The Faint of Heart

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. When artist June’s parents schedule her surgery, she skips it instead and, while wandering through town, stumbles across an abandoned heart in a jar, which she hides in her family’s barren greenhouse. June endeavors to uncover a way to reintegrate a heart, bringing her closer to classmate Max, who believes his removal is failing. Together, the teens hunt for the truth about the Scientist, but the emotional strain of their search has June second-guessing her decision to keep her own heart. Bland halls and yards punctuated by urgent advertisements for the removal curate an eerie ambiance deepened by Wilson’s rich grayscale palette and the sunrise spot color depicting June and her own art, which appears throughout. This introspective read tackles issues surrounding the experience of navigating difficult emotions. Ages 13–up. (June)