Graphic Novel Review – Upgrade Soul by Ezra Claytan Daniels (5/5 stars)

Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Science Fiction/Graphic Novel
Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Oni Press
Release Date: September 18, 2018
ISBN-13 : 978-1549302923
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars

“ 45th anniversary, Hank and Molly Nonnar decide to undergo an experimental rejuvenation procedure, but their hopes for youth are dashed when the couple is faced with the results: severely disfigured yet intellectually and physically superior duplicates of themselves. Can the original Hank and Molly coexist in the same world as their clones? In Upgrade Soul, McDuffie Award-winning creator Ezra Claytan Daniels asks probing questions about what shapes our identity-Is it the capability of our minds or the physicality of our bodies? Is a newer, better version of yourself still you? This page-turning graphic novel follows the lives of Hank and Molly as they discover the harsh truth that only one version of themselves is fated to survive.”

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book that I borrowed from the library.

Story (5/5): This was really weird but really well done. I enjoyed it a lot and it was very different from anything I’ve read before. For their 45th wedding anniversary Hank and Molly decide to undergo an experimental procedure that will upgrade their body and minds. As you can imagine things don’t go quite as planned, but the experiment is successful….in some ways. This book really makes you question the idea of self-identity and society’s expectations of physical form.

Characters (5/5): Hank and Molly were really well done, as were their clones. Additionally there is the head scientist who originally started this research to help his sister who is severely disfigured from being separated from a conjoined twin. All of the characters have a lot of depth and were incredibly intriguing.

Setting (4/5): Most of this book is set either at Hank and Molly’s house or at the research facility they go to for the “upgrade”.

Writing/Drawing Style (5/5): Both the iIllustration and story were easy to follow, ideas were very creative. This story touches on a lot of what it means to be human and an individual but in a very sci-fi way. The drawings are a bit disturbing at times but very well done. I really enjoyed this as a whole.

My Summary (5/5): Overall I ended up really enjoying this. The whole thing is just so different and weird from anything I’ve read previously that I found it fascinating. This is not a story I will forget anytime soon and I find myself thinking about it a lot. I loved how this takes a very sci-fi idea but brings it down to the basics of what it means to be a human and an individual. Recommended!