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Spoke
The Eisner and Lambda Literary Award–nominated creator of Thirsty Mermaids and coauthor of the bestselling Lumberjanes series returns with this heartfelt new graphic novel!
Compelling and unforgettable, this is a year in the post-apocalyptic life of Spoke, a nonverbal cargo bicycle courier who uses ASL and serves her tight-knit surrounding communities in a world where all power sources were neutralized long ago by a mysterious force. Spoke journeys through life alone in this reverted pre-industrial landscape, but a chance connection made with a stranger suddenly makes her feel not so alone anymore.
Compelling and unforgettable, this is a year in the post-apocalyptic life of Spoke, a nonverbal cargo bicycle courier who uses ASL and serves her tight-knit surrounding communities in a world where all power sources were neutralized long ago by a mysterious force. Spoke journeys through life alone in this reverted pre-industrial landscape, but a chance connection made with a stranger suddenly makes her feel not so alone anymore.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published October 13, 2026
About the author
Kat Leyh
104 books579 followersKat Leyh is a Chicago based writer and artist. She’s best known as the current co-writer and cover artist for the series Lumberjanes, and for her queer superhero webcomic Supercakes. She’s also worked as a cover artist, and back-up writer/artist for several BOOM! Studios series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
October 17, 2026
I'd read a little of the Lumberjanes series, and hadn't quite gotten around to Thirsty Mermaids, but this graphic novel was the one I most felt I needed to read, 'cause how could "Cozy Post-apocalyptic" be an actual genre? Turns out: it's legit.
Right away, you notice a difference in style. Leyh juxtaposes scenes that nearly meld into each other, giving a dreamlike quality without words. And lemme tell ya: it is visually very busy, with a lot of detail.
In this story, every person is vital to small linked communities. People help each other with the care of children, and everyone learns to pitch in and make things work for everyone else, regardless of their abilities. It's a matter of pride to include and contribute to the well-being of others.
You never see this in post-apocalyptic movies, where simple accommodations are made for those who rely on mobility aids, or who have low vision or hearing. It's refreshing to see this.
Things that used to matter: order, neatness, cleanliness, are no longer important. The people have had to learn to adjust, adapt, and overcome constantly changing circumstances.
Also, the story underscores the importance of new traditions, to hold a community together, to celebrate and tell stories. It is not an easy life, but if it's all work, no one will enjoy it. Time must be set aside for small indulgences and pleasures.
It's a sweet story, and one in which even the conflict is pretty tame. It is the exact opposite of Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler, though to be fair, that's set as a near-future Apocalypse. This book is set a full century after modern societal collapse.
Right away, you notice a difference in style. Leyh juxtaposes scenes that nearly meld into each other, giving a dreamlike quality without words. And lemme tell ya: it is visually very busy, with a lot of detail.
In this story, every person is vital to small linked communities. People help each other with the care of children, and everyone learns to pitch in and make things work for everyone else, regardless of their abilities. It's a matter of pride to include and contribute to the well-being of others.
You never see this in post-apocalyptic movies, where simple accommodations are made for those who rely on mobility aids, or who have low vision or hearing. It's refreshing to see this.
Things that used to matter: order, neatness, cleanliness, are no longer important. The people have had to learn to adjust, adapt, and overcome constantly changing circumstances.
Also, the story underscores the importance of new traditions, to hold a community together, to celebrate and tell stories. It is not an easy life, but if it's all work, no one will enjoy it. Time must be set aside for small indulgences and pleasures.
It's a sweet story, and one in which even the conflict is pretty tame. It is the exact opposite of Parable of the Sower, by Octavia Butler, though to be fair, that's set as a near-future Apocalypse. This book is set a full century after modern societal collapse.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This was delightful! I absolutely loved Kat Leyh’s previous graphic novel Snapdragon, so I did go into this with pretty high expectations - and they were absolutely met! Spoke is a slice of life graphic novel that is set in a post-apocalyptic world, but in a society that is low-key kinda a utopia. Like everyone collaborates, shares and helps out, everyone knows sign language, better disability accommodations than most places nowadays, and it’s queernormative.
It’s a beautifully illustrated story of kindness, love and found family, it’s post-apocalyptic, yet cozy. Absolutely loved reading this, cause it’s just a gneuinely happy and uplifting book that made me fall hard for its characters and its world.
Tropes and such:
- queer post-apocalypse slice-of-life graphic novel
- post-apocalyptic setting that feels utopian
- lesbians!
- disability rep (deaf FMC, many disabled side characters)
- found family
- dogs!
- lovely amazing art
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Thank you to Gallery Books for the ARC
It’s a beautifully illustrated story of kindness, love and found family, it’s post-apocalyptic, yet cozy. Absolutely loved reading this, cause it’s just a gneuinely happy and uplifting book that made me fall hard for its characters and its world.
Tropes and such:
- queer post-apocalypse slice-of-life graphic novel
- post-apocalyptic setting that feels utopian
- lesbians!
- disability rep (deaf FMC, many disabled side characters)
- found family
- dogs!
- lovely amazing art
-----
Thank you to Gallery Books for the ARC
October 15, 2026
this was spectacular from start to finish. really smart and original climate fiction with lots of hope and community and heart. a beautiful depiction of how people can work together while being very different. really cool to see a main character who is deaf depicted in a graphic novel (and lots of other side characters with different disabilities, including a blind character and a character who uses a wheel chair) especially in the post apocalyptic setting. cute and sweet romance but all of the relationships were really meaningful and good. GOOD DOGS. AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF GOOD DOGS. JUST LIKE THE BEST DOGS ACTUALLY. and ofc, beautiful beautiful art with great coloring!!!! def my fav by leyh so far!!!!
September 7, 2026
An absolutely gorgeous and positive graphic novel. This is my first graphic novel by Kat Leyh and I was pleasantly surprised. Though I had already heard how amazing they are. I loved that this story is post apocalyptic. Many of the characters had disabilities and it was a great addition to the story. I wish more authors did this. This story has a beautiful world with equally beautiful characters. I feel so much better after reading this book. I found the illustrations and color choices to be great as well.
Thank you Gallery Books for providing this book via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Thank you Gallery Books for providing this book via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Did Not Finish
September 19, 2026ARC from Netgalley
DNF 30% in
This dystopian story did not work for me. It felt slow and i had no motivation to finish. I enjoyed the art style, but not the color palette. I think my biggest problem was that a lot of characters are introduced, but the main title character did not have enough personality to be the one the story is following.
DNF 30% in
This dystopian story did not work for me. It felt slow and i had no motivation to finish. I enjoyed the art style, but not the color palette. I think my biggest problem was that a lot of characters are introduced, but the main title character did not have enough personality to be the one the story is following.
October 26, 2026
The cozy post-apocalyptic vibes reminded me a lot of the Monk and Robot series. My only minor quip was that I found it odd that a bicycle was such an irreplaceable relic.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance reader's copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Oh, my heart. What a gorgeous graphic novel. I loved the disability representation, the Deaf main character, and just the world this book explores. I loved seeing a society where EVERYONE knows ASL and where Deafness isn't just accommodated, but embraced. I loved how many different kinds of happy, healthy families it showed.
I did find the cast of characters somewhat confusing at times, and I did occasionally struggle with the art style and color palette. I would have loved for the colors to be a little more varied. But overall, I loved this book. I thought a graphic novel was the ideal medium for this story to be told. It really feels solarpunk in the best way.
Oh, my heart. What a gorgeous graphic novel. I loved the disability representation, the Deaf main character, and just the world this book explores. I loved seeing a society where EVERYONE knows ASL and where Deafness isn't just accommodated, but embraced. I loved how many different kinds of happy, healthy families it showed.
I did find the cast of characters somewhat confusing at times, and I did occasionally struggle with the art style and color palette. I would have loved for the colors to be a little more varied. But overall, I loved this book. I thought a graphic novel was the ideal medium for this story to be told. It really feels solarpunk in the best way.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a post-apocalyptic story that paints a hopeful picture of society after the “world has ended.” Spoke doesn’t clearly say what happened–that’s relegated to a mythic story about the stars coming down from the sky and the night coming down to reclaim them–but the major gist of it is that the world is without electricity and everything that we who live in the modern era take for granted.
One could assume that everyone would be miserable in these times, but people have forged ahead and have learned to live well under their circumstances. There are farm villages. There’s an old tower where the town meteorologist lives who keeps track of storms. People grow their food, make their clothes, and forage what they can from the junk (relics) of the past.
Spoke, who is deaf, finds a treasure for herself: a working bicycle! And she wants to help make deliveries and connections between the settlements, transporting items back and forth to people in need.
Spoke is not alone in this new world. She has lots of friends, and you can see how the survivors have learned to live well with each other and depend on each other. The early settlers of the area were a deaf family who continued to have deaf children, so everybody in the settlements knows sign language, as it has been passed down through the years. It’s a wonderful thing to see.
We get stories of the settlements through the seasons, and we see an entire year with festivals, everyday work life, and more. There is a sweet love story amid all of this too, between Spoke and a talented young woman who is studying medicines.
Usually when I hear of stories that chronicle the world’s ending and its aftermath, it’s filled with desolation and the remnants of utter destruction. While it’s clear some things over time have been destroyed in this world, what readers mostly see is the rebuilding and rejuvenation of these spoiled areas, and true friendships and a sense of family.
In other words, this is a story of hope after what could have been the very worst thing to have happened. It’s optimistic and shows how people can come together to survive, and flourish, in hard times.
I did not expect to be so uplifted reading a story about a post-apocalyptic world, but it makes me feel good to see a where coming together after a mass destructive event is what triumphs, not sadness, grief, or bitterness.
I really enjoyed reading this one and am giving it five stars. Much thanks to Gallery 13 and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
One could assume that everyone would be miserable in these times, but people have forged ahead and have learned to live well under their circumstances. There are farm villages. There’s an old tower where the town meteorologist lives who keeps track of storms. People grow their food, make their clothes, and forage what they can from the junk (relics) of the past.
Spoke, who is deaf, finds a treasure for herself: a working bicycle! And she wants to help make deliveries and connections between the settlements, transporting items back and forth to people in need.
Spoke is not alone in this new world. She has lots of friends, and you can see how the survivors have learned to live well with each other and depend on each other. The early settlers of the area were a deaf family who continued to have deaf children, so everybody in the settlements knows sign language, as it has been passed down through the years. It’s a wonderful thing to see.
We get stories of the settlements through the seasons, and we see an entire year with festivals, everyday work life, and more. There is a sweet love story amid all of this too, between Spoke and a talented young woman who is studying medicines.
Usually when I hear of stories that chronicle the world’s ending and its aftermath, it’s filled with desolation and the remnants of utter destruction. While it’s clear some things over time have been destroyed in this world, what readers mostly see is the rebuilding and rejuvenation of these spoiled areas, and true friendships and a sense of family.
In other words, this is a story of hope after what could have been the very worst thing to have happened. It’s optimistic and shows how people can come together to survive, and flourish, in hard times.
I did not expect to be so uplifted reading a story about a post-apocalyptic world, but it makes me feel good to see a where coming together after a mass destructive event is what triumphs, not sadness, grief, or bitterness.
I really enjoyed reading this one and am giving it five stars. Much thanks to Gallery 13 and NetGalley for the digital ARC.
August 10, 2026
⭐️4.5 stars⭐️
I’ve never read a book quite like this before, and I loved it! It’s so unique and has a lot going on, and a lot going for it, too!
This story is about Spoke, our non-verbal queer protagonist who uses ASL to communicate, is community-oriented, and is just trying to figure her life out. The story follows Spoke for a year, more or less, as she lives and interacts with people in her community while trying to start her own delivery business with a “relic” bicycle. It’s a bit reminiscent of Kiki’s Delivery Service in that both protagonists feel precious to the reader and you can’t help but have a soft spot for them.
There are so many reasons to love this book: 1) the characters and the community are the ideal, supporting each other and celebrating life, the land, and each other; 2) the post-apocalyptic setting is one of the first I’ve read that isn’t all gloom and despair but rather thoughtful about what remains, how to begin again, and how to save what’s important; 3) the beautiful representation of different sexualities, partnerships, abilities, ways of living and interpreting the world, and gifts, all done in a manner that is so normal it needs no explanation - it just is; and 4) the gorgeous illustrations!
My only critiques for this book would be that, at times, it was a bit difficult to figure out who was speaking because some of the text bubbles weren’t super clear. Also, I wanted more! I’d love to know more about the apocalypse, Spoke’s story before where this book begins, and more about the building of the community - it just wasn’t enough for me!
Overall, a great, great read! I will recommend this book to many people as I think it’s both fun but also important, relevant, and impactful. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - I read this in one day!
I’ve never read a book quite like this before, and I loved it! It’s so unique and has a lot going on, and a lot going for it, too!
This story is about Spoke, our non-verbal queer protagonist who uses ASL to communicate, is community-oriented, and is just trying to figure her life out. The story follows Spoke for a year, more or less, as she lives and interacts with people in her community while trying to start her own delivery business with a “relic” bicycle. It’s a bit reminiscent of Kiki’s Delivery Service in that both protagonists feel precious to the reader and you can’t help but have a soft spot for them.
There are so many reasons to love this book: 1) the characters and the community are the ideal, supporting each other and celebrating life, the land, and each other; 2) the post-apocalyptic setting is one of the first I’ve read that isn’t all gloom and despair but rather thoughtful about what remains, how to begin again, and how to save what’s important; 3) the beautiful representation of different sexualities, partnerships, abilities, ways of living and interpreting the world, and gifts, all done in a manner that is so normal it needs no explanation - it just is; and 4) the gorgeous illustrations!
My only critiques for this book would be that, at times, it was a bit difficult to figure out who was speaking because some of the text bubbles weren’t super clear. Also, I wanted more! I’d love to know more about the apocalypse, Spoke’s story before where this book begins, and more about the building of the community - it just wasn’t enough for me!
Overall, a great, great read! I will recommend this book to many people as I think it’s both fun but also important, relevant, and impactful. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC - I read this in one day!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Gosh, this was lovely. Are we calling this hope-punk? Cozy post-apocalyptic fiction? I would put this in the same broad category as Monk & Robot ("Psalm for the Wild Built," etc.), but with less technology and more cultural awareness. I love that there are multiple folks with a range of disabilities represented here, and the overall sentiment seems to be that everyone needs to contribute what they can in whatever way they can, and that there's still room to seek personal satisfaction. In that sense, the world presented here is borderline utopian, not because life is easy, but because the characters find ways to take care of each other even when times are hard.
Kat Leyh's other work has generally been fun, more lighthearted, and definitely on the quirkier end of the spectrum. "Spoke" has so much heart, so much thought put into the different aspects of the world and community, and a cast of distinct characters so large that it might feel unwieldy in another type of story. The story focuses on Spoke, but the community relationships are the real core of the story.
Beautiful, a little bittersweet, and very moving. I teared up several times. The use of color was so lovely and so focused on the natural world. The other book I'd compare this to would be Robin Wall Kimmerer's "The Serviceberry," since Spoke explicitly references Native growing practices and revolves around the overall theme of reciprocity.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me get my little mitts on an ARC of this beautiful, kind graphic novel.
Kat Leyh's other work has generally been fun, more lighthearted, and definitely on the quirkier end of the spectrum. "Spoke" has so much heart, so much thought put into the different aspects of the world and community, and a cast of distinct characters so large that it might feel unwieldy in another type of story. The story focuses on Spoke, but the community relationships are the real core of the story.
Beautiful, a little bittersweet, and very moving. I teared up several times. The use of color was so lovely and so focused on the natural world. The other book I'd compare this to would be Robin Wall Kimmerer's "The Serviceberry," since Spoke explicitly references Native growing practices and revolves around the overall theme of reciprocity.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me get my little mitts on an ARC of this beautiful, kind graphic novel.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Cozy, neighborly, post-apocalypse, slice-of-life romance. That's a weird combination of words.
I immediately snatched this up when I saw it on Netgalley because I really liked Kat Leyh's Snapdragon and Thirsty Mermaids so much, but I have to admit I am disappointed by the meandering, low-key, and nearly-pointless nature of this story.
Imagine something like The Walking Dead without any zombies, militias, or violence in general. It's just calm and gentle people people in a little village crafting things and trading them for food and other goods from the highly cooperative neighboring villages, all facilitated by the Deaf woman who makes deliveries on her bicycle and talks incessantly with everyone she meets because almost all the hearing folk in the area know sign language.
It's all very sweet, but it also feels like empty calories.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
I immediately snatched this up when I saw it on Netgalley because I really liked Kat Leyh's Snapdragon and Thirsty Mermaids so much, but I have to admit I am disappointed by the meandering, low-key, and nearly-pointless nature of this story.
Imagine something like The Walking Dead without any zombies, militias, or violence in general. It's just calm and gentle people people in a little village crafting things and trading them for food and other goods from the highly cooperative neighboring villages, all facilitated by the Deaf woman who makes deliveries on her bicycle and talks incessantly with everyone she meets because almost all the hearing folk in the area know sign language.
It's all very sweet, but it also feels like empty calories.
Disclosure: I received access to a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.com.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kat Leyh's storytelling and illustrations are always a breath of fresh air, and Spoke is no exception. A beautifully woven story with so much detail in all it's characters, history, and environments. I found myself smiling and laughing along with the friends and families depicted here; so much genuine joy and expression is shared between the two towns and visiting travelers. The illustrations are clear and generous, with pieces of personality found in clothing, homes, and relics of the before times.
Throughout the changing seasons, we see all the ways in which people have adapted to their surroundings and to one another. In addition to sign language being used throughout, we can also see other creative and practical ways for folks with disabilities to be in community. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys slice-of-life type stories, woodsy adventures, and for those trying to find the better world we know is possible. Amongst all the sadness and hardship of our world, Spoke is a reminder of the ways in which we can support one another.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the digital ARC!
Throughout the changing seasons, we see all the ways in which people have adapted to their surroundings and to one another. In addition to sign language being used throughout, we can also see other creative and practical ways for folks with disabilities to be in community. I highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys slice-of-life type stories, woodsy adventures, and for those trying to find the better world we know is possible. Amongst all the sadness and hardship of our world, Spoke is a reminder of the ways in which we can support one another.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the digital ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What an utterly delightful and wholesome graphic novel. I didn't think post-apocalyptic cozy could be a genre and I have been proven wrong. The protagonist, Spoke, is a deaf-mute person living in a world that has reportedly "ended" but still communities are enduring, living, laughing, loving and caring, despite being back to a pre-industrial pace of life. Spoke is a beloved member of this community who is finding her place in this ecosystem as she finds her purpose in connecting the human settlements that depend on each other. The entire cast of people who make this community is diverse in every way, is several generations into the global technological collapse and they make for a positively heartwarming picture of what society could be even when the cage of comforts we rely on is all stripped away. The artwork is dynamic to accommodate the heavy use of sign language by most characters, and perfectly captures the dynamic heart of this story and world without too much flair. Beautiful standalone work by one of the artists from the beloved Lumberjanes series. Thanks to Netgalley for the ebook ARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 stars
Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Spoke by Kat Leyh to review! I've loved Leyh's work since reading Snapdragon, so I was excited to pick this one up. The artwork in this is absolutely lovely. The color palette fits well with the post-apocalyptic world that Leyh has created. There are really some gorgeous panels included throughout this book.
I would say this book is on the quieter side. More focused on the characters and the relationships rather than the events that lead to this post-apocalyptic future. It's one of those stories that you have to be okay with not knowing all the information. Instead focusing on the journey of the characters and their emotions. If you enjoy character drivien stories, this is definitely for you.
One other nice thing was the formatting used for when the characters were using sign language. I think it was clever, and really helped in building up the characters. All in all, if you enjoy quieter stories with beautiful artwork, this book should be right up your alley!
Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of Spoke by Kat Leyh to review! I've loved Leyh's work since reading Snapdragon, so I was excited to pick this one up. The artwork in this is absolutely lovely. The color palette fits well with the post-apocalyptic world that Leyh has created. There are really some gorgeous panels included throughout this book.
I would say this book is on the quieter side. More focused on the characters and the relationships rather than the events that lead to this post-apocalyptic future. It's one of those stories that you have to be okay with not knowing all the information. Instead focusing on the journey of the characters and their emotions. If you enjoy character drivien stories, this is definitely for you.
One other nice thing was the formatting used for when the characters were using sign language. I think it was clever, and really helped in building up the characters. All in all, if you enjoy quieter stories with beautiful artwork, this book should be right up your alley!
October 19, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for this e-ARC graphic novel. Spoke is a post-apocalyptic, yet cozy graphic novel. I would not categorize it as dystopian, as there is no real conflict, just back to basics rebuilding. I did like the notion that as existing equipment such as Spoke's bike breaks, it gets harder and harder to fix, because there are just no longer parts (it always drives me crazy when there is working infrastructure and vehicles in post-apocalyptic/dystopian stories - who's maintaining the water and power plants and processing gasoline, etc?). Spoke is a deaf character, and the novels portrays an interesting and diverse community. My lack of enthusiasm for this work stems from an all to common romantic story with a misunderstanding at its core, and the overall Utopian, upbeat nature of the community described within this book; just not very realistic. That being said, an enjoyable ★ ★ ★ read.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Spoke is a super cool concept that I enjoyed, but it definitely felt a bit more like worldbuilding setup than a fully driven plot.
The world Kat Leyh built here is really intriguing, but as the pages went on, I found myself waiting for the main story to truly kick into gear. It has a bit of a "is anything actually going to happen?" kind of pacing. Similarly, the central romance fell a little flat for me. Most of the real progression in their connection happens in the background off-screen, so you aren't given much of a front-row seat to actually root for the love story or feel deeply invested in them as a couple.
On the flip side, I really loved the main character. I didn't realize she was deaf right away, but the representation was handled so well. The custom speech bubbles specifically used for signing were a nice touch.
The world Kat Leyh built here is really intriguing, but as the pages went on, I found myself waiting for the main story to truly kick into gear. It has a bit of a "is anything actually going to happen?" kind of pacing. Similarly, the central romance fell a little flat for me. Most of the real progression in their connection happens in the background off-screen, so you aren't given much of a front-row seat to actually root for the love story or feel deeply invested in them as a couple.
On the flip side, I really loved the main character. I didn't realize she was deaf right away, but the representation was handled so well. The custom speech bubbles specifically used for signing were a nice touch.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really like this illustrator. The artwork is lovely.
The storytelling is a little clunky-- it takes place in a future world, with different social structures, and with a disabled MC who communicates using sign language. All that set-up is a lot to ask, and there were times I didn't know what what supposed to be happening, or felt like I was missing details. It's a lovely story in which multiple queer and disabled people are seen and loved, build families, and contribute meaningfully to society. Lengthening the work to add more detail, or using text-based narration in addition to the comic panels, would probably help. Readers who are ok with a little more ambiguity will love it.
eARC from NetGalley.
The storytelling is a little clunky-- it takes place in a future world, with different social structures, and with a disabled MC who communicates using sign language. All that set-up is a lot to ask, and there were times I didn't know what what supposed to be happening, or felt like I was missing details. It's a lovely story in which multiple queer and disabled people are seen and loved, build families, and contribute meaningfully to society. Lengthening the work to add more detail, or using text-based narration in addition to the comic panels, would probably help. Readers who are ok with a little more ambiguity will love it.
eARC from NetGalley.
August 28, 2026
Kat Leyh has beautiful graphic novels. My kids and I absolutely loved Snapdragon and its creepy-yet-cozy ambience. Spoke is an enticing story: a post-apocalyptic future where humans are learning to live in communities without electricity and manufacturing but still have “relics” while they last. It reminded me a lot of “Season: A Letter to the Future” (video game) in its dynamic. While I do enjoy cozy stories that don’t have traditional protagonists, antagonists, and a defined plot, I did feel like spoke lacked focus of story. A majority of the book was introduction to a ton of characters and then a rushed semi-story at the end. I would have enjoyed this more had it developed some of these interactions more.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley prior to publication.
This book was provided to me by NetGalley prior to publication.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received a digital ARC from Gallery Books via NetGalley. From the co-author of Lumberjanes comes a utopian, post apocalyptic graphic novel that demonstrates love and hope in a less technologically advanced future. Spoke lives alone and makes deliveries between small settlements on her “relic,” a bicycle. We meet an interesting cast of secondary characters who all have skills needed to live and rely peacefully on others. Spoke can’t hear and all of the characters know sign language like it is second nature. Spoke meets a new traveler who wants to get to know Spoke and learn to communicate with her, but sometimes feelings are the hardest thing to communicate. This was beautiful and it was so great to see a future that was not dystopian. Lovely.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Amazing readdd!!! I love the storyline!! The characters!! I love everything in this book!! All of them understand each other duties and be together to make the living much easier in those times. The book is such a wonderful story!!! There even an explanation on how everyone in the villages knows how to sign language. I really really love the storyline soooo much!! I really recommend this story to people who wants to read stories about found family, relationships and love. Such an amazing read!!
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this amazing book in advance~
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Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this amazing book in advance~
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Kat Leyh knows how to nail plot in graphic novels, a skill not all graphic novelists have. This story is the perfect length and allows the reader to connect with the setting and characters while avoiding too much filler. The art is beautiful, and the colors pair well with the season that each panel is set in. It felt like it took a bit long to get into the conflict of the story, but I did appreciate the world building, so it evens out. This post-apocalyptic world feels so wholesome and cozy, somewhere I'd love to live in the end times. Would recommend for fans of Snapdragon or authors such as Tillie Walden and Brenna Thummler.
Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!
Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me an advanced e-arc in exchange for an honest review
Kat Leyh does an absolute beautiful job of setting up a world through a select color pallette.
Ever since I read Snapdragon, I've fallen in love with the art style, pacing, and creative choices for every book of hers since. Absolutely adored how sign language was portrayed into this, and the way the dialogue bubbles were adjusted for Spokes conversation. I already plan on rereading this arc while I have it.
AND THE CURL PATTERNS FOR EVERY BLACK CHARACTER LOOKED AMAZING. Oh I'm excited to own a copy when it releases!
Kat Leyh does an absolute beautiful job of setting up a world through a select color pallette.
Ever since I read Snapdragon, I've fallen in love with the art style, pacing, and creative choices for every book of hers since. Absolutely adored how sign language was portrayed into this, and the way the dialogue bubbles were adjusted for Spokes conversation. I already plan on rereading this arc while I have it.
AND THE CURL PATTERNS FOR EVERY BLACK CHARACTER LOOKED AMAZING. Oh I'm excited to own a copy when it releases!
August 7, 2026
3.25 ⭐️
I loved a lot about this! I loved the character names, the diversity, and the coziness and chosen family aspects. The world was interesting even if we didn’t know everything about it. I love that it uses ASL but based on the dedication, it does not seem like any Deaf people worked on the book. ASL is an extremely difficult language to portray in a 2D format and I think the author does have a lot of good examples, however, there were definitely times where I could tell the signs were a bit off or unclear. I also was hoping Spoke would have a they/them pronoun somewhere but none were to be seen.
I loved a lot about this! I loved the character names, the diversity, and the coziness and chosen family aspects. The world was interesting even if we didn’t know everything about it. I love that it uses ASL but based on the dedication, it does not seem like any Deaf people worked on the book. ASL is an extremely difficult language to portray in a 2D format and I think the author does have a lot of good examples, however, there were definitely times where I could tell the signs were a bit off or unclear. I also was hoping Spoke would have a they/them pronoun somewhere but none were to be seen.
Review of advance copy
After the end of the world, people start to rebuild in little communities. Spoke lives between these communities and helps make deliveries. The artwork is beautiful in it's simplicity. My favorite part of this is that Spoke is deaf, and almost all the community members use sign language because villagers from long ago were also deaf. It was a cozy story about life and making due with what you have, and ensuring everyone in the community is cared for, regardless of their abilities. The subtle coloring also allowed the characters to really shine because you focused on the faces verses rather then their outfits or the backgrounds. A good book about building your community.
October 13, 2026
Thank you to Gallery Books/Gallery 13 and Kat Leyh for providing me a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Spoke was such a beautiful take on community and togetherness spurring out of post-apocalypse. I absolutely adored the art style and limited color palette, as it allows the characters to really shine! I love a read that develops their side characters as much as they do their mains, and this graphic novel did not disappoint in that regard. I also loved that the characters all knew sign language as it shows how tight-knit and centered on accessibility that the community is. Overall I thought this book was cozy and sweet, and I would highly recommend it!
Spoke was such a beautiful take on community and togetherness spurring out of post-apocalypse. I absolutely adored the art style and limited color palette, as it allows the characters to really shine! I love a read that develops their side characters as much as they do their mains, and this graphic novel did not disappoint in that regard. I also loved that the characters all knew sign language as it shows how tight-knit and centered on accessibility that the community is. Overall I thought this book was cozy and sweet, and I would highly recommend it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley!
I really enjoyed this so much! Spoke finding her place in the world had me feeling so cozy at the end and the gift swap??? This was such an interesting dystopian world representation that I ended up really loving. The ASL representation was such a nice part of the storyline, in addition to how there were several queer representations. Thank you so much for the early copy of this graphic novel.
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this so much! Spoke finding her place in the world had me feeling so cozy at the end and the gift swap??? This was such an interesting dystopian world representation that I ended up really loving. The ASL representation was such a nice part of the storyline, in addition to how there were several queer representations. Thank you so much for the early copy of this graphic novel.
I was given the opportunity to read this title by NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I LOVED this! The art style was superb, and I just loved the flow and movement of the characters on the page. The use of minimal colors was done so well, too. Spoke was a very real character and I enjoyed seeing her journey. I also really loved the lore and world-building in this one. It made so much sense, with an 'end of the world' and having these communities build themselves back up. I would love to see more set in this world, honestly!
Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC!
September 13, 2026
As a Lumberjanes lover, I was so excited to add this to my shelf. Spoke is a heartwarming and hopeful story set in a post-apocalyptic world. The charming characters are diverse in every dimension (race, body size, age, dis/ability, sexuality), and the way they navigate the ups and downs of life together is frankly inspiring. I liked how the story flowed with the seasons, anchoring us in the rhythms of Spoke and her community. This is a beautiful, feel-good book filled with quiet joy.
Also, it was very cool to see sign language illustrated!
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC.
Also, it was very cool to see sign language illustrated!
Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I really enjoyed this and look forward to exploring more from Kat Leyh. This is a slow paced slice of life story that has features a diverse cast of characters with the main character being deaf and many of the side characters having disabilities. This is cozy and features found family, and a barter/trade society. Everyone in their area knows sign language and works together to take care of each other and is so close knit. This is beautifully drawn and the colors work well for color and story.
I was provided a digital copy for my review from NetGalley.
I was provided a digital copy for my review from NetGalley.
October 16, 2026
I picked this up because I loved Thirsty Mermaids and Snapdragon, other graphic novels by Kat Leyh. This graphic novel, Spoke, was excellent as well, but extremely different from those two, which I would categorize as comedic fantasy, while this one was realistic, post-apocalyptic science fiction. Importantly, while post-apocalyptic, Spoke was not a dystopian story. It portrays communities of friends and neighbors who work together and care for each other, even those among them who are very vulnerable. It was really beautiful, both in story and in the art (of course).
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