What do you think?
Rate this book
Pixels of You: A Graphic Novel
A human and human-presenting AI slowly become friends—and maybe more—in this moving YA graphic novel from award-winning writers Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota, and illustrator J.R. Doyle.
“A sweet, smart tale of art, bitterness, enmity, and camaraderie.”— New York Times bestselling author Cory Doctorow
In a near future, augmentation and AI changed everything and nothing. Indira is a human girl who has been cybernetically augmented after a tragic accident, and Fawn is one of the first human-presenting AI. They have the same internship at a gallery, but neither thinks much of the other’s photography. After a huge public blowout, their mentor gives them an work together on a project or leave her gallery forever. Grudgingly, the two begin to collaborate, and what comes out of it is astounding and revealing for both of them.
Pixels of You is about the slow transformation of a rivalry to a friendship to something more as Indira and Fawn navigate each other, the world around them—and what it means to be an artist and a person.
“A sweet, smart tale of art, bitterness, enmity, and camaraderie.”— New York Times bestselling author Cory Doctorow
In a near future, augmentation and AI changed everything and nothing. Indira is a human girl who has been cybernetically augmented after a tragic accident, and Fawn is one of the first human-presenting AI. They have the same internship at a gallery, but neither thinks much of the other’s photography. After a huge public blowout, their mentor gives them an work together on a project or leave her gallery forever. Grudgingly, the two begin to collaborate, and what comes out of it is astounding and revealing for both of them.
Pixels of You is about the slow transformation of a rivalry to a friendship to something more as Indira and Fawn navigate each other, the world around them—and what it means to be an artist and a person.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published February 8, 2022
42 people are currently reading
4892 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 645 reviews
![Profile Image for s.penkevich [hiatus-will return-miss you all].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1735525095i%2F6431467._UX200_CR0%2C11%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 17, 2023
Anxieties around AI have long fueled creative storytelling in science fiction and the more advanced our technology becomes the more we see just how integrated it is becoming in our daily lives. Pixels of You from Ananth Hirsh and Yuko Ota explores the rivals to sapphic lovers trope in a near-future world where AI are ordinary citizens along with humans, all brought to life through the lovely artwork of J.R. Doyle. When Indian-American Indira and Fawn (an AI robot with a lifelike human shell) feud over their artwork during a joint internship for an art gallery, their boss decides to force them to collaborate and fuse their visions. But will a shared project become a shared romance? It is a cute story with a lot of really great ideas around AI technology like anxieties and abuse of biased algorithms, robotic implants, and racism arising against the AI people who just want to co-exist that doesn’t always come together here, yet Pixels of You still makes for an enjoyable read that is at least thought-provoking beyond the plot.
Indira and Fawn
This was an interesting one to read while conversations over AI art is currently a hot issue and ethical debate as Fawn is quite literally an AI creating art and even has eyes programmed to work as a top quality digital camera. The friction between humans and the worries of AI people, and vice versa, play into early elements of the two women’s frustration with each other but it is charming to see how the more they learn about one another the closer they become and begin to care deeply. I liked how Pixels of You didn’t get bogged down revisiting tired narratives about AI being human or not (or human enough) and instead focused on Fawn’s emotional states and how she interacts with a world likely questioning those issues.
This is a book I think I want to like more than I actually did. It is full of great ideas that come across as a bit slight, with the story heading forward too quickly and at a rather jumpy pace. The world wasn’t fleshed out enough and while there are a few all-black pages with a brief detailing of problems going on in this world around AI—issues of racial or sexist bias or blunders such as AI algorithms interpreting Bollywood lyrics as profanity—it feels a bit tacked on and not folded into the narrative to be addresses. Still, I’m glad these are topics that are being brought up in YA books and I hope it inspires people to read more on them. A major one is the issue of gender bias in AI, which explores how the flaws and biases of humans who create AI will inevitably be found in the AI systems as well. This has been well documented as a current issue already causing discrimination issues in the workplace and internet algorithms. For further reading, check out books like:
-Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism
-Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
-Data Feminism
-Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor
-12 Bytes: How We Got Here. Where We Might Go Next.
I just wish it was addressed more in the plot, which does display a lot of human fears over AI, particularly Indira who has a sad past involving AI mistakes.
A fun book full of great ideas that I wish could have had a bit more breathing room to better examine them all. The plot is cute but just never quite seems to be comfortable in its own skin (which, I guess, is the same vibes the characters are feeling). I like that it focuses on issues of disability and has a diverse cast too and overall it is worth a read.
3.5/5
Indira and Fawn
This was an interesting one to read while conversations over AI art is currently a hot issue and ethical debate as Fawn is quite literally an AI creating art and even has eyes programmed to work as a top quality digital camera. The friction between humans and the worries of AI people, and vice versa, play into early elements of the two women’s frustration with each other but it is charming to see how the more they learn about one another the closer they become and begin to care deeply. I liked how Pixels of You didn’t get bogged down revisiting tired narratives about AI being human or not (or human enough) and instead focused on Fawn’s emotional states and how she interacts with a world likely questioning those issues.
This is a book I think I want to like more than I actually did. It is full of great ideas that come across as a bit slight, with the story heading forward too quickly and at a rather jumpy pace. The world wasn’t fleshed out enough and while there are a few all-black pages with a brief detailing of problems going on in this world around AI—issues of racial or sexist bias or blunders such as AI algorithms interpreting Bollywood lyrics as profanity—it feels a bit tacked on and not folded into the narrative to be addresses. Still, I’m glad these are topics that are being brought up in YA books and I hope it inspires people to read more on them. A major one is the issue of gender bias in AI, which explores how the flaws and biases of humans who create AI will inevitably be found in the AI systems as well. This has been well documented as a current issue already causing discrimination issues in the workplace and internet algorithms. For further reading, check out books like:
-Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism
-Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men
-Data Feminism
-Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor
-12 Bytes: How We Got Here. Where We Might Go Next.
I just wish it was addressed more in the plot, which does display a lot of human fears over AI, particularly Indira who has a sad past involving AI mistakes.
A fun book full of great ideas that I wish could have had a bit more breathing room to better examine them all. The plot is cute but just never quite seems to be comfortable in its own skin (which, I guess, is the same vibes the characters are feeling). I like that it focuses on issues of disability and has a diverse cast too and overall it is worth a read.
3.5/5
June 27, 2022
The art style is beautiful, but the story was too short to make any kind of strong impact on me.
January 14, 2023
I've been seeing Pixels of You around the library for a while and finally decided to put it on hold. I wasn't sure what to expect because I didn't read the synopsis. Unfortunately, it didn't deliver in the ways that I expected even though the premise was pretty unique.
Pixels of You is told initially from the perspective of photographer Indira who is interning at a local gallery. She appears to have struggle with some things which I don't want to discuss because I feel as though they are semi-spoilers. While interning at the gallery, she meets AI Fawn. The two have conflict at first, but are forced to work on a final assignment together. The two strike up an unlikely friendship as they figure out what it truly means to human.
What Worked: I really enjoyed the relationship between Fawn and Indira. They don't really care for each other at first, but they forgo all of their perceptions about the relationships between humans and AI technology and work towards building a relationship of their own. Indira is more hesitant at first because of things that she's been through at the hands of AI. I adored the fact that Fawn was patient and willing to continue building a relationship with Indira regardless of their complications. There is something to be said about the human emotion that is illustrated through Fawn. I don't think I was expecting that as a reader and I'm pretty sure Indira wasn't expecting that in her journey of getting to know Fawn. Hirst does hint at the possibility of a sapphic romance towards the end of the graphic novel, but it's never truly explored. I also enjoyed the artwork in this one. It was different, slightly chaotic but it seemingly worked for the context of the story.
What Didn't Work: The major flaw of this graphic novel was the lack of world building. It's incredibly confusing to understand what exactly is happening in this version of Earth. There are brief synopses throughout the book related to flaws of AI technology, but they are so insufficiently developed that I was constantly pulled out of the story attempting to figure out the context of Fawn and Indira's relationship. It's clear that the world around them has impacted how they see themselves and each other, but readers aren't really given clear insight to that world and so it feels as though we're left in the dark. It made the story feel incomplete. This is extremely disappointing because it had so much potential especially with the current conversations on AI art.
Overall, this was an okay read. It could have been more, but it definitely fell flat in some areas.
Pixels of You is told initially from the perspective of photographer Indira who is interning at a local gallery. She appears to have struggle with some things which I don't want to discuss because I feel as though they are semi-spoilers. While interning at the gallery, she meets AI Fawn. The two have conflict at first, but are forced to work on a final assignment together. The two strike up an unlikely friendship as they figure out what it truly means to human.
What Worked: I really enjoyed the relationship between Fawn and Indira. They don't really care for each other at first, but they forgo all of their perceptions about the relationships between humans and AI technology and work towards building a relationship of their own. Indira is more hesitant at first because of things that she's been through at the hands of AI. I adored the fact that Fawn was patient and willing to continue building a relationship with Indira regardless of their complications. There is something to be said about the human emotion that is illustrated through Fawn. I don't think I was expecting that as a reader and I'm pretty sure Indira wasn't expecting that in her journey of getting to know Fawn. Hirst does hint at the possibility of a sapphic romance towards the end of the graphic novel, but it's never truly explored. I also enjoyed the artwork in this one. It was different, slightly chaotic but it seemingly worked for the context of the story.
What Didn't Work: The major flaw of this graphic novel was the lack of world building. It's incredibly confusing to understand what exactly is happening in this version of Earth. There are brief synopses throughout the book related to flaws of AI technology, but they are so insufficiently developed that I was constantly pulled out of the story attempting to figure out the context of Fawn and Indira's relationship. It's clear that the world around them has impacted how they see themselves and each other, but readers aren't really given clear insight to that world and so it feels as though we're left in the dark. It made the story feel incomplete. This is extremely disappointing because it had so much potential especially with the current conversations on AI art.
Overall, this was an okay read. It could have been more, but it definitely fell flat in some areas.
March 13, 2022
Despite its sci-fi trappings and the occasional poke at the systemic racism we build into our artificial intelligence algorithms, this is content to be a bland and obvious story of . If it weren't for all the pointless dream sequences I might have rounded my rating up, but there they were and here we are.
January 22, 2021
simply put: i am bored.
the story isn't complete?! And I think the arc has been distributed earlier than it should have been and it really impacted my experience.
the story isn't complete?! And I think the arc has been distributed earlier than it should have been and it really impacted my experience.
September 8, 2022
➸ Trigger warnings for .
▷ Representation: Indira (mc) is Indian-American & sapphic; Fawn (mc) is sapphic.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
▷ Representation: Indira (mc) is Indian-American & sapphic; Fawn (mc) is sapphic.
Blog • Trigger Warning Database • StoryGraph
January 11, 2021
I read a waaaaaay early ARC copy where the art wasn't anywhere close to final, but it didn't matter - the story, the characters, and the ideas shine through. This story s grappling with a lot: the art in photography, why we make art, trauma, body acceptance, and AI/human relationships (with a dash of oppression there too), and it doesn't buckle under the weight. The love story is a little clichéd, but the main characters are written so likable and interesting that it doesn't matter. Really looking forward to seeing what this looks like when it's polished and finished.
**Thanks to the authors, artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
**Thanks to the authors, artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 5, 2022
I will eat up anything about human and AI relationships, literally one of my favorite things ever.
March 26, 2021
This was a sweet enemies-to-lovers graphic novel about a young south Asian women, and a blonde white AI woman. It was incredibly unique and heart wrenching to read. I loved how Fawn had AI parents. It was so infatuating! However, at times I felt the pacing was a bit off. The whole art show plotline seemed to be forgotten about until the end of the story. The idea of humans co-existing with AI could have also been explored a bit more in depth with too. Nevertheless, I can't wait to re-read Pixels of You when it comes out!
December 7, 2020
While the premise of Pixels of You is interesting (sapphic AI love story!) and the cover art absolutely gorgeous, the execution was lacking for me and it felt more like reading an introduction or a single chapter rather than a volume. There was more in the summary than in reading the entire ARC. The story follows two opposites, Indira a human with cyber augmentation following a tragic accident, and Fawn, a human-presenting AI, who are forced to work together after an argument at the photo gallery in which they both intern. There is extremely little background information, and the volume is broken up with dark pages with seemingly random information presented as headlines. While this may be due to this being still a draft (this is an extremely rough draft with many pages only available as drafted sketches), it made for a very segmented and disjointed read. Many heavy topics such as chronic pain and discrimination are mentioned briefly, Fawn and Indira's relationship is not fully explored, and everything went by very quickly. Possibly reading the finished product with completed pages and color will be more effective, especially if future volumes will be included in the series, but given the poor pacing and lack of worldbuilding, I was unfortunately not a fan, and I don't believe it was solely (or even a majority) due to the unfinished nature of the ARC.
Thank you to Netgalley, the authors, and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley, the authors, and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 16, 2022
RTC
The art and concept is cool. But the execution felt fast and incomplete. It tried to tackle too much in a short amount of pages. It forces the reader to insert their own assumptions and interpretations without enough context clues.
I think this could have been better with another 100-150 pgs to flesh out the characters, world-building, history, and plot. It tries to tackle a microcosm of societal issues in a future with cognizant IAs through a human with a cybernetic eye and a human-like IAs and their issues. But we never really understand their world, so it feels incomplete.
For example, the joint exhibition fades into the background in the middle of the story. So it feels abrupt, when at the end, they managed to pull it off together despite us never seen them collaborating on it.
The art and concept is cool. But the execution felt fast and incomplete. It tried to tackle too much in a short amount of pages. It forces the reader to insert their own assumptions and interpretations without enough context clues.
I think this could have been better with another 100-150 pgs to flesh out the characters, world-building, history, and plot. It tries to tackle a microcosm of societal issues in a future with cognizant IAs through a human with a cybernetic eye and a human-like IAs and their issues. But we never really understand their world, so it feels incomplete.
For example, the joint exhibition fades into the background in the middle of the story. So it feels abrupt, when at the end, they managed to pull it off together despite us never seen them collaborating on it.
August 8, 2022
*2.5
Am I reading graphic novels wrong? I feel like I've gone through a couple of them recently and they've left no impact on me.
This book has photography, robots, and a rivals-to-lovers romance... but none of it really did it for me. Frankly, I'm really sick of the rivals romance trope - enemies to lovers is only fun when it's INTENSE, like being on opposite sides of a war. Being just two young adults who argue is just annoying. Can characters just be nice to each other for once?
Indira and Fawn have a contentious relationship, to say the least, and they start off on such horrible footing that I literally couldn't get invested in the two of them for the entire rest of the book. It just left an awful taste in my mouth. Fawn was rude, Indira was standoffish... it annoyed me.
Also, the whole part with, y'know, robots and AIs and all that fun stuff, wasn't discussed nearly enough. I felt like there were more conversations to be had on that front and they didn't get brought up. The theme of photography and "unknown" as a theme was interesting, but it was strange for a book this short to bring up multiple topics like this when I didn't feel like they were all given their own time.
I don't know. I liked the cactus at the end, but overall I just didn't feel invested in this story or the characters at all.
2.5/5 stars.
Am I reading graphic novels wrong? I feel like I've gone through a couple of them recently and they've left no impact on me.
This book has photography, robots, and a rivals-to-lovers romance... but none of it really did it for me. Frankly, I'm really sick of the rivals romance trope - enemies to lovers is only fun when it's INTENSE, like being on opposite sides of a war. Being just two young adults who argue is just annoying. Can characters just be nice to each other for once?
Indira and Fawn have a contentious relationship, to say the least, and they start off on such horrible footing that I literally couldn't get invested in the two of them for the entire rest of the book. It just left an awful taste in my mouth. Fawn was rude, Indira was standoffish... it annoyed me.
Also, the whole part with, y'know, robots and AIs and all that fun stuff, wasn't discussed nearly enough. I felt like there were more conversations to be had on that front and they didn't get brought up. The theme of photography and "unknown" as a theme was interesting, but it was strange for a book this short to bring up multiple topics like this when I didn't feel like they were all given their own time.
I don't know. I liked the cactus at the end, but overall I just didn't feel invested in this story or the characters at all.
2.5/5 stars.
June 20, 2022
this graphic novel was really sweet. it had an interesting concept, and the characters were incredibly likeable. i liked how fleshed out everything was, especially since this was only one volume. i really enjoyed it overall, and if you’re after a sweet story set in the future, surrounded by AI and the struggles of not belonging, this is definitely a graphic novel you should consider checking out!
May 1, 2023
I wish that more happened in this??? There were suggestions of an interesting world, and interesting personal and interpersonal conflicts that could be explored, but none of them really went beyond those suggestions. For instance:
1) This is a world where AI now creates their own successors.
2) Fawn considers Indira's art objectifying of AI.
3) Indira is struggling with medical issues resulting from an accident with an AI-driven car.
4) Fawn faces disdain from other AI for her human appearance.
5) Indira has recurring problems with the healthcare system that prevents her from getting the care she needs for her chronic pain.
6) Fawn and her parents are facing financial issues after they used their savings for her human appearance.
There's so much potential in all of that, and none of it goes anywhere. Indira and Fawn have a cute relationship, certainly, and it's fun to watch that develop, but it feels like a taunt to set up these potential plot threads and not do anything with them.
Cute story, cute art, wish it did more with its own material.
1) This is a world where AI now creates their own successors.
2) Fawn considers Indira's art objectifying of AI.
3) Indira is struggling with medical issues resulting from an accident with an AI-driven car.
4) Fawn faces disdain from other AI for her human appearance.
5) Indira has recurring problems with the healthcare system that prevents her from getting the care she needs for her chronic pain.
6) Fawn and her parents are facing financial issues after they used their savings for her human appearance.
There's so much potential in all of that, and none of it goes anywhere. Indira and Fawn have a cute relationship, certainly, and it's fun to watch that develop, but it feels like a taunt to set up these potential plot threads and not do anything with them.
Cute story, cute art, wish it did more with its own material.
November 13, 2020
Aaaaah I enjoyed this so much! Once the artwork is finalized it’s really going to be amazing!
Near-future stories are always really interesting to me and I really liked that this story dealt with so many relevant issues like bias, prejudice, racism, chronic pain, and the intersection between all those things and technology.
It was also just a really sweet romance! I love the banter between the two girls and the antagonists to lovers arc was really well plotted.
I may have screamed when I realized the last page was the last page but oh, my heart is all squishy and warm.
Even with the artwork not yet complete I could tell how interesting and beautiful it’s going to be, and I got a definite sense of what the story world will look like.
I definitely want my own copy when it comes out!
Near-future stories are always really interesting to me and I really liked that this story dealt with so many relevant issues like bias, prejudice, racism, chronic pain, and the intersection between all those things and technology.
It was also just a really sweet romance! I love the banter between the two girls and the antagonists to lovers arc was really well plotted.
I may have screamed when I realized the last page was the last page but oh, my heart is all squishy and warm.
Even with the artwork not yet complete I could tell how interesting and beautiful it’s going to be, and I got a definite sense of what the story world will look like.
I definitely want my own copy when it comes out!
December 21, 2024
full review on my YouTube channel, ProblemsOfABookNerd!
Short and sweet. Or, maybe a little too short, but definitely the right amount of sweet.
Short and sweet. Or, maybe a little too short, but definitely the right amount of sweet.
October 17, 2023
A rivalry at an art gallery between a human with a robotic implant and a human-looking AI develops into a tentative friendship and maybe more.
I liked the designs and the colour palette, and im interested in the themes the authors chose to explore but I just wish it had been more fleshed out. Concepts and ideas are sprinkled in without being explored enough, as if they're there just to be thought provoking - but racial and gender bias in AIs are topics that are already questioned in our society, so it felt like it was just rehashing talking points without actually delving deeper into the problems.
It's the same thing when it comes to the AI Fawn and their sense of identity and how it ties to the way they look - there's a couple remarks in the graphic novel that make it clear it's because of class and social standing, but as with the rest it's and idea that's just there for the taking.
The novel is interspersed with black pages with current notions about AI surveillance and the risks their implicit bias pose (it kind of reminded me of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, with Stieg Larsson's choice to start every chapter (? every part? i don't quite remember) with statistics about domestic violence and sexual abuse towards women in Sweden) and even though it gives further context to the story I still believe I would have preferred they hadn't been one off comments - obviously the authors did what they could with their allotted page count, it's definitely something that needs to be explored at length.
Overall the story is cute, and it garners enough interest on the subject - it is geared towards a young adult target, so that might be a launching pad for younger people (and whoever else reads the book of course!) to delve deeper into the subject. s.penkevich's review has a list of books, mainly nonfiction, that address these topics and show how they shape our world, if anyone is interested in further reading!
I liked the designs and the colour palette, and im interested in the themes the authors chose to explore but I just wish it had been more fleshed out. Concepts and ideas are sprinkled in without being explored enough, as if they're there just to be thought provoking - but racial and gender bias in AIs are topics that are already questioned in our society, so it felt like it was just rehashing talking points without actually delving deeper into the problems.
It's the same thing when it comes to the AI Fawn and their sense of identity and how it ties to the way they look - there's a couple remarks in the graphic novel that make it clear it's because of class and social standing, but as with the rest it's and idea that's just there for the taking.
The novel is interspersed with black pages with current notions about AI surveillance and the risks their implicit bias pose (it kind of reminded me of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, with Stieg Larsson's choice to start every chapter (? every part? i don't quite remember) with statistics about domestic violence and sexual abuse towards women in Sweden) and even though it gives further context to the story I still believe I would have preferred they hadn't been one off comments - obviously the authors did what they could with their allotted page count, it's definitely something that needs to be explored at length.
Overall the story is cute, and it garners enough interest on the subject - it is geared towards a young adult target, so that might be a launching pad for younger people (and whoever else reads the book of course!) to delve deeper into the subject. s.penkevich's review has a list of books, mainly nonfiction, that address these topics and show how they shape our world, if anyone is interested in further reading!
January 17, 2023
4,5 stars! A lovely gem of a read, warms your heart even though there are sad moments to.
June 28, 2022
Wadgjihftjkfdjkk so adorable. 😍
I really enjoyed that. I love a graphic novel that doesn't need a lot of words to get the message across. The art was stunning and yeah, obsessed.
I really enjoyed that. I love a graphic novel that doesn't need a lot of words to get the message across. The art was stunning and yeah, obsessed.
August 10, 2022
I liked it, but I wish it had been longer and fleshed some ideas out further. It felt too rushed for me, I think. Still enjoyable.
January 16, 2021
I was sent an advanced copy off of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Pixels of You is a graphic novel following a human and a human presenting AI as they become unlikely friends and possibly something more. Despite the art not being finished (I received an unfinished e-arc) the art was unique and engaging. The characters were interesting, with struggles and backstories that keep you reading. I also loved the chemistry they had with each other, the banter they had was spot on, and hilarious to read. One of my main issues, though was how short the story felt. I wanted to see more, and right when it ended was when I was the most into the story. The world we're presented with was a 'not so far off future' and I was interested in watching that be explored, but I felt like the writers only scratched the surface of what I wanted to see. I still cannot wait to see it finished and support the authors. If you liked Criers War, you'll enjoy Pixels of You.
Pixels of You is a graphic novel following a human and a human presenting AI as they become unlikely friends and possibly something more. Despite the art not being finished (I received an unfinished e-arc) the art was unique and engaging. The characters were interesting, with struggles and backstories that keep you reading. I also loved the chemistry they had with each other, the banter they had was spot on, and hilarious to read. One of my main issues, though was how short the story felt. I wanted to see more, and right when it ended was when I was the most into the story. The world we're presented with was a 'not so far off future' and I was interested in watching that be explored, but I felt like the writers only scratched the surface of what I wanted to see. I still cannot wait to see it finished and support the authors. If you liked Criers War, you'll enjoy Pixels of You.
August 1, 2022
Sometime in the future, a grumpy photographer and an ambulatory AI duel over an upcoming photography exhibit, then become friends (and maybe lovers!).
Is Pixels of You a discussion of the potentials and pitfalls of AI? Is it about photography? Is it about friendship/love? I don't know. All I know is that it's deadly dull with bland characters, an unexplained beginning, and a lackluster conclusion. Recommended skip.
Is Pixels of You a discussion of the potentials and pitfalls of AI? Is it about photography? Is it about friendship/love? I don't know. All I know is that it's deadly dull with bland characters, an unexplained beginning, and a lackluster conclusion. Recommended skip.
April 1, 2024
2.5 stars rounded up
This is a fun rivals to friends to maybe a little more YA graphic novel. An AI and an girl with a cyborg eye both have to work together for a project when they've had some beef in the past. They start working together, and end up being friends (with a little more at the end).
The problem with this book was that it just felt like highlights of a story. It felt like we were just hitting the high notes and that made it feel choppy. The characters felt one dimensional and there wasn't enough depth.
This is a fun rivals to friends to maybe a little more YA graphic novel. An AI and an girl with a cyborg eye both have to work together for a project when they've had some beef in the past. They start working together, and end up being friends (with a little more at the end).
The problem with this book was that it just felt like highlights of a story. It felt like we were just hitting the high notes and that made it feel choppy. The characters felt one dimensional and there wasn't enough depth.
March 4, 2022
Had an interesting concept but it felt a little on the empty side. There were times it really shined but also quite a few times I felt disconnected. I would even reread pages to see if I was missing something. The art was the same way, sometimes I could really feel the story but other times it felt sparse.
February 9, 2025
4/10.
First of all, weirdly introduced expository stuff.
Secondly, I didn't like the art style: too minimalistic.
Thirdly, it has its moments, which are too much sparse and, most of all, not interwined.
First of all, weirdly introduced expository stuff.
Secondly, I didn't like the art style: too minimalistic.
Thirdly, it has its moments, which are too much sparse and, most of all, not interwined.
September 8, 2025
The art was nice, but the story felt really bland…
February 27, 2022
Pixels of You is presented as a story about an identity crisis when one girl is forced to accept artificial intelligence despite her loathing for it. And, yeah, that's in here. I was definitely more intrigued by the concept that AI was unable to escape the bias of the programmers, resulting in racist android characters. What do you even do about that? The story explores racism on a few different levels, but it includes some pretty brilliant thoughts on photography, relationships and family. This might sound like a pretty complex set of themes for such a short book, but it honestly it never feels stretched too thin.
Graphic novels have an interesting problem in that they sometimes rely too heavily on either dialogue or illustrations, and a lot of nuance is lost on either side because of this. Fortunately for this book, the manuscript is complete and smooth, effortlessly leaping from one theme to another without breaking continuity or style. Everything is explained, but it's not overdone. This is really hard to do. Bravo to the author. The illustrations are basically icing on the cake--turning something that's already moving and exquisite into a genuine work of art.
The advanced readers copy of this graphic novel was very disappointing in terms of art, but, guys, the story was good enough for me to love it anyway. I'll definitely be first in line to read the final version. It's going to be magnificent.
Graphic novels have an interesting problem in that they sometimes rely too heavily on either dialogue or illustrations, and a lot of nuance is lost on either side because of this. Fortunately for this book, the manuscript is complete and smooth, effortlessly leaping from one theme to another without breaking continuity or style. Everything is explained, but it's not overdone. This is really hard to do. Bravo to the author. The illustrations are basically icing on the cake--turning something that's already moving and exquisite into a genuine work of art.
The advanced readers copy of this graphic novel was very disappointing in terms of art, but, guys, the story was good enough for me to love it anyway. I'll definitely be first in line to read the final version. It's going to be magnificent.
October 11, 2023
A little disappointing but still cute. The book’s concept was so cool and it had a lot of potential for depth and nuance, and it did hint at some interesting stuff. Indira’s hallucinations were beautifully eerie. Events and relationships in the book often felt too rushed and surface-level, though, especially how quickly the relationship progressed between the two main characters. I would have preferred to stay in the story’s world a little longer, explore the space and its inhabitants some more.
August 31, 2023
Rep: Indian sapphic MC with chronic pain, sapphic MC
This books was not what I expected at all. I thought it would be a fast fun kind of read with two silly characters pinning after each other while "hating" each other.
Instead... I find myself being sad while reading. There was some deep, fundamental melancholy about this book. I adored our two MCs and them becoming closer was amazing. However, everything had a taste of sorrow. It's more than clear why, don't get me wrong I'm not complaining. I'm just rather startled because the graphic novel turned all my expectations upside down - but not a in a bad way, if this make sense.
This books was not what I expected at all. I thought it would be a fast fun kind of read with two silly characters pinning after each other while "hating" each other.
Instead... I find myself being sad while reading. There was some deep, fundamental melancholy about this book. I adored our two MCs and them becoming closer was amazing. However, everything had a taste of sorrow. It's more than clear why, don't get me wrong I'm not complaining. I'm just rather startled because the graphic novel turned all my expectations upside down - but not a in a bad way, if this make sense.
September 18, 2022
Pixels of You started slow for me, but by the end I felt like it delivered. The story has a lot of moments of quiet. It makes you slow down and think about what is happening in these characters' heads. I thought the central message was good, and though you know where things are going, it comes about in a way that feels meaningful and emotional. Overall, a cool story with a unique art style.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 645 reviews