Dystopian stories are common—too common, even. We’ve all seen or read tales of the world ending, of plagues, of catastrophic events.

But Sweet Tooth is different.

Lemire brings the brutality and tenderness that I so much enjoyed in Essex County and uses them in a remarkable way in Sweet Tooth.

The cast of characters is truly great, from the villains to the heroes. The characters' arcs are believable and touching. The whole story is deeply human and moving. It’s what good sci-fi should be: using a "what if?" premise to explore aspects of our humanity and society.

Lemire achieves this brilliantly here. He also uses his art in a very clever way. Although his style is unusual, I find it apt, beautiful, and enjoyable. It serves the story perfectly, and I can’t fathom the amount of work this series must have represented.

One of the best graphic novels I’ve read in some time, easily among Lemire’s best work—and that’s saying something.