“Wilson cultivates a gripping tale in which teenage June is the last person on earth with a heart in this speculative graphic novel debut. After an enigmatic figure known only as the Scientist pioneers a heart-removal surgery that promises to free patients from negative emotions, what’s left behind is a world populated by emotionless drones. . . . This introspective read tackles issues surrounding the experience of navigating difficult emotions.” — Publishers Weekly“Beautiful, tender, and relevant. Full of mystery, and not surprisingly, full of heart.” — Tillie Walden, award-winning author of Spinning“In this dystopian world, society is upended by a scientist’s discovery that every difficult emotion humans experience could be immediately wiped out by simply removing a person’s heart. . . . . Wilson is an exceptional artist, and this striking graphic novel progresses through her detailed, angular drawings as much as it does through the trim text. The precise use of color is effective, highlighting June’s isolation that is also her most precious held truth about herself—her heart sparks color, and the swirling mix of negative feelings is worth it for the radiance of the good ones.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books“Sisters June and Maya bond over art and enjoy each other’s company until Maya has her heart removed, a routine procedure in their society. After that, she can no longer feel emotions and concentrates only on her other studies. . . . The graphic novel’s art is outstanding. . . . Wilson makes a strong statement about the importance of art and emotions in society.” — School Library Journal“June lives in a future in which a reclusive Scientist has pioneered a procedure to remove hearts, thus eliminating all ‘sadness, anxiety, and anger.’ The downside is that it numbs pleasurable feelings, too. . . . The artwork effectively sets the scene, with bursts of color popping throughout an otherwise black-and-white landscape, reflecting the monochromatic, heartless reality of June’s world. . . . A fast-paced dip into the possibility of a world without human emotions.” — Kirkus Reviews
