Graphic Novel Review – It’s Lonely at the Center of the Earth by Zoe Thorogood (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Graphic Novel/Memoire
Length: 196 pages
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: November 15, 2022
ISBN-13: 978-1534323865
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Christmas Gift
Rating: 4/5 stars
“The 2023 Russ Manning Most Promising Newcomer Award winning cartoonist, Zoe Thorogood (writer and artist of The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott, artist on Joe Hill’s Rain graphic novelisation), records six months of her own life as it falls apart in a desperate attempt to put it back together again in the only way she knows how. It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is an intimate and meta-narrative look into the life of a selfish artist who must create for her own survival. A poignant and original depiction of a young woman’s struggle with mental health—through the ups and downs of anxiety, depression, and imposter syndrome—as she forges a promising career in sequential art and finds herself along the way.”
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this book in paperback for Christmas.
Thoughts: I liked this. This is the first graphic novel I have read by Thorogood. I believe “The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott” was her first graphic novel and I haven’t read that yet. This is very much a day in the life type of story and as such it doesn’t really have much plot. This follows Zoe through 6 months of her life as she struggles with the success of her first graphic novel, depression, the isolation of Covid, and trying to put her life back together.
I loved the variety of types of illustration here. Some of the art is very realistic, some is abstract, and some is very cartoonish. All of it reflects the tone of the dialogue incredibly well.
I hated watching Zoe struggle so much. There is a lot of anxiety, depression, and self-hatred here. I think many people can relate to at least parts of Zoe’s journey. I think we all experience life’s up and downs because…well…we are all living life. I in particular resonated with the imposter syndrome she felt (I work in the technical industry but the first time I was introduced at a talk as the technical expert in an area I remember having a definite “deer in the headlights” moment). I also resonated with the anxiety she felt around many things. There have been so many times where I want to hide under my desk at work instead of dealing with people, and issues, and problems.
I think the most poignant part of this graphic novel is really the ending (which is maybe ironic because both this book and Zoe’s story are about the journey). I love that Zoe realizes that life is about ups and downs and it’s not about a specific goal, it’s about the journey to get there. I also love that she has decided not to be a victim of her mental health but steps back and figures out what her mental state is telling her about what she needs from herself and the world at a given point. Despite all the weirdness that is the human mind, we do have to make a choice to take care of our mental health and try to choose happiness. No one is going to be able to help us if we aren’t willing to help ourselves and it’s not fair to try and put that burden on the people around us. (okay stepping off my soap box.)
My Summary (4/5): Overall I liked this. It is a bit scattered and chaotic but that’s life and that is what Thorogood is representing here. The choices of illustration style echo the moments in the story very nicely. If you are interested in following the ups and downs of a young woman struggling with success, depression, and general life, I would recommend this. I especially loved the message at the end. I will definitely be checking out “The Impending Blindness of Billy Scott” at some point in the future.
