What do you think?
Rate this book
The Never Weres
Late in the next century, the human race is on the verge of extinction. A mysterious virus has resulted in no births in almost a generation. Despite the impending doom, three urban teenagers try to live their lives with hope.
Mia strives to preserve humanity’s compassion through her art and her volunteer work with the “oldies.” Tech-savvy Xian spends her time tinkering with the robots she’s sure will inherit the Earth. Jesse, the son of geneticists, is convinced the future lies with cloning, but society is reeling from the grotesque failures of previous attempts. When the friends stumble upon the 60-year-old mystery of a missing girl, it leads them to the world’s only successful clone — and the key to saving our species.
Mia strives to preserve humanity’s compassion through her art and her volunteer work with the “oldies.” Tech-savvy Xian spends her time tinkering with the robots she’s sure will inherit the Earth. Jesse, the son of geneticists, is convinced the future lies with cloning, but society is reeling from the grotesque failures of previous attempts. When the friends stumble upon the 60-year-old mystery of a missing girl, it leads them to the world’s only successful clone — and the key to saving our species.
256 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2011
11 people are currently reading
296 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
November 30, 2011
I dug this. I finished it and immediately went "Oh crap" since I put the lid on my list of middle school booktalk books a month or so ago. This feels like a new take on the dystopia genre, mostly fresh in the fact that it's a graphic novel which looks like a Lynda Barry piece.
A diverse trio of kids solve an underground mystery in the bowels of a dystopian city. Cloning, technoethics, environmental politics, family, art in society, and intergenerational friendship all come up. The illustration style is out-of-the-box, the topics are current, the appeal should attract kids who are hot on the Hunger Games trend.
To me, a lot of the weaknesses other reviewers brought up can be chalked up to the narrative framework. There's a legendary quality here, one that gave me goosebumps at the end.
I kind of wish it was in color to make it pop that much more, but this is solid, and might have to bump something else out of my booktalk lineup for 2012.
A diverse trio of kids solve an underground mystery in the bowels of a dystopian city. Cloning, technoethics, environmental politics, family, art in society, and intergenerational friendship all come up. The illustration style is out-of-the-box, the topics are current, the appeal should attract kids who are hot on the Hunger Games trend.
To me, a lot of the weaknesses other reviewers brought up can be chalked up to the narrative framework. There's a legendary quality here, one that gave me goosebumps at the end.
I kind of wish it was in color to make it pop that much more, but this is solid, and might have to bump something else out of my booktalk lineup for 2012.
January 27, 2020
With a virus that has caused widespread infertility, society at large is growing older. Having little hope for the future, heated debates break out in respect to human cloning. Meanwhile, one thing leads to another, and a group of teens discover secrets of a cold case left unsolved.
All in all, this was pretty average. I think that the art was alright, but nothing blew my mind in terms of the illustration. For the story itself, I think that it was quite heavy-handed in its theming. It was to a point that it became redundant, and the morals were almost hindering the plot in certain instances.
I suppose I'm glad I read this, though I probably wouldn’t gravitate towards it again. Not bad for a random library pick, but also not impactful enough to purchase.
All in all, this was pretty average. I think that the art was alright, but nothing blew my mind in terms of the illustration. For the story itself, I think that it was quite heavy-handed in its theming. It was to a point that it became redundant, and the morals were almost hindering the plot in certain instances.
I suppose I'm glad I read this, though I probably wouldn’t gravitate towards it again. Not bad for a random library pick, but also not impactful enough to purchase.
August 18, 2011
Fiona Smyth’s graphic novel The Never Weres finds its place with the growing catalog of dystopic/post-apocalyptic future young adult novels popular this year. More Science Fiction than Fantasy, Smyth sets her world amidst a world of sophisticated technology and a controversial exploration of cloning; a bit Blade Runner, Children of Men, and Aeon Flux with an after-school special feel tossed in.
The alien figure in the above (& below) image, top left, is “Storybot Sasha” narrating the story. She changes forms depending on the mood/topic of the page, but it is her voice and image that laces throughout as the story shifts between the lives of the three friends. I am still out as to the success of this device. To keep a potentially complicated and lengthy story short, the storybot is useful; and the ending (my Aeon Flux reference) reveals the real audience. Is the narrator too auditory for it visual medium?-was the question with which I contend. It seemed at times as if the two were tripping over one another, coming dangerously close to redundancy.
While I like diverse characters, I find the combination improbable. 3 kids living in 3 different areas with 3 different pervasive interests. Mia has her Art, lives in a family unit of a mom-dad-brother. Xian is orphaned and her brother works off-planet leaving her to her own devices, which is computer and robotics. Jesse lives with his mother, parents divorced, and she’s too busy for him even though they both share a gift and interest in genetics and cloning. As a way of glimpsing into varied scenarios, the trio works. And it isn’t as if they all get along. Xian and Jesse are often in serious argument. Xian sees robots as the future heirs of the planet; Jesse isn’t ready to give up on the idea of human cloning. Mia just wants to pursue Art and humanity, making time to spend time with the elderly.
The mystery of the missing girl is the most intriguing part of the story, and once the setting is established, the story takes off. Who was this girl, why was she so important, and what could she mean to the future of humans and clones? Xian finds a lab, Mia is friends with a cryptic elderly woman, and Jesse’s mother knows something about the whole matter, enough to draw the attention of an Agent hunting down Xian and anyone else who might have information they shouldn’t.
And then the story takes an unexpected turn; which I usually find refreshing–but was it plausible?* Convenient, yes. And this was the point of the story–at the end–that confirmed what I was thinking all along: this book is better suited the younger audience.
The Never Weres is black/white throughout. Smyth provides a lot of fun details and creates a lot of energy in the composition of her pages. There is a lot of movement, and her way of juggling the 3 characters’ lives and development is wonderful; again she is compressing a potentially lengthy narrative into a highly accessible story–for Teens.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
The alien figure in the above (& below) image, top left, is “Storybot Sasha” narrating the story. She changes forms depending on the mood/topic of the page, but it is her voice and image that laces throughout as the story shifts between the lives of the three friends. I am still out as to the success of this device. To keep a potentially complicated and lengthy story short, the storybot is useful; and the ending (my Aeon Flux reference) reveals the real audience. Is the narrator too auditory for it visual medium?-was the question with which I contend. It seemed at times as if the two were tripping over one another, coming dangerously close to redundancy.
While I like diverse characters, I find the combination improbable. 3 kids living in 3 different areas with 3 different pervasive interests. Mia has her Art, lives in a family unit of a mom-dad-brother. Xian is orphaned and her brother works off-planet leaving her to her own devices, which is computer and robotics. Jesse lives with his mother, parents divorced, and she’s too busy for him even though they both share a gift and interest in genetics and cloning. As a way of glimpsing into varied scenarios, the trio works. And it isn’t as if they all get along. Xian and Jesse are often in serious argument. Xian sees robots as the future heirs of the planet; Jesse isn’t ready to give up on the idea of human cloning. Mia just wants to pursue Art and humanity, making time to spend time with the elderly.
The mystery of the missing girl is the most intriguing part of the story, and once the setting is established, the story takes off. Who was this girl, why was she so important, and what could she mean to the future of humans and clones? Xian finds a lab, Mia is friends with a cryptic elderly woman, and Jesse’s mother knows something about the whole matter, enough to draw the attention of an Agent hunting down Xian and anyone else who might have information they shouldn’t.
And then the story takes an unexpected turn; which I usually find refreshing–but was it plausible?* Convenient, yes. And this was the point of the story–at the end–that confirmed what I was thinking all along: this book is better suited the younger audience.
The Never Weres is black/white throughout. Smyth provides a lot of fun details and creates a lot of energy in the composition of her pages. There is a lot of movement, and her way of juggling the 3 characters’ lives and development is wonderful; again she is compressing a potentially lengthy narrative into a highly accessible story–for Teens.
L @ omphaloskepsis
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
April 11, 2011
This is a great concept. A virus causes mankind to lose the ability to procreate, and this story focuses on three teenagers who are among the last teens of the human. The characters on the surface are very fun, and I like the cloning angle. I even enjoyed the quirky artwork. But the delivery of the story is a bit weak. Largely told through the eyes of a alien being looking back on history, the book is filled with overly written narration that steals a lot of the really great moments from the characters. This could have been a lot stronger if Smyth let her characters talk and act more instead of having this oddball narrator tell us everything. Unfortunate, because I really wanted to like this.
Read
October 11, 2011In the near future, where a virus has stopped humanity’s ability to reproduce, three teenagers of the final generation of youth — Xian, Jesse and Mia — navigate a world where cloning has been made illegal and robots play a large role in society. With no family on Earth, Xian’s closest companion is one of the robots she has created. Jesse hopes to one day be a brilliant geneticist like his mother but can rarely get her attention. Mia’s love of art is expressed through her friendship with an elderly woman but opposed by her parents who want her to focus on survival skills.
While scavenging for parts for her robot projects, Xian discovers an abandoned science lab in a series of underground tunnels. A 60-year-old mystery begins to reveal itself, connecting a missing girl named Amelia Brown, the underground science lab and the mysterious symbol found on the walls of the tunnel as well as on a drawing by Mia’s elderly friend. Exploring the tunnels, they unravel the mystery of a missing clone and, in the process, help save the human race from extinction.
The Never Weres is an ambitious story with themes that will grab readers’ attention, especially with the recent rise in popularity of dystopian narratives in young adult fiction. While the ideas presented are interesting, the story could use more action to give the book a quicker pace and less exposition. Smyth, however, does create relatable teen characters in Xian, Jesse and Mia — using such universal adolescent themes as the tension between youth and family, the building of one’s identity and the expression of personal passions.
Smyth has a unique art style and painstakingly builds this futuristic world. Pages are packed with interesting details, hidden references and unique characters. Smyth’s artwork and panel layout have a surreal, almost psychedelic quality that is sometimes a detriment to the readability of the book, especially in her use of double-page spreads. In a graphic novel for young readers it is highly important to present a clear narrative.
The ending ties up a bit too nicely and easily but it’s still satisfying. Smyth has packed a lot into this graphic novel — cloning, technology, the appreciation of art, urban life and teenage angst — and despite the book’s flaws, there is something that will appeal to most every reader.
Reviewed by Scott Robbins in Canadian Children's Book News (Summer 2011, Vol. 34, No. 3)
While scavenging for parts for her robot projects, Xian discovers an abandoned science lab in a series of underground tunnels. A 60-year-old mystery begins to reveal itself, connecting a missing girl named Amelia Brown, the underground science lab and the mysterious symbol found on the walls of the tunnel as well as on a drawing by Mia’s elderly friend. Exploring the tunnels, they unravel the mystery of a missing clone and, in the process, help save the human race from extinction.
The Never Weres is an ambitious story with themes that will grab readers’ attention, especially with the recent rise in popularity of dystopian narratives in young adult fiction. While the ideas presented are interesting, the story could use more action to give the book a quicker pace and less exposition. Smyth, however, does create relatable teen characters in Xian, Jesse and Mia — using such universal adolescent themes as the tension between youth and family, the building of one’s identity and the expression of personal passions.
Smyth has a unique art style and painstakingly builds this futuristic world. Pages are packed with interesting details, hidden references and unique characters. Smyth’s artwork and panel layout have a surreal, almost psychedelic quality that is sometimes a detriment to the readability of the book, especially in her use of double-page spreads. In a graphic novel for young readers it is highly important to present a clear narrative.
The ending ties up a bit too nicely and easily but it’s still satisfying. Smyth has packed a lot into this graphic novel — cloning, technology, the appreciation of art, urban life and teenage angst — and despite the book’s flaws, there is something that will appeal to most every reader.
Reviewed by Scott Robbins in Canadian Children's Book News (Summer 2011, Vol. 34, No. 3)
December 22, 2019
I really like the characters, art and story telling and even all the ideas that the book was trying to get people to think about. I just thought the ending wasn’t as good as I was hoping. Also it’s never explained why the post apocalyptic events (the loss of childbearing) happened in the first place. The description made it sound like there would be an explanation.
February 17, 2015
In short, I dug the concept, but I thought the execution could've been better; it seemed that there was an exposition-dump on every other page. Additionally, a lot of the dialogue only seemed functional- there for the sake of additional exposition, which to a degree is alright, but the characters seemed lacking in voice and personality.
That said, I liked the story itself- it's entertaining, but not particularly strong in the first two-thirds of the book. At the end, however, everything comes together beautifully. The ending, in my opinion, made the whole story worth it.
The art is pretty cool as well- the style is very simple, but there's a surprising amount of detail. On every page is a bit of worldbuilding- context to the world and its state. It's all the little touches in The Never Weres that are a strength.
Overall, I can't strongly recommend this book due to the issues mentioned before. That said, if you're looking for a simple sci-fi story that surprises you towards the end, go for it.
That said, I liked the story itself- it's entertaining, but not particularly strong in the first two-thirds of the book. At the end, however, everything comes together beautifully. The ending, in my opinion, made the whole story worth it.
The art is pretty cool as well- the style is very simple, but there's a surprising amount of detail. On every page is a bit of worldbuilding- context to the world and its state. It's all the little touches in The Never Weres that are a strength.
Overall, I can't strongly recommend this book due to the issues mentioned before. That said, if you're looking for a simple sci-fi story that surprises you towards the end, go for it.
August 28, 2013
SPOILER: The moral of this story is that cloning rules. Right? I guess I can't get behind that.
Butttt it was a pretty fun, suspenseful, funky read with some hip kids and some cryptic art at the center of it! A really different and unique take on the near-future-dystopias of Children of Men or Handmaid's Tale (I think the latter gets a visual shoutout here!)....
So basically, the story was not my fave, but the characters were great, and I love Smyth's squiggly wacky artistic style. I wish she would do more!
Butttt it was a pretty fun, suspenseful, funky read with some hip kids and some cryptic art at the center of it! A really different and unique take on the near-future-dystopias of Children of Men or Handmaid's Tale (I think the latter gets a visual shoutout here!)....
So basically, the story was not my fave, but the characters were great, and I love Smyth's squiggly wacky artistic style. I wish she would do more!
July 28, 2014
An interesting graphic novel about the bleak future of man-kind. Three students, part of the last generation of teens, stumble upon a bizarre mystery that seems to involve the future of man-kind.
Big brother is a constant threat to the three children, who also have to deal with different but difficult family situations as well.
A nice story that combines classic teen troubles with science fiction and mystery.
Big brother is a constant threat to the three children, who also have to deal with different but difficult family situations as well.
A nice story that combines classic teen troubles with science fiction and mystery.
June 15, 2015
This was very very good. The world building and all of the external conflict that occurred was believable, well thought out and well executed. I really appreciated the diversity, especially as it related to the main characters. However intriguing the main plot line was, the resolution felt preachy (intentionally I'm sure), but that was my main problem throughout the entire read. Every moral was explicitly stated and that ended up taking away from the poignancy of the moral itself.
April 10, 2011
I loved the main character's compassion and determination. These types of stories always intrigue me, I like the idea of striving to succeed against all odds. The virus concept probably could have been explained a little clearer, but I think the mystery panned out well.
April 13, 2011
I liked this book! For a graphic novel, I felt it was complete...the story made sense, followed a logical order, and the pictures aided the story line. I will definitely recommend this to my students.
December 26, 2015
Good, but I don't think there was anything for me that was particularly outstanding about it.
May 7, 2019
The apocalypse has come, and you are the last hope on earth; the last generation that could make a change. It's your decision, look for a solution or or die in the attempt. This is exactly what happens on the life of three teenagers; Mia, Jesse and Xian. Late in the next century, the human race faces extinction. An incurable virus left the world with no new births since the last generation which causes people to live on a complete chaos, desperate in what the future holds for humanity. Despite what it’s happening, these courageous teenagers are determined to save the world of vanishing so the planet lives in prosperity and more generations appear.
The central problem focuses on a fully developed metropolis where the different social classes are appreciated depending on the place where each person lives. There Mia, Jesse and Xian tell their experience, with some shifts of their perspectives to the narrator alien, which clarify some aspects of the story. Fiona Smyth as the author of this comic seems to have an urgent style which complements it perfectly with optimistic and joyful features so the problem that needs to be solved has a touch of positivism that gives another direction to the story itself. As the three teens began its adventure, also different problems bagan in their life. This is the case of Mia, which tries to preserve humanity empathy with her bizarre but beautiful drawings. I felt heartbroken and depressed, when during the first half of the story her parents didn’t support her in expressing immorality and truth by her art, instead they wanted to send her to a survival camp. Please read this book! It's a memorable story that helps you to become aware of how you want to see your environment in the future, so that from now on with a small change you create a better world.
The central problem focuses on a fully developed metropolis where the different social classes are appreciated depending on the place where each person lives. There Mia, Jesse and Xian tell their experience, with some shifts of their perspectives to the narrator alien, which clarify some aspects of the story. Fiona Smyth as the author of this comic seems to have an urgent style which complements it perfectly with optimistic and joyful features so the problem that needs to be solved has a touch of positivism that gives another direction to the story itself. As the three teens began its adventure, also different problems bagan in their life. This is the case of Mia, which tries to preserve humanity empathy with her bizarre but beautiful drawings. I felt heartbroken and depressed, when during the first half of the story her parents didn’t support her in expressing immorality and truth by her art, instead they wanted to send her to a survival camp. Please read this book! It's a memorable story that helps you to become aware of how you want to see your environment in the future, so that from now on with a small change you create a better world.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 8, 2018
you know the old cliche "show, don't tell"? There is... really no excuse to not pull that off in a graphic novel, and yet- here we are. There is one scene where a character is meant to be worried, and in order to MAKE SURE we know, the buildings in the window behind him spell out the word worry. And I know, you're thinking, holy shit, that really is beating me over the head, but it doesn't stop there! The narrator also chimes in to tell us he is worried.
A decent book woulda communicated that with a facial expression on the drawing, but that may have been beyond the artist's skill.
also the story is illogical, at best. SPOILERS AHEAD
A decent book woulda communicated that with a facial expression on the drawing, but that may have been beyond the artist's skill.
also the story is illogical, at best. SPOILERS AHEAD
August 24, 2025
I loved this - the plot was imaginative and I believe the author had a fresh take on the YA dystopian genre. I read through a few other reviews, and don't necessarily disagree with the criticisms, but what made this a 5 star read for me was the fresh concept for the graphic novel and it kept me gripped throughout. The characters could have been developed further, and perhaps the way the story was told limited our insight into these characters, but overall, everything really worked for me.
June 21, 2021
Either 3.75/5 stars or 4/5 stars. Honestly it was really good and I don't have anything bad to say but I don't have anything to say in general either. It was a good story and I liked it but that's all there is to what I have to say. Nothing special, just a good book with a good plot and intresting art style with unique characters.
August 19, 2022
(3.5 stars) I was surprisingly delighted by this book. The message is heavy-handed and the art isn't stunning but I found it to be an intriguing mystery with fun characters and an adorable cat robot. The twists are far from unpredictable but I think they're more than suitable for a book for younger audiences. Goodreads says Young Adult, but I get middle grade vibes. The issues these characters face skew more towards family tensions and Not Getting To Do What You Want, which I read as more early adolescence.
I went into it expecting it to be pretty mediocre and simple but I was pleasantly surprised. The mystery aspect is more complex than I expected, although the message is just as nuanced (which is to say not very.) Still, there is a message. Perfect for younger audiences; I would have loved this when I was about 12.
I went into it expecting it to be pretty mediocre and simple but I was pleasantly surprised. The mystery aspect is more complex than I expected, although the message is just as nuanced (which is to say not very.) Still, there is a message. Perfect for younger audiences; I would have loved this when I was about 12.
Read
August 14, 2024Re-read because I read this book when I was younger and really liked it!
Really cool introduction to ideas around cloning especially for a younger target audience. They subtly get you to question the ethics and philosophy surrounding cloning. The art style was also really cool, and is a cool introduction to graphic novels.
Really cool introduction to ideas around cloning especially for a younger target audience. They subtly get you to question the ethics and philosophy surrounding cloning. The art style was also really cool, and is a cool introduction to graphic novels.
June 16, 2018
I liked this graphic novel. Intetesting read. was intrigued because it was a Canadian author and illustrator.
March 11, 2020
This book was okay. It had an okay story and okay illustrations.
March 1, 2021
this book is good
September 9, 2021
A playful read on apocalypse and friendship, yet struggles with wrangling plot and pacing. Smyth is a promising author. Certified Three-Star Read. B*
Read
November 30, 2021good book
June 18, 2022
Inventive with a unique art style and story and , likable characters.
January 19, 2023
As far as a story told from our grim future, I prefer that one episode of Bojack
December 1, 2021
Not pleased with this book. Not only was the plot dis-jointed, there was no suspense or changes. It was a streamlined plot all of the way through which made the book seem monotone and boring. The way the pages were layer out was a little confusing and just added to the already large amount of frustration you already get from reading this book. Nothing happens, nothing had emotion, and the whole book is a mess. The only reason I’m giving this book 2 stars is that if you have a large amount of time to fill it might be able to entertain you. Emphasis on “MIGHT”.
March 8, 2017
Different than any graphic novel I've read, in a good way. The narrator does a thorough job so there's no ambiguity or confusion, which is something that often leaves me unsatisfied with a graphic novel. It's sort of dystopian, really interesting and fun, with a clear ending.
October 17, 2013
The Never Weres by Fiona Smyth is a remarkable and mysterious graphic novel which includes a lot of action. This book is strongly recommended to teens of all ages. The Never Weres is about 3 friends, Xian, Mia, and Jesse. They each have very different lives outside of school. In the society they live in, no babies have been born for 15 years because of an incurable virus. Mia comes upon a symbol that she sees multiple times and is very curious about it. Xian discovers that there has been a missing girl, Amelia Brown, who has been missing for 60 years. Each of the 3 friends know something about this mystery and together their mission is to find out how the girl went missing.
This secretive graphic novel shows 3 different perspectives of a teenager’s life. Xian is a 15 year old girl who lives in a small, cramped apartment by herself with her cat robot, Loly. Her parents died in an accident when she was only 9 years old. Luckily, Xian has a brother who works in outer space. He doesn’t visit often because of his work, but they video chat very frequently. Xian’s interests are science and mechanical tools. Ever so often, she goes to an underground tunnel, illegally. In the tunnel, there is a lab and Xian searches for tools and equipment that she would steal. Most of the time, she is reckless and a troublemaker (pgs. 27-34, 51) . On the other hand, her friend, Mia, enjoys art and works with the elderly at a nursing home. Mia specifically talks with an elder woman named Mrs. Campbell. This woman draws many pieces of artwork for Mia, and one very unique drawing comes in handy towards the end of the book, but Mia doesn’t know it (pgs. 15-18). Xian and Mia’s friend Jesse lives in a wealthy town, in an immense castle. His parents are divorced but lives with his mother. Jesse and his mom don’t have a close relationship because his mom is always on the computer. She does work on the computer and never lets her eyes of the screen (pgs.24-26) . Jesse does mostly everything on his own, with the help of his friends, Xian and Mia.
The author teaches a very important message that when working together you can solve anything. Xian, Mia, and Jesse solve the puzzle of a missing girl on their own, with the help of Mrs. Campbell and Jesse’s mother. Mia discovered a symbol from a drawing of Mrs. Campbell’s and Xian’s messenger bag. This is when the mystery started. Xian noticed the same symbol on the walls of the underground tunnel. Then, Jesse realized that his mother’s work has to do with this unknown symbol. Once all these clues came together, they finally found out how the missing girl disappeared.
Even though The Never Weres was done in black and white, the author added detailed illustrations that made the book come alive. In the beginning of the book, there was a part about Xian running in the underground tunnel on security cameras (pg. 38) . The author illustrates this scene in dark shading. It made me feel like the drawings were actual footage from security cameras. Illustrations like these helps the reader to comprehend visually.
This fascinating story taught me about other teenagers’ lives and about working together. If I were to rate this book out of 5 stars, I would give it a 4 because towards the end, the book ties together well and it was hard to put the book down. Also, the story line was very different from other books I have read. Overall, The Never Weres is an excellent read if you are interested in science, mystery, or dystopian novels.
This secretive graphic novel shows 3 different perspectives of a teenager’s life. Xian is a 15 year old girl who lives in a small, cramped apartment by herself with her cat robot, Loly. Her parents died in an accident when she was only 9 years old. Luckily, Xian has a brother who works in outer space. He doesn’t visit often because of his work, but they video chat very frequently. Xian’s interests are science and mechanical tools. Ever so often, she goes to an underground tunnel, illegally. In the tunnel, there is a lab and Xian searches for tools and equipment that she would steal. Most of the time, she is reckless and a troublemaker (pgs. 27-34, 51) . On the other hand, her friend, Mia, enjoys art and works with the elderly at a nursing home. Mia specifically talks with an elder woman named Mrs. Campbell. This woman draws many pieces of artwork for Mia, and one very unique drawing comes in handy towards the end of the book, but Mia doesn’t know it (pgs. 15-18). Xian and Mia’s friend Jesse lives in a wealthy town, in an immense castle. His parents are divorced but lives with his mother. Jesse and his mom don’t have a close relationship because his mom is always on the computer. She does work on the computer and never lets her eyes of the screen (pgs.24-26) . Jesse does mostly everything on his own, with the help of his friends, Xian and Mia.
The author teaches a very important message that when working together you can solve anything. Xian, Mia, and Jesse solve the puzzle of a missing girl on their own, with the help of Mrs. Campbell and Jesse’s mother. Mia discovered a symbol from a drawing of Mrs. Campbell’s and Xian’s messenger bag. This is when the mystery started. Xian noticed the same symbol on the walls of the underground tunnel. Then, Jesse realized that his mother’s work has to do with this unknown symbol. Once all these clues came together, they finally found out how the missing girl disappeared.
Even though The Never Weres was done in black and white, the author added detailed illustrations that made the book come alive. In the beginning of the book, there was a part about Xian running in the underground tunnel on security cameras (pg. 38) . The author illustrates this scene in dark shading. It made me feel like the drawings were actual footage from security cameras. Illustrations like these helps the reader to comprehend visually.
This fascinating story taught me about other teenagers’ lives and about working together. If I were to rate this book out of 5 stars, I would give it a 4 because towards the end, the book ties together well and it was hard to put the book down. Also, the story line was very different from other books I have read. Overall, The Never Weres is an excellent read if you are interested in science, mystery, or dystopian novels.
December 28, 2011
In the near future, humanity is on the verge of extinction. The youngest citizens, age fifteen, will be the only human beings left until they finally die. A deadly virus reared its ugly head years earlier, resulting in the mankind loosing its ability to reproduce. Unless something is done, the Earth could become a barren wasteland. Humanity's only hope is cloning. However, due to several grotesque outcomes, cloning human beings is forbidden. The world is just a clock, ticking and ticking, counting every last second each individual has before he or she dies.
The youngest generation is aware of their impending doom. It worries them, yet they make the most of their lives. Mia is an artsy young woman who enjoys volunteering with the elderly. Her favorite person is a mysterious old woman who suffers from Alzheimer's. Xian is a computer genius who can build virtually any type of robot. Her best friend and "pet" is a cute robotic kitten. Jesse, the son of a brilliant scientist, is a fan of cloning. He spends most of his time learning how to properly clone animals and create new species.
On a hunt for spare mechanical parts, Xian stumbles upon a tunnel system covered in cryptic markings. Of course, she wants her two friends to help her explore it. Eventually, they join her. Xian, Mia, and Jesse travel through the tunnels and discover an old laboratory, and unravel the mystery of a young girl who went missing several years ago. The future could depend on their journey. However, like most attempts at preserving humanity, it may have been in vain. Either way, they could at least say they were not waiting to die.
The Never Weres is a brilliant tale about a world nearing the end. Personally, when I first saw it in the library, I thought it was going to be another graphic novel where the reader shoves his or her opinion down the reader's throat. In other words, I thought it was going to be a giant metaphor for "use my idea to save the world or die." I was wrong. The book was a genuine, thrilling adventure. I have not read such a compelling graphic novel since American Born Chinese. The story is engaging. I love how Ms. Smyth portrays each individual character. Several times I felt like sympathizing with even the most stubborn of characters. After all, It is the end of the world. Knowing that it is only a matter of time before humanity dies would make anyone stressed. My only complaint about the story is that I wish it gave more information about the mysterious virus plaguing earth. Also, certain parts of the plot were too convenient. Those parts took away from the book's charm.
The art, however, is too simplistic. It is cute, but I would have appreciated the story more if the characters did not look so abstract. Also, I felt like there was too much going on in the panels. Sometimes, Ms. Smyth used too many ways to show a character's emotion. If a character is proud, she should look it without the aid of millions of grinning faces around her.
In a day and age where everything feels like it came out of a Shounen Jump magazine, it is nice to read a different type of story. The Never Weres is a great read for fans of sci-fi and dystopia novels. Despite how serious the events of the book are, it might suit kids in middle school rather than those in high school. It is not a waste of time, and is worth a glance.
The youngest generation is aware of their impending doom. It worries them, yet they make the most of their lives. Mia is an artsy young woman who enjoys volunteering with the elderly. Her favorite person is a mysterious old woman who suffers from Alzheimer's. Xian is a computer genius who can build virtually any type of robot. Her best friend and "pet" is a cute robotic kitten. Jesse, the son of a brilliant scientist, is a fan of cloning. He spends most of his time learning how to properly clone animals and create new species.
On a hunt for spare mechanical parts, Xian stumbles upon a tunnel system covered in cryptic markings. Of course, she wants her two friends to help her explore it. Eventually, they join her. Xian, Mia, and Jesse travel through the tunnels and discover an old laboratory, and unravel the mystery of a young girl who went missing several years ago. The future could depend on their journey. However, like most attempts at preserving humanity, it may have been in vain. Either way, they could at least say they were not waiting to die.
The Never Weres is a brilliant tale about a world nearing the end. Personally, when I first saw it in the library, I thought it was going to be another graphic novel where the reader shoves his or her opinion down the reader's throat. In other words, I thought it was going to be a giant metaphor for "use my idea to save the world or die." I was wrong. The book was a genuine, thrilling adventure. I have not read such a compelling graphic novel since American Born Chinese. The story is engaging. I love how Ms. Smyth portrays each individual character. Several times I felt like sympathizing with even the most stubborn of characters. After all, It is the end of the world. Knowing that it is only a matter of time before humanity dies would make anyone stressed. My only complaint about the story is that I wish it gave more information about the mysterious virus plaguing earth. Also, certain parts of the plot were too convenient. Those parts took away from the book's charm.
The art, however, is too simplistic. It is cute, but I would have appreciated the story more if the characters did not look so abstract. Also, I felt like there was too much going on in the panels. Sometimes, Ms. Smyth used too many ways to show a character's emotion. If a character is proud, she should look it without the aid of millions of grinning faces around her.
In a day and age where everything feels like it came out of a Shounen Jump magazine, it is nice to read a different type of story. The Never Weres is a great read for fans of sci-fi and dystopia novels. Despite how serious the events of the book are, it might suit kids in middle school rather than those in high school. It is not a waste of time, and is worth a glance.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews