The faint of heart

Title:

The faint of heart

Author:

Summary:

"Not that long ago, the Scientist discovered that all sadness, anxiety, and anger disappeared when you removed your heart. And that's all it took. Soon enough, the hospital had lines out the door--even though the procedure numbed the good feelings, too. Everyone did it. Everyone except high school student June. But now the pressure, loneliness, and heartache are mounting, and it's becoming harder and harder to be the only one with a heart. One day, June comes across an abandoned heart in a jar. The heart in the jar intrigues her, it baffles her, and it brings her hope. But the heart also brings her Max, a classmate with a secret of his own. And it may rip June's own heart in two. Part speculative fiction and part cautionary tale, The Faint of Heart is a moving and ethereal debut that questions morality and the feelings that seem too big to contain." -- Amazon.com.

Audience:

Ages 13 up. Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Grades 10-12. Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Edition:

First Edition.

Physical Description:

293 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 24 cm

Genre:

Graphic novels.

Subject Term:

Emotions -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Self-esteem -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Heart -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Drawing -- Comic books, strips, etc.

High schools -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Schools -- Comic books, strips, etc.

Publisher:

Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers,

Publication Date:

2023

ISBN:

9780063116214

9780063116221

Publication Information:

New York, NY : Greenwillow Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, 2023.

Call Number:

YA WILSON

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003612580	Young Adult Graphic Novels	WILSON	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
33607003612598	Young Adult Graphic Novels	WILSON	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable
33607003611780	Young Adult Graphic Novels	WILSON	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

"Beautiful, tender, and relevant. Full of mystery, and not surprisingly, full of heart."--Tillie Walden, award-winning author of Spinning

What would you do if you were the only person left with a heart The only person left who felt anything at all Would you give in to the pressure to conform Or would you protect your heart at all costs Part Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and part Severance, this debut teen graphic novel is a vivid and haunting read for fans of Nimona and This One Summer.

Not that long ago, the Scientist discovered that all sadness, anxiety, and anger disappeared when you removed your heart. And that's all it took. Soon enough, the hospital had lines out the door--even though the procedure numbed the good feelings, too.

Everyone did it. Everyone except high school student June. But now the pressure, loneliness, and heartache are mounting, and it's becoming harder and harder to be the only one with a heart.

One day, June comes across an abandoned heart in a jar. The heart in the jar intrigues her, it baffles her, and it brings her hope. But the heart also brings her Max, a classmate with a secret of his own.

And it may rip June's own heart in two.

Part speculative fiction and part cautionary tale, The Faint of Heart is a moving and ethereal debut that questions morality and the feelings that seem too big to contain.

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 7 Up--In this story that takes place in the future, 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. Even though June feels like an outcast at school, she believes that art is important and refuses to have the surgery. Eventually June's parents insist that she have her heart removed, but she only pretends to have the procedure. While researching the reclusive scientist who developed the unusual idea, June meets Max, who is beginning to feel emotions despite having undergone the surgery. While the plot seems unlikely and the teens rush towards their goal, the graphic novel's art is outstanding. The monochromatic background colors represent the heartlessness of society and set a sterile tone. Eye-catching pops of color are used to direct the movement and actions of June's mission. The artist uses color to represent shifts in time, allowing readers to reminisce along with June. Wilson makes a strong statement about the importance of art and emotions in society. June appears to be white, while the male lead has dark skin and curly hair. VERDICT While the plot moves at a fast pace, the art skillfully portrays the story and helps relay a relatable situation for teens.--Karen Alexander

Publisher's Weekly Review

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)