fi, and psychological thriller fans.

Harrowing is certainly the right word but this one! A gripping fast paced gorey graphic novel with very striking artwork to match.

I’m not a huge gore person, and while this isn’t like… awful gore? I still got squicked in a couple places. But that’s a me thing! And even so, the art style was cool, and the story was really interesting! I could see there being more from this world, but also get it if it’s a standalone. The pacing is done well, and I enjoyed the twist!

The Harrowing Review!!

Thanks so much Amulet Books and Netgalley for this gifted graphic novel, in exchange for an honest review! The Harrowing is out April 16, 2024!

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect going into this one, but I ended up enjoying it! The Harrowing was a 4.25/5 ⭐️ for me! I really liked the main characters in this one and the love interest was so sweet. I thought this was dark and tense. Some of the pages were pretty blurry, so I didn’t get the full experience I’d say, but it was still pretty fun!

I enjoyed the gruesome trail this story leaves us and I just know the colors have to be gorgeous to accommodate it. While I enjoyed its plot I think it was so fast paced that I would have loved to see a bit more world building around this interesting idea.

Though I did enjoy the concept of this book and exploring the idea of choosing to be a hero and help others, I found it overall a little bland and the art wasn't my favorite. I do intend to check out other works from this creator though and think this one may hit better with others. I still overall enjoyed it and will recommend to others who may like it even more.

loved the art style and storyline. I started reading and then somehow forgot to finish, but once i picked it back up it was super easy to get through.

The Harrowing was an interesting graphic novel. The story was pretty fast paced and I liked the main character. I also liked the artwork. The arc copy I read was in black and white so I want to eventually read the finished copy, which I think will be in full color.

3.5 stars

This was a twisty, thrilling tale. I almost wish it was expanded across more volumes. But the author did a great job of covering everything succinctly and effectively while still developing the characters. I can’t wait to see this in color.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Graphic Novel. The concept was interesting and has so much potential, and the conflict felt very real. There will always be people out there who will use others for their gifts. Loved the black and white, as well as the art style. Very refreshing.

I had quite a fun time reading this book. Even though there were parts where the story felt off and others where it felt like we were trying to be done as quickly as possible, it still had many positive aspects. I loved the animation style as well as the character's background stories. I will even be buying some physical copies for some friends who I know will enjoy this!

Dark, twisted, and gruesome - this graphic novel will worm its way into your head and make you question everyone around you, or, scarier yet, what horrors you may be capable of. Kielsing presents a disturbing take on crime detection; Some girls are able to see future homicides simply by touching the future killer's hands. But not all imminent criminals are the same - some plan for their crime while others appear to be caught up in the moment, but something they have in common is that they haven’t killed anyone…yet. So, what do you do knowing who is a future killer? This is the question Rowan, a 17 year-old girl who has just discovered her powers of criminal precognition, must wrestle with. If that is not enough, her best friend has declared his love for her, but is she safe sharing her secret with him?

For fans of movies like the Minority Report, <i>The Harrowing</i> is an intense visual horror tale sure to leave you wondering what the future holds for all of us.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kristen Kielsing, ABRAMS Kids, and Amulet Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely loved the art style and the story itself! It was spooky and interesting and just overall a very fun and exciting story to dive into. The file was a little blurry but I was still able to read it well enough. I will definitely be buying a physical copy! Thank you so much to NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for my honest review!

Family secrets always come out. Rowan's horrific visions is a "gift" from her mom. She goes to "school" to learn how to manage her abilities to save lives and try to enjoy a teenage life. When she finds out the organization condems others for crimes not yet commited, her ethics make her question all she learned from Rosewood,
VERDICT- solid addition to teen libraries for fans of thriller graphic novels.

A pretty artstyle & interesting enough plot & characters ! I think this just fell a little flat to me as it felt quite rushed, and I think a lot of things were left unexplained. I don’t think there was really enough time to fully engage & connect with the characters. I love the idea of the gloves & the harrows, and this is novel is pretty solid for a debut. :)

(Also, not sure if its just the digital scan of the ARC, but some of the writing was blurry & hard to read)

Thank you for the ARC!