Kerilynn Wilson, The Faint of Heart, HarperCollins Publishers, September 2023, 304 pp., RRP $24.99 (pbk), ISBN 9780063116221
Can you imagine an immediate and permanent antidote to sadness, anxiety and anger? What would happen in a world devoid of all emotions? Debut author and artist Kerilynn Wilson magically brings these queries to life in her graphic novel The Faint of Heart.
When everyone Maya loves chooses to get a heart removal procedure to numb their emotional pain, she eventually finds that she is the only person left with a heart. Alone and outcast, all Maya wants is to get her fun and loving sister back. With the help of the strange and intriguing Max, Maya makes it her mission to find The Scientist behind the heart removal procedure. She has a plan: If we can remove hearts, can we put them back?
As Maya and Max race against time to find The Scientist, they find themselves developing an unbreakable bond.
This YA graphic novel blends a unique plot with dark and gorgeous art to capture a dismal utilitarian world. The Faint of Heart is sure to be an easy and extraordinary read for adolescent lovers of dystopia and graphic novels alike.
Reviewed by Olivia Sammut
