The Never Weres

  In this young adult sci-fi mystery, set in the not to distant future, humanity hasn't had a live birth in about 15 years. There are no elementary schools. Human cloning is illegal due to horrific mutations. Crime is running rampant, food is scarce and civilization is under militaristic surveillance 24/7. 

   Maybe the future that this book is set in isn't that far off...

   In this dystopian society, the human race's last hope rests on 3 teens. Jesse is the son of biologists and is a budding genius in the field of animal cloning. Mia hopes to preserve our history through art and volunteers with the elderly. Xian is a tinkerer who loves to go exploring in places she doesn't belong.

     When one of Xian's adventures results in the reopening of a missing girl's cold case, the trio finds themselves targets of the police. As they uncover clues in the city sewers, they come ever so much closer to solving not only the mystery of the missing girl but could solve the genetics puzzle of successful human cloning. Or they could doom it permanently...

    The Never Weres is the first solo graphic novel by journeyman artist Fiona Smyth. Adults might recognize her style as it's been used in MAD Magazine and a score of magazine advertisements. She has a cartoonist style that is creative, different, and yet oddly familiar. This helps to make this gritty story seem a little less hostile than it really is.

   When I review books for Family Comics Friday, I usually read books that are for all ages. This is one of those rare exceptions. The plot looked really intriguing and that is what this book was. But the ethical questions of human cloning, along with themes of hope in a hopeless world and dystopia may be too much for younger readers. Recommended for ages 10-18, I would have to agree. This is not a book for a 5 years old; that's for sure.

    Smyth crafted a clever mystery with lots of twists, turns, and brains. This is a thinking man's graphic novel for sure. And when you finish it, it will leave you thinking about some serious stuff. 

    Worth Consuming

    Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.