This. Was. So. Good. I got this because I liked Wendy Xu’s previous graphic novel… and I will definitely be reading everything she creates from now on. The art is gorgeous and the story is so sweet. I definitely will be adding this to my personal library.

Thank you NetGalley, Wendy Xu, and the publisher for an eARC of book! All opinions are my own.

This adorable ya graphic makes me not so scared of AI! From cute-animal like robots to hyper realistic model like robots, every character in this story is extremely likable and complex. The art is beautiful and aids the story perfectly!

When Clem moves to Mars for her dream job working for her hero in robotics, Dr. Lin, she is overjoyed. Clem has spent most of her life building robots, and can't wait to contribute to the field. But Dr. Lin isn't the hero she envisioned, and her personal assistant, a humanoid robot named Kye, seems to need Clem's help.
This was a thought provoking story about what is humanity and what does it mean to be truly human? Who deserves respect and compassion? And what are our responsibilities to our creations?

A fascinating futuristic graphic novel that explores questions on artificial intelligence and consciousness. It makes me wonder about the future of AI and our moral responsibilities.

Thank you for the ARC.
This is a wonderful read broken into strong chapters as everything builds, connects and reveals. The drawings are cute and the colors are soothing. Key is the AI, the piece, the collection of nanoparticles that you will connect with. This is definitely a teenage book to read and enjoy. This should be in a classroom library.
I just reviewed The Infinity Particle by Wendy Xu. #TheInfinityParticle #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

4.5 stars rounded up.

Wendy Xu's art is EVERYTHING!

Reading The Infinity Particle was a feast for my eyes. I love how it was definitely inspired by manga, but the illustrator made it all her own. The color palette (with all the shades of blue) is so calming and relaxing. Even with triggering scenes of childhood trauma, it was still nice to look at.

I loved how simple the story was. The characters, both human and AI/robot are all pretty wonderful (minus the sort of Big Bad). The relationship between Clem and her robot AI, SENA, was well-developed. Their interactions were caring and thoughtful, and you could see that they cared for each other.

I'm not one for cute romances, but in this case, the relationship between Clem and Kye was so sweet and (mostly) healthy. They both bond through parental trauma and abuse, and I'm not sure that's the healthiest basis for a romantic relationship, but I'm glad that they respect each other's personal experiences and boundaries.

Overall, this is a beautiful graphic novel. I do wish it would've explored the shared trauma some more and see how Clem and Kye heal through it.

Thank you to Quill Tree Books and NetGalley for this arc.

"The Infinity Particle" by Dan Schkade is a thought-provoking graphic novel that explores the complex relationship between humans and artificial intelligence. The story follows a scientist named June who creates a humanoid AI named Ada, and their journey together as they learn from each other and confront the implications of Ada's existence.

One of the strengths of the book is its beautiful art style and masterful storytelling. The illustrations are stunning and help to convey the emotional depth of the characters. The story is also well-paced and keeps the reader engaged throughout.

The book raises important questions about how we should treat human form AI and whether our actions towards them are a reflection of how we treat humans. As our world becomes more advanced and lines between AI and humans become blurred, "The Infinity Particle" is a timely and relevant exploration of these complex issues.

"VERDICT: A fab addition for high school libraries. May tie into medical academies.

Wendy Xu has the range! I love her style of illustration and I love books about AI, so I was so excited when I first heard about The Infinity Particle. This book definitely lived up to my expectations.

Clem moves to Mars to work with her robotics idol, Dr. Lin, but she quickly discovers they hold very different views on autonomy of robots. As Clem falls for Dr. Lin's AI, Kye, Kye and Clem slowly realize that they have had similarly abusive maternal relationships; meanwhile, Kye is experiencing a glitch in his system that Clem tries to help him fix.

I really appreciated the way this book touched on themes of respect and consent, autonomy + ownership + personhood, as well as recovery from parental abuse and trauma. My favorite scenes have to be the ones between Clem and SENA, her robot companion, because they have a very sweet and supportive relationship. The backstory about what led Clem to get into robotics also made me tear up. I loved whenever we got glances at what this futuristic world looks like - from Clem's ticket to Mars to the shops and buildings outside to the library with robot owl clerks, there's a lot to spark one's imagination while reading.

I did want more scenes developing the romance. Things moved a little quickly (by the end, they exchange "I love you"s and there is a vague mention of sex) and I was curious why Clem never thought about or questioned falling for AI. Clearly there is a disconnect between how Dr. Lin and Clem think about robot's autonomy, and I wanted more info about how that was reflected in society. I do think the book could have given more detail and explanation about things overall - the pace and the structure of the story make sense as a whole, but while I was reading, I felt like we were jumping around a bit. Sometimes it felt like there were panels missing when conversations quickly moved from one topic to another.

Overall, I would highly recommend The Infinity Particle for cozy sci-fi readers, especially if you like Becky Chamber's Monk & Robot series! It is short and sweet and lovingly illustrated, making for the perfect book to read in one sitting. I really enjoyed the world Xu created and would love to read more stories set in it!

I got an ARC of this book.

Very Becky Chambers. I enjoyed the character growth and the intensity of all the feelings. The plot was the feelings, instead of anything big and external.

It was a little strange that the little boy kept appearing. I didn't feel like that was fully explained. The emotions felt right and there, but the actual why and how just didn't seem clear.

The AIs were ADORABLE. I loved the idea and how they were treated in the story. I would be so excited to have my own AI like that. A friend robot. Though, like the book, it raises the idea of what constitutes a person. When is someone or something sentient? It seemed to be in this story, that wanting things or loving things is what makes something or someone sentient. It was an interesting distinction.

I really enjoyed the book, I would recommend!

RELEASES: AUGUST, 29, 2023

I also just finished Xu's MG graphic novel, Tidesong, and I actually didn't even realize I was reading them at the same time until I went to write this review hahaha.

Things I disliked:

-The coloring. I understand I read an ARC, but is this element final? I think the color scheme itself is amazing and I hope she sticks with it overall, but the art felt unfinished the way it is. Maybe just some more color, shading, etc. would do the trick for me. Idk. Like I said, I actually really like the color scheme and, as ALWAYS, Wendy Xu's art is incredible, but I'd like more from it. Not sure if this is a final thing or not though, so take this all with a grain of salt! I'll update this review once I know more. It's also not terrible the way it is. I actually don't mind it, just isn't my favorite. Her stories normally have AMAZING coloring.

-The romance. Why did they fall in love in two pages?? By the end of the story had they said they loved each other, I would have understood completely, but it's literally within a couple of pages of meeting. BOMBASTIC side-eye.

Things I liked:

-Honestly, EVERYTHING else. The plot itself was amazing. It was heartwrenching, emotional, funny. All the things Wendy Xu is so good at. The art, as I said previously, is STUNNING and captures you right into the story. It's the perfect length, to have enough substance, but not drag on. It's just amazing!

Overall, I really enjoyed this. Stilllllll not as much as Mooncakes, but close! I will say, this is not as cozy as Mooncakes. It's pretty emotional and intense, with quite a few trigger warnings. Please look them up to make sure you're reading what's best for you at the moment. <3

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books/Quill Tree Books for an advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are, as always, my very own.

I enjoyed this graphic novel. The art was lovely, the main characters were sweet and lovable, and it lightly tackled some big issues.

I definitely didn’t buy the romance, it happened over what seemed like a few days! I also couldn’t keep from comparing it to Mooncakes, and unfortunately the story in this one wasn’t as well done. It’s definitely cute though and worth a quick read.

Leaving behind her volatile life with her mother on Earth, Clem seeks out a new career on Mars. Excited to work with her hero and mentor, Dr. Lin, Clem takes to helping build/fix AI creatures for patrons. Clem quickly realizes that working for Dr. Lin is not the dream life she was hoping for. In fact, Dr. Lin is just like her own abusive and overly controlling mother. The only thing, or being, keeping Clem from leaving is Dr. Lin's own specially built AI, Kye. When he starts to malfunction, Clem promises to help him figure out what has him going haywire. Although, it seems like Clem can't keep her feelings and her work separate...

Beautiful, soft pastel colored artwork and a nicely flowing plot. The Infinity Particle also addresses our freedoms, who deserves them, and even the controversial issues of bodily autonomy for AI beings. Looking forward to more graphic novels by Wendy Xu. The world built up in this comic felt natural, like something we could possibly see coming true in our near future.

Artificial intelligence is common, most people have personal robotic assistants, friends, or companions that are built with it. But sometimes the A.I. becomes conscious. Develops free will, becomes a little more human than it was built to be. And if it was built in the image of an actual human, the chances of that happening… go up. So what happens when a very humanoid android starts becoming conscious? Starts falling in love, of all things?

The Infinity Particle is a story about change and acceptance. An adorable and sweet romance around the unlikeliest of characters who bond over shared interests and the uncanny and odd situation Kye, the Android, has found himself in. Built with beautiful artwork and a heartfelt story, The Infinity Particle is heartwarming romance at its best.

This graphic novel was super cute! I have many thoughts!

1. THE COLOR PALETTE. I'm a huge fan of minimalistic color pallets and this one was top tier. It fit the story line and genre so perfectly.

2. Reminds me of Cinder! I think this could be because of the AI–dystopian aspect but i am not disappointed.

3. Diversity! While i think there's always room for more diversity in novels, this one did feature a hijab wearing character! I have yet to see one in a graphic novel!

Overall, the illustrations and story was absolutely adorable and worth a read.

I thought that The Infinity Particle was a great example of a sci-fi graphic novel that also incorporates elements of mystery and romance for a full and engaging story. I thought that the characters were very well-developed. Although a few tropes were present, everyone’s thoughts, feelings, and motivations were clear, and I was able to empathize with everyone, good or bad, human or robot. The world was also well built. It looked and felt futuristic without feeling foreign. This was helped along by the beautiful, detailed artwork. The author/illustrator used a dichromatic color scheme really effectively to advance the plot and differentiate between the known and the unknown. Overall, a really satisfying, one-part graphic novel!

I was really interested in this graphic novel when I first saw it, but it fell a bit short for me. It just did not grab me and keep me super engaged in it the whole time. That is not to say that there were not parts I enjoyed, though! The art style is really amazing and the story is interesting. This is a timely concept that I feel is on the verge of becoming extremely popular soon. I just did not feel compelled to finish it in one sitting as I have done with a lot of graphic novels that I have loved previously. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

This book manages to be ridiculously charming and cozy while also dealing with heavy issues - both futuristic and timeless. The world that Xu creates is intriguing and beautiful, and the love story (while a little quick to develop - hard to avoid in this format!) is sweet and poignant, showing not just the rush of attraction and whirlwind romance, but also how being a partner is about communication, vulnerability, and support. My only minor disappointment is that due to a few instances of language and one nod towards sexual content, I can't put it in my middle school library, but it would be a great addition to a high school library or just a general library. I've been dying to read Mooncakes for ages, and this has convinced me to go ahead and buy it (and maybe The Infinity Particle as well!).

This is beautifully illustrated graphic novel about what it means to be human, even if you are not one.

If you love scifi, found family, AI vs. humanity, and gorgeous illustrations this story is for you. I highly recommend this story to both young adults and adults alike.

The world-building is interesting, but I felt like things were missing at times. The story also felt a bit rushed at times, I do think it would have benefited from another 50 pages.



CW for many things including abuse and death of a child.

This was absolutely adorable. Such a well done story with amazing characters that had my heart right from the start.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. I'm excited to see other reviews once this is published later this year.

Note to self: read everything Wendy Xu ever creates.

I requested and started reading this without looking at the synopsis, because I've loved Wendy Xu's previous graphic novels, so I assumed this would be another fantasy. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised that this is a sci-fi, dealing with AI and what it means to be human, which is one of my absolute favourite themes to read about.

The art is as unbelievably gorgeous like I've come to expect from this artist, and the story is so emotional and romantic. It would be a perfect read for fans of Becky Chambers.