Soul Machine was a very interesting read i was very shocked by how much I enjoyed it. The emphasis on familial bonds and the strain of a parental connection along with discovering the meaning of the appreciation of life and the joys yet sorrows it brings were some of my favorite parts of this book as well as the choice of different colors to distinguish the characters mood and psyche. It was a blend of the eerieness of Adventure Time and the emphasis on the importance of the soul like Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood.
Highly recommend it.

Thank you for this ARC.
Soul Machine tackles big societal themes through the eyes of Chloe, a sheltered yet curious girl who’s easily influenced by marketing. The story uses strong symbolism to show how corporate greed can strip away our humanity, and it presents this visually in a compelling way. Chloe’s journey is driven by a deep need for human connection, but the rise of technology only makes people feel more isolated. The book critiques how consumerism promises connection but actually leads to loneliness and overconsumption. While Chloe is well-developed, most of the other characters lack depth. Her father’s character arc is surprising but feels unfinished. The artwork stands out, especially how the colors shift to match the story’s changing tone.

I enjoyed this graphic novel but I sometimes felt bogged down by the exploration of so many deep topics such as the nature of human connection, what constitutes a soul, and the search for identity. I wanted to enjoy the story at face value. I loved the artwork, the sisterly bond between Lacey and Chloe, and the twists.

A young woman named Chloe lives with her older sister, Lacey, in a house in the country. Lacey makes breth on her spinning wheel - the raw material needed to craft souls - and frustrates Chloe at her refusal to fully teach her how to make it. Outside of their countryside life, the wealthy MCorp is mass-producing soul production using synthetic materials; Lacey and Chloe are one of the few independent, organic breth producers left. When the supply of breth runs out, Chloe journeys into the city to find a new source - and possibly, to figure out some ways to modernize, ala MCorp. What she finds instead are long-kept family secrets that put her and Lacey in Maya's - the head of MCorp - crosshairs. Globerman gives readers a lot to think on here: themes of mass-production and ethics; consumption at any cost versus mindful creation; megacorporations versus independent makers, and how the soul fits into all of this. Maya is an almost comical villain, egomaniacal to the point of hilarity and determined to keep her comfortable lifestyle. Lacey nearly kills herself to keep her family's breth business alive. Chloe, the younger sister, is at times brash and impudent, but begins to understand the big issues once she leaves home. A contemplative book created in two-color sequences, each color scheme relating to different chapters. Back matter includes discussion "questions with no wrong answers".  A good book club choice.

Chloe’s family’s business is in jeopardy, struggling to survive in its organic state while facing off against the corporate competition. Without her parents nearby, teenage Chloe is being raised by her older sister Lacey, and the two balance their individual skills as best they can. Their supply of breth–a material required to run their business–is dwindling, so Chloe is sent to the city to secure more. While she is there, though, Chloe meets people on both sides of the breth debate, and she must determine which opinion is the right one. This dystopian graphic novel has appeal for both advanced middle grade readers and young adults due to its thought-provoking plot and its lack of overtly mature content. As a graphic novel, this story is designed in a way that capitalizes both on the use of dialogue and the powerful tool of wordless images to bring Chloe’s experiences to life. Scenes are demarcated by alternations between nearly monochromatic frames which utilize black alongside one primary hue. While this color design limits some of the detail that can be included, the visuals help to create a sensory experience representing a dystopian landscape that is more dreamlike than tangible. The overall appearance of the book is relatively simplistic at first glance, but the narrative brings several thoughts to the surface that are also outlined at the end of the book in the form of discussion questions. Curious and thought-provoking, this is a unique addition to graphic novel collections for high school-aged readers.

This was an interesting story with a cool concept. I'm not really sure I understood what soul/breth actually was though. It sounded like it was the actual living souls of people but it never really explained how that worked. How does someone weave soul? Do people buy breth because they're running out of soul? Do they buy it for newborns? Is breth necessary to keep people sustained? If you run out of breth do you lose your soul? It was all a bit confusing honestly. I did enjoy the art though and the overall message about preserving life/breth and saving the planet.

One of my favorite graphic novels of the year! It perfectly embodies so many issues that are occurring in today's society like the destruction and conservation of nature, our relationships with ourselves, with others, and with religion/spirituality. It was beautiful done!

Beautifully drawn and full of big ideas. Some slow parts, but the story and world are creative and memorable. A strong, thought-provoking debut! ul with gorgeous art. A little slow at times, but definitely worth the journey.

Jordana Globerman is a comic book writer and illustrator based in Ottawa, Canada. She holds a Masters in Visual Arts from the University of the Arts London in England, where she majored in drawing anthropomorphic bears and drinking tea the proper way. Her newest book is Soul Machine, a YA-oriented graphic novel of science fiction horror.

Chloe and her older sister make souls by hand in an empty old house in the countryside. When their supply of breth—the raw material needed to make souls—runs dry, the evil MCorp tries to force them to franchise and make synthetic souls instead. Chloe sets out to the big city in hopes of finding a new source. And maybe a way to modernize their business that Lacey is so determined to keep in the past. On a journey to M-tropolis to find a new source of breth, untouched by MCorp’s greedy hands, Chloe discovers an underground rebellion which leads to her uncovering some deep-hidden family secrets.

The plot of this book starts out dark and gets darker. In what is essentially framed as a luddite-versus-corporations plot, rather than milling and spinning cotton or wool, the family business is to create new souls from a plant. The corporation, MCorp, is creating a synthetic alternative and shuttering all the sources of breth, so post-apocalyptic ideas are established within the first few pages. However, when readers are forced to consider what a soul is, and how one would test a sythetic soul, and what happens to the failures of those experiments, the story gets deeply and darkly metaphysical. What starts out as a fantastic post-apocalyptic tale akin to Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, but then delves into a more darkly mythic direction, similar to Agamemnon and Iphigenia. All of this is couched in the science-fiction of a corporately-ruled nightmare dystopia.

Overall, Soul Machine is a great technological horror novel for YA readers. There’s enough here to fear, as there is in any post-apocalyptic books involving children, but it’s couched in a way that it seems both plausible as well as discussible. Furthermore, the focus on technology and the lack of a human connection adds discussion topics for parents and teachers. This book is strongly recommended for readers of sci-fi horror or post-apocalyptic horror, but anyone who enjoys dark graphic novels will be sure to fall under its spell.

The artwork was beautiful and I enjoyed the story. The pacing was a bit off but I loved the characters. I really related to Chloe’s desire to be seen

A very interesting take on economics and the influence of technology on society. The art work was beautiful

This was a very interesting story. I'm not really sure how to describe it but I think the main message is finding who you are and your purpose in life, whichever way that may be. Also that family is important. The art style was really nice too.

3.75 stars

Soul Machine is a great comic that dives into the connection and conflict of life merging into technology. This comic was well-written and easy to follow. The art itself was beautifully drawn for the story. Chloe and Lacey are great characters, being polar opposites given the childhoods they experienced. Chloe was reminiscent of Coraline from the movie, which made her character enjoyable to read, even with her naivety. Her older sister, Lacey, is seen at the start to be a bit overbearing and noticeably tense with all the work put on her shoulders, but as the story continues, we realize she was simply attempting to give her younger sister the life she thought she deserved, which is what most older sisters consider their responsibility. I enjoyed the comic, as it showed the deep connection people have and the presence of a person's soul being the meaning of life.
Thank you Netgalley and Annick Press for the early ebook copy.

*ARC REVIEW*
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This book could be considered the perfect mixture of Sci-fi, Fantasy, and Society. It touches on pivotal societal problems and allows the reader and our main character, Chloe, to form their own opinions as she navigates this dystopian world on her path to finding Breth. Something that is used to structure a soul mechanically. While doing soul-searching along the way. This was easy to digest considering the big problems it touches on and is an easy read to get you out of a book slump. 10/10 recommend. I loved every single second of this book and it kept me at the edge of my seat.
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Thank you to Net Galley, All the publishers, and the author! it was a privilege and an honor.

This was a great YA graphic novel with beautiful art and color. I really enjoyed the storyline and illustrations and trippy art.

**Book Review: *Soul Machine* by Jordana Globerman**

Jordana Globerman’s *Soul Machine* is a stunning debut graphic novel that blends the metaphysical with the thrillingly dystopian. In this visually captivating and intellectually stimulating story, Globerman crafts a world where souls are created by hand—a deeply intimate and sacred process that Chloe, the protagonist, and her older sister Lacey have been performing in an isolated house in the countryside. However, when the raw material they need to make souls—breth—runs out, a shadowy mega-corporation known as MCorp threatens to force them into mass production of synthetic souls, stripping the art and soul (no pun intended) from their craft.

Chloe, desperate to save her family’s livelihood and preserve their way of life, embarks on a journey to the city in search of a new source of breth. Along the way, she discovers startling truths about her family’s past, as well as the insidious reach of MCorp, which wants nothing more than to control every aspect of life, from the manufacturing of souls to the very essence of human consciousness.

Drawing comparisons to *A Wrinkle in Time* and *Brave New World*, *Soul Machine* is a unique blend of science fiction and spiritual exploration. The novel poses profound questions about what it means to be alive, what constitutes a soul, and whether consciousness can be mass-produced or commodified. As Chloe travels through this vividly rendered world, she begins to unravel not just the secrets of her family, but also the sinister consequences of unchecked corporate greed and the manipulation of the natural world.

Globerman’s artwork is nothing short of breathtaking, with each panel carefully designed to evoke the dreamlike quality of Chloe’s journey. The ethereal depiction of the breth harvests, contrasted with the cold, mechanized cityscapes controlled by MCorp, creates a sharp visual contrast that emphasizes the novel’s thematic conflict between nature and technology. The illustrations, coupled with the nuanced writing, make *Soul Machine* a deeply immersive experience.

What stands out most in *Soul Machine* is its ability to tackle heavy themes with grace and subtlety. While the narrative engages with complex ideas like spirituality, consciousness, and the commercialization of human experience, it never loses sight of the human element. Chloe’s quest is about more than just saving her family’s livelihood—it’s about rediscovering a sense of connection to the world and to each other in an increasingly disenchanted society. The portrayal of family dynamics, especially the tension between Chloe and Lacey as they struggle with tradition versus progress, adds an emotional depth that complements the sci-fi elements of the story.

In an era dominated by corporate interests and technological advancements, *Soul Machine* feels incredibly relevant. It’s a reminder of the importance of authenticity, the dangers of unchecked power, and the need to question the very systems that govern our lives. The novel is not only a thrilling adventure but a poignant commentary on the consequences of treating something as intangible as the soul as a mere commodity.

*Soul Machine* is a thought-provoking and visually stunning graphic novel that will resonate with fans of speculative fiction, dystopian stories, and those looking for a narrative that goes beyond surface-level adventure to explore deep philosophical questions about life, identity, and the soul. It’s a captivating debut that leaves you thinking long after you’ve turned the final page.

This graphic novel was very interesting. The storyline was different and can relate to how we're seeing big business today. I wasn't pulled into this as much as I had hoped I would have. I think the world building and side characters could have more information to have the story seem a little more put together. I did like the art style for the illustrations and the different use of colors for different settings.

A Soul Machine had so much potential. It offers an interesting exploration of what can be commodified and sold, as well as the complexities of family business and the dangers of innovation. The book clearly critiques how big corporations monopolize industries and exploit smaller businesses and the communities that rely on them. There’s a lot worth discussing here, but ultimately, I felt the story was too rushed.

The earlier pages focus heavily on Chloe’s angst and her desire to be seen and appreciated by her sister, which I found a bit frustrating. The fact that her sister never revealed the deeper history of their family business — rooted in care, connection, and the creation of something pure — felt disjointed. It would have made more sense if Chloe had some prior knowledge of the family business and was actively trying to prove her sister wrong, rather than simply being a grieving teen missing her father.

The pacing also felt too convenient, with each event leading directly to the next. For example, if Chloe had known more, she likely would’ve stayed home, and her sister would have been the one to venture into the city. Even the interactions with the protesters, while reflective of real-world activism and silencing, felt somewhat forced.

That said, the core concept — souls for sale and the raw materials to create pure souls becoming scarce — is incredibly compelling. I just wish we’d gotten more world-building and a deeper dive into how the family business came to be. This graphic novel could have easily been twice as long and still held my attention. The artwork was beautiful, and I’d definitely pick up another work from this author in the future, especially to see how they challenge themselves with more fully fleshed-out storytelling.

Chloe is a soul weaver. Her and her sister have a business making souls together. When the crop runs dry, Chloe runs to the city to see what is happening. The evil MCorp is trying to put small weavers out of business and is making synthetic souls instead. Can Chloe find a new sources for souls? Where did the crop go? Who can she trust?

The illustrations use varying shades of green and the character detail is well done. The plot is unique, engaging, full of mystery, and well written. The characters are well developed, but their portrayed ages don’t always match the illustrations. Readers who like graphic novels, mystery, and supernatural feeling fiction will want to pick this one up. 4 stars, Gr 7 to 10

Chloe and her older sister are soul weavers and have a business making souls together. All is going well until the crop runs dry. When Chloe goes to the city to figure out what's going on, she encounters McCorp, an evil company trying to put smaller weavers out of business by making synthetic souls. What is McCorp's real motive? Can Chloe find new soul sources and save the business? Who can she trust?

The illustrations are hard on the eyes due to use of varying shades of green, but the pane details are detailed. The plot is unique, engaging, and full of plot twists. The characters are easy to relate to and are memorable. Their perceived ages, however, don't match the illustrations. Together the illustrations and text work well together. The world building is well drawn, eye catching, and draw the reader into the story. Readers who like metaphysical mysteries, adventure, and graphic novels will want to pick this one up. Recommended for library collections where such books are popular.