Opioids and Organs

by Arizona O'Neill

Genres: Graphic Novels, Comics, Memoir, Nonfiction, Health

380 pages, Hardcover

Published May 19, 2026

Reviews

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good graphic novel. So visually beautiful and interesting. I’ll read anything by the O’Neills!

[Reve Gourdon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soo good I wasn’t expecting that! Make me question a lot of things about organs donation. Love it

[kate j · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished on the amtrak back home … i wanted More from this book, i fear

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was well done. Dark, quirky, and thought provoking.

[Siena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic debut graphic novel! I learned so much about the organ donation system in Canada tied to the opioid crisis, all while enjoying Arizona’s amazing talents as an illustrator!

[Melissa Gates · Rating 4 out of 5]

* I wasn't gifted a copy of this book. I bought it myself as it was published on 21 April 2026 in Canada. *
First off, graphic novels aren't a genre I naturally gravitate to but the topic of this one caught my attention. I was really looking forward to learning more about the link between the opioid crisis and organ donation. Unfortunately the book doesn't address that that much. So if you're hoping for an in depth dive into that subject, you're out of luck. But if you're interested in an overview of the history of death this is for you. If you're hoping for a mind opening read, this is for you. And if you enjoy having more questions at the end of your reading then you did at its beginning, this is definitely for you.
I quite enjoyed the way the story is presented as if we are going along for a ride in the author's mind. I loved that it made me question things I thought I knew and that it made me want to research and learn more. And as all books published by Drawn& Quarterly the quality of the book itself is supreme.

[August Driussi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't stop thinking about this highly original graphic memoir investigating dark underbelly of human organ donation. When the author loses her estranged father to opioid addiction, her less-than-consensual agreement to donate his organs haunts her. To what extent do hospitals exploit the bodies of one of society's most stigmatized groups: victims of substance abuse? Poignant and funny, O'Neil's search for answers traverses memory, literature, and the historical record to unearth uncomfortable truths about the system that sacrifices some lives and extends others. Fans of Funhome (Alison Bechdel), Dear Mini (Natalie Norris), and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes (Caitlyn Doughty) will enjoy.

[PlantLady Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky to get my hands on this a bit early.

I loved Arizona's art style in Valentine in Montreal so I was very eager to get mt hands on a full book with her art.

The focus of this memoir is the author's process of learning about organ transplantation/ its relation to social inequalities/the opoid crisis while working through her grief with the fact that she signed the donation request for her brain dead father when she was a young adult.

This is a fascinating dive into her mind, it's weird it's quirky, it's interesting and you finish only wanting to flip more pages.

I can't recommend this enough.

[Marie Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Les dessins de ce roman graphique sont juste magnifiques.
J'ai beaucoup aimé le thème aussi : le père d'Arizona est mort d'une surdose, ses organes ont été donnés, et elle se demande si tout a été fait dans les règles de l'art. Je (comme tous les personnages du roman d'ailleurs) pars du principe que le don d'organe est une bonne chose, mais Arizona nous expose les côtés sombres de la chose...notamment le fait que les plus pauvres de la société, et les plus vulnérables, sont ceux qui donnent leurs organes aux autres depuis le début du processus. Ça porte à réfexion.

[Joanne Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a beautifully illustrated graphic novel and such a poignant journey to find some peace with the loss of a parent. I found parallels with the Empire of Pain book. It’s shocking when you start to learn about western medicine and how the abuse of marginalized communities have provided our “advancements”.

[Seyfi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Opioids & Organs raises important questions around organ donation and the realities of overdose deaths, giving you a lot to think about without ever feeling heavy handed. The drawings are especially strong.

[Deandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and fascinating. Books that can really make you re-examine something you thought you understood are so powerful, and this is one of those books. Arizona's artwork is great but her storytelling is also fantastic.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Matthew Noe]

booklist review pending

[Renaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'aime bien cette façon de faire de la BD documentaire sans délaisser l'aspect narratif

[Mich Dandonneau · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so, so, so special.

[Karianne Giard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book to me, is yes, about the opioids crisis and organs transplantation, but it’s I think ultimately a book about grief. And it was beautifully done.

[Magalie A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this creative, thought provoking, and personal journey. The art is fantastic and the research is well woven throughout the graphic novel.

[KatieKatArt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful, surreal story exploring a different angle of organ donation (admittedly something I don’t know much about). I love how personally it feels, messy and all.

[Charlotte · Rating 2 out of 5]

was really looking forward to this but it literally felt like an informational pamphlet stretched to 200 pages