**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.

Thank you for this ARC! I like a lot of things about this book, but it was confusing to me until about 3/4 of the way through, hence the low rating.

The pros:
-The art is really unique
-I LOVED the use of color, especially when it was first utilized to show different areas of this world. It was really striking and effective.
-I appreciate this author exploring large themes.
-I like that there's a complicated ending where the sisters don't just happily take over with their crop or put Mcorp out of business. There is an uphill battle which feels grounded and also helps drive the message home.

The Cons
-The world was slightly convoluted.
-I wished for more depth from the secondary adults in the world. It seemed like their motivations weren't fleshed out enough, particularly the Nuspiritualists who seemed to waffle one way or the other depending on what the plot needed.
-I'm not sure who the target audience for this book was. It seemed more geared for middle readers, but the story was confusing to me, so not sure how they'd handle it.

Soul Machine is a scifi graphic novel about a girl named Chloe. Chloe and her sister Lacey make souls, which are made from breth. Breth is slowly becoming extinct. Chloe goes out to the city to find a new supplier. In the city, Chloe uncovers family secrets and gets thrown into a power struggle of the evil MCorp owner, Maya.

I like many of the ideas Soul Machine explores including greed, power, and family. I found Chloe and Lacey's bond as sisters very endearing.

Unfortunately, I found the world building and character depth lacking. The world is mostly controlled by MCorp. As a reader, you know this almost right off the bat. I just wish we explored this world more. Most of Chloe's experiences happen away from the MCorp world, or in the home of Maya, MCorp's owner. The world and the effects MCorp has on it are briefly shown but I feel like more time should have been spent on Chloe exploring this world. Chloe and her sister live off the grid and a lot of Chloe's story skips over what MCorp has really done to the world. I think focusing more on this could have better highlighted the points the author was trying to get across. Similarly, I feel like many of the characters in Soul Machine are very surface level.

Overall, I think this is an interesting graphic novel that explores important topics, but it missed the mark a little when it came to the storytelling aspects. I would still recommend this as I think it has a great foundation and a lot of heart.

This was such a cool concept and world! The execution fell a bit flat, but I enjoyed my time reading this novel and was intrigued by the mystery. Chloe and her sister, Lacey, are taking on the family business of weaving souls after their mother died and father disappeared many years ago. This process involves harvesting breth, which is like a grass, and spinning it into yarn and then sending it off... somewhere? These souls are then placed inside each individual. However, there is big competition from MCorp, a big corporation that creates Digibreth, digitalized breth without a personality or link to a chain? The point is, we want the handmade soul because it links you to others in your ancestry line and is better somehow. Anyway! Chloe goes on a journey to the ciy to find more breth because their shipments have stopped arriving. On this trip, Chloe learns so much more about the world, about breth, and about MCorp that changes everything. I loved where the story went, and the mystery of their missing father kept me reading, but there were some plot holes that need filling. Overall, I enjoyed this story and will read more from Jordana Globerman.

Set in the future, where humanity relies on breth, and megacorporation searches for a way to capitalize and recreate their own digibreth. We follow sisters that weave breth in the old-school way, and their mother has passed and their father is gone.
The story weaved in megacapitalism, humanity, and climate change, and other messages throughout in a beautiful way.
Our mc wasn’t aware of a lot of things throughout the book, which left us as readers unaware as well, and some questions went unanswered.

The art of this comic is absolutely beautiful. The story speaks bounds about climate change, corporate greed, and even about societal dependence on technology. The main character and her sister have a complicated relationship, but it speaks on generational trauma and how parents aren’t always who you think they are. Overall, I really enjoyed it. I think the entire concept is so interesting and makes you think on real life. Are we all connected, in our souls? Not individuals, but pieces of a chain?

The art in Soul Machine is absolutely breath taking. I love how it was constantly changing between singular color palettes - not only did this keep my attention but it also felt really intentional and pertinent to the story that was being told. However, the story felt like it got away from the author and was told in large info dumps instead of being developed and moving organically.

Soul Machine weaves the nervousness of climate change with a magical idea of souls being grown vs. genetically modified. Globerman seamlessly shows the real threat of companies monetizing on everything in our lives, including souls as well as the sadness that comes with abandonment by a power-hungry family member. I really enjoyed the color scheme and artwork.

A really interesting take on community, power, good vs bad, and sisterhood. Loved the art style, the color changes based on setting helped orient me in the story. MC could be annoying at times, but in the way that all of us are naive as kids, and her character growth was believable. Definitely recommend this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I really enjoyed this story. I loved how there were difficult themes discussed in a gentle way. It allows readers to explore these intense themes without pushing an agenda or a right answer onto them. It allows readers to think about their own thoughts and feelings regarding these topics. I absolutely love that and would love to see this more in all books.

I was really able to connect and emphasize with the main character, Chloe. During the course of the book she goes on this journey both physically and emotionally that reveals things about her family she didn't know. Now she has to decide how to proceed and move on.

I have zero critic for this book. I absolutely love it and think the creator did an amazing job with everything from the pictures, to the story, right down to the use of color. Absolutely fantastic book!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Annick Press for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was excited about the premise of this graphic novel, but I was disappointed with how it was carried out. You want to root for the main character, but she doesn't feel like a real person. Then every adult in this story sucks. They all want to take advantage of the main character, without a thought-out reason for it. The world-building needed help and the characters needed depth.

Soul Machine definitely took me on a thought provoking journey. The message is strong, highlighting the clash between small businesses and the threat of big, money hungry corporations like MCorp. It also critiques consumerism while exploring deeper themes of familial legacy and the tension between tradition and modernization. The relationship between Chloe and Lacey highlights this struggle between old-world craftsmanship and the lure of modernization.

The metaphysical elements of soul-making and the elusive breth crop intrigued me, though I would have loved more explanation around how these concepts work, especially regarding the souls themselves.
The illustrations are cutesy and the shifting of colors add a nice touch, though the art style is not for me. Overall, this is a solid debut. Thank you @netgalley and @annick_press

It is just Chloe and her sister, Lacey, toiling away to make souls. Their father has disappeared without a trace. When there is no choice but for Chloe to go to the big city to purchase more “breth” at the marketplace, she finds herself pulled in multiple directions. She comes across communities from both sides of the spectrum, one that leans more towards capitalism and another that is more socialistic. Chloe is stuck between a rock and a hard place in the battle for the soul. Will she make the right decision or lose her way?
The message was interesting because it was portrayin both extremes of both capitalism and socialism. I’m not sure how this will play out with younger crowds, but it was a thinker for someone older.

#ThxNetGalley

What's anything all about anyway? The forward of this book really sets the tone for the overall experience, letting readers know this story aims to tackle big ideas without needing a complete or serious answer for all of them.

Thank you to #NetGalley and Annick Press for providing me with a copy of #SoulMachine in exchange for my review. All opinions are my own.

Soul Machine really reminds me most of Repo! The Genetic Opera meets Idiocracy. A future where crops are being help by mega-corporations and a young girl learns just how much her family ties into the greater narrative being the focus should really drive that point home.

I think it's interesting to watch the story unfold through a young girl, but her characterization makes it really unclear how old she was meant to be. I truly thought she was around 10 for much of this story (likely because I had finished Sentient last night, and that's about how old the oldest characters were). I think that, overall the themes of the book or what it's "about" as brought up in the aforementioned forward are worth digging into, especially mid-TikTok court cases. We're increasingly connected to our devices and social media and continue to try to make the programs and choices work without stopping to ask if maybe there is a better more sustainable way.

Overall though, there's always room for corruption, or people just wanting to take the moral high ground. The weaving of Souls is truly the only part that gives me pause, as I still do not understand why it is that members of society craft souls for new lives. I wish there was just a smidge more world building there to explain, but it doesn't detract from the overall narrative.

If you have a younger reader in your life who is ready to tackle big themes and loves a bit of magical realism and sci-fi, I suggest giving this a shot. I was able to finish it in one sitting and the story does a great job of keeping people engaged.

CW: death, implied (metaphysical) drug use, self sacrifice

Soul Machine by Jordana Globerman is a graphic novel best geared for late middle school/early high school readers. It follows Chloe and her older sister who spin breth, a raw material that her family grew that is used to make souls. Both of the girls' parents are gone, and they are doing their best to hold the family business together. Meanwhile, in the city, the evil McCorp is creating synthetic souls. Chloe takes a chance and goes to the city to see if she can help save her family's business, and there she meets both Maya, the leader of McCorp and Persie, who believes a more spiritual path. Chloe works her way through both extremes and fantastical worlds to come to her own beliefs about souls, her family's business, and her family's relationships. The colors and panels are engaging for middle schoolers; the language isn't too hard to understand. It's a little heavy handed at times, but it works for the author's purpose and the audience. A good purchase for middle school libraries. Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for this ARC.

There is no doubt that this YA graphic novel is well illustrated and thought-provoking. I just wish for a fantasy/sci-fi world there was as much world building as character building. The segments felt choppy as Chloe traveled from her home to the city to investigate the depleting of Breth. With this the progress all felt stiff moving forward in the story. I'm glad I read it and saw value in discussing technology, consumption, consumerism and world value. I enjoyed the relationship between Chloe and her sister and how she maneuvered adults who entered their lives.