Thief of the Heights

M. (Animalheads, for adults) explores intricate themes of ambition, friendship, and social justice with heart in this captivating graphic novel set in a vertically stacked dystopian city, where one’s quality of life is determined by which tier one occupies. Friends Basem, Mustafa, and Aarfah dream of bettering the lives of their community in the lower levels of Muqadas, where citizens never see daylight and must contend with a water-polluting virus. The trio’s inventive prosthetics creations soon garner the attention of a scout from the upper tiers, launching them into a world of opportunity and enchantment. But even as the teens procure valuable resources for their inventions, they’re forced to reckon with the darker side of Muqadas society, which could compromise everything they stand for. Debut illustrator Yao’s exquisite artwork vividly bring Muqadas to life; unique and visually diverse character designs feature people of varying abilities, body types, and skin tones, adding further depth to M.’s richly rendered worldbuilding and emphasizing the work’s focus on class dynamics, exploitation, and marginalization, and how they affect one’s livelihood. It’s an engaging and nuanced read with much to offer. Ages 13–up. (Oct.)