On the cursed island of Envecor, everyone is doomed to wear their heart outside their bodies, and are immortal—unable to die, to change, to have children— until they find their soul mate. Paired soul mates are then turned mortal, freed from the curse, and able to leave. But all fairy tales have a dark side: those who don’t want to lose their immortality pay “Heart Hunters” to find their soul mates and kill them so they may remain immortal. Psyche, a Heart Hunter, is hired by the king to kill his soulmate. As she sets out on her quest, she begins her own journey of mending her broken heart and learning to trust again.

Plot

This is the first graphic novel I’ve reviewed for my blog, but I’ve been a fan of graphic novels for years. Mostly because the format allows for a quick and immersive plot. And this novel was no exception. The plot picks up quickly and stays fast-paced. There were some interesting twists throughout the story as well.

Characters

The downside of most graphic novels, I’ve found, is that due to the lighting fast plots that it’s often difficult to connect with the characters. I did have a hard time connecting to the protagonist of this novel at the beginning but I warmed up to her soon after. There is also a fun cast of side characters that I enjoyed getting to meet.

Setting

The magic and “lore” of this novel is what drew me to the title. The concept of hearts living outside of the body wasn’t one I’ve seen in a story before, graphic or traditional. The author did a great job of quickly introducing the magic system and developing it as the plot moved along. The world stuck with me long after I was done reading.

My Recommendation

The Heart Hunter is a standalone graphic novel by Mickey George. The story could be somewhat graphic or triggering for some readers, but for me the unique plot and world overpowered any gore. The plot is fast paced and exciting,but I did struggle connecting to the protagonist at the beginning of the novel.