In its darkest moments, Harrow County is a beautiful meditation on family, the fragility of it, and the bonds that bind us together whether we want to be or not. During its more frightening moments, we see those bonds in conflict. The mirror image of Emmy, Kammi, is a wicked young woman. They are the ying and yang. Kammi embraces the chaos of her powers, while Emmy fights for order. All Kammi wants to do is destroy Emmy and everything she loves. She has already begun clearing her path, and it’s creating a maelstrom of emotions and reactions that could make things even worse.

The detailed world of Harrow County is beautiful, lush with invention and magic. The multitude of ideas that have sprung from the minds of Bunn and Crook is jaw dropping. Crook creates images that resonate beyond pretty imagery. He shows us faces wracked with fear, terror, hope, love, sadness, guilt, and regret, and in every frame, it is palpable. My heart cried out for the skinless boy and then again when his bond was shown to be stronger than Emmy’s anger.

This book is one of the best horror titles out there, but it’s also one of the best titles out there.