Soul Machine - by Jordana Globerman (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A Wrinkle in Time meets Brave New World in this thought-provoking debut graphic novel about one girl's quest to save her family's livelihood-and maybe existence itself. Chloe and her older sister make souls by hand in an empty old house in the countryside. When their supply of breth -- the raw material needed to make souls -- runs dry, the evil McCorp tries to force them to franchise and make synthetic souls instead. Chloe sets out to the big city in hopes of finding a new source. And maybe a way to modernize their business that Lacey is so determined to keep in the past. On a journey to find a real breth crop, untouched by MCorp's greedy hands, Chloe uncovers long-buried family secrets -- and starts to question whom to trust and what reality even is. A beautifully rendered debut, Soul Machine is at once a metaphysical science-fiction story and a nuanced exploration of big ideas: spirituality, family, consciousness, and connection, but also unscrupulous consumption, megacorporations, and how egomaniac entrepreneurs impact our lives."--

Book Synopsis

A Wrinkle in Time meets Brave New World in this thought-provoking debut graphic novel about one girl's quest to save her family's livelihood--and maybe existence itself.

Chloe and her older sister make souls by hand in an empty old house in the countryside. When their supply of breth--the raw material needed to make souls--runs dry, the evil McCorp tries to force them to franchise and make synthetic souls instead. Chloe sets out to the big city in hopes of finding a new source. And maybe a way to modernize their business that Lacey is so determined to keep in the past.

On a journey to find a real breth crop, untouched by MCorp's greedy hands, Chloe uncovers long-buried family secrets--and starts to question whom to trust and what reality even is.

A beautifully rendered debut, Soul Machine is at once a metaphysical science-fiction story and a nuanced exploration of big ideas: spirituality, family, consciousness, and connection, but also unscrupulous consumption, megacorporations, and how egomaniac entrepreneurs impact our lives.

Review Quotes

"[T]he book's greatest strength lies in Globerman's multifaceted, empathetic characters, with their complex motivations in a complicated world."

--The Horn Book Magazine, 09/2

"A thought-provoking journey that will leave teens thinking critically about the present-day world."

--Youth Services Book Review, 07/31/25

"A layered, lyrical, and darkly funny tale that balances emotional vulnerability with philosophical inquiry." -- Publishers Weekly, 05/22/25

"An intriguing book with multiple themes for readers to explore along Chloe's quest, this is an excellent choice for discussion groups and equally appealing for general graphic novel fans." -- School Library Journal, 06/25

"Visually arresting." --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 06/25

"A compelling graphic novel about a girl's quest to save her family and the world."

--Foreword Reviews, 05/25

"Casts a critical philosophical eye on consumption and connection with visual panache."

--Kirkus Reviews, 05/15/25

"Strong lines and mostly monochromatic, shifting color palettes create solidity amid the complexity of the narrative; the sisters' world is pleasantly both geometric and whimsical."

--Booklist, 05/01/25

About the Author

JORDANA GLOBERMAN is a comic book writer and illustrator based in Ottawa, Canada. She holds a Masters in Visual Arts from the University of the Arts London in England, where she majored in drawing anthropomorphic bears and drinking tea the proper way.