I love it when an artist can also tell his/her own story and wow can this young talent draw and tell a good story. I wish such a work as this had been available to me in my teens and 20’s. It takes the main character on a journey through a set of common life challenges with humour, imagination and sublime artwork. It’s worth checking her interviews on youtube to get to know how she works. A brilliant talent.

This is one of the best comics I have ever read. Everyone needs to read it both for the heart and the theme but also the pyrotechnic, virtuosic artistry.

I’m not sure if “I’m a vessel of meat and piss” or “Thinking about boobs and killing myself” was my favourite quote.

Damn this was incredible to the point I’m almost speechless. Zoe records six months of her life through depression and some crazy shit. The art is phenomenal and flips between styles so frequently but it also works with the story. Most parts of this were a lil too relatable and I think that’s why I felt so connected to this story.

Well I’m now a Zoe Thorogood fan and need to look up her other works.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

“That’s the problem with flirting with the idea with something, sometimes you fall in”

I don’t read autographies often but I really enjoyed this one! The rawness and honesty from the author really shows in their artwork. It was beautiful as it was heartbreaking hearing her process through writing her first book, her childhood, and how she copes with suicidal ideation. Its depiction of depression felt relatable to me and being able to translate that into images and the monster that haunts you day by day was fantastic. I would recommend this book for anyone that struggles with doing their passion while trying to find their meaning in the world. It have a darker take on certain things that makes life feel bleak, but it’s also reality for us some people, especially comic book artists.

Thank you NetGalley and Image Comics for this eARC!

I really thought I was going to enjoy this book. It's an autobiography about the authors struggles with loneliness and mental health. As someone who also deals with isolation due to mental health struggles I really thought I would connect to the authors journey. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case and highly disliked this book very much. I can't put my finger in exactly why I hated so much. All I can say, is that I did hate so so much.

This is an interesting take on the autobiographical graphic novel. Rather than focusing on the events of several years, Zoe Thorogood documents only 6 months of time as she tries to change her life. This turns out to be more difficult than she thought, which paves the way for an introspective novel that focuses on her struggles with mental illness and loneliness.

The artwork was absolutely fantastic. I loved the use of different styles and colours to show different emotions and time periods in Zoe's life. This was really cleverly done and often led to both funny and poignant moments. Overall, the tone was quite bleak, but with some more positive moments mixed in.

I struggle to give star ratings to autobiographies because I am aware that they often contain deeply personal experiences. From a purely narrative standpoint, I felt that this book felt slightly disjointed, and I was sometimes a bit unsure about the passing of time. However, I did generally enjoy the stream of consciousness approach.

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♟️Rating:2.5/5⭐
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Thank you Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review!

I’m honestly left feeling super confused after reading this one. Perhaps the main purpose of this book is not having a purpose at all. It’s similar to Inside by Bo Burnham where the both of them indulge in self deprecating remarks about how messy their lives had been due to their mental states. Nonetheless, I feel that Bo has a more polished edge when it comes to setting the tone and humour in his film. Most of the time, the book is going about the same few themes and I couldn’t exactly figure out where it was going. There were also loads of flashbacks sprinkled about randomly and whenever I feel like she might share more and actually start steering the plot towards something good, she cuts it off instantly.

However, I will say that the art is very experimental and Zoe doesn’t mince her words. But the constant usage of similar themes and remarks got old after a while. Zoe doesn’t try to pretend to be a good person but after a while you can’t help but to read with a pained expression when she starts indulging in self destructive habits.

Overall, this was a pretty mixed bag read for me. To be fair, it’s challenging to write a review for an autobiography as well and perhaps this autobiography might be for someone else instead.

This is an amazing and powerful graphic novel! The artwork fits the story perfectly. Highly recommended!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley for the arc, I really wanted to read this one!

This hit me in a way few books do. From the first page, it pulls you in with its rawness—self-referential, deeply personal, and visually striking. It’s really unlike anything else. I was only a few pages in and I all could think was "ooh, good start."

The book is painfully relatable (and I know the author would hate me for saying that), especially in how it captures isolation and depression. At times, it felt almost too real, Thorogood is not just telling a story; she dissects her own existence, questioning the act of storytelling itself, in a really brilliant way. The meta aspect is so well done—it’s chaotic, clever, and incredibly immersive. It's a constant 4th wall break that keeps inviting you in.

More than anything, this book is about the act of creating as a means of survival—something I deeply understand. People always assume that if you create, you should be making money from it, but they don’t get that sometimes, art isn’t about productivity. The act of creating is the reward. It’s life-saving.

And I knew her art looked familiar—she’s the artist behind Rain! Her style here is even more experimental, shifting between different aesthetics to reflect her state of mind. You're being taken on a journey, and it's so good. It’s an emotional roller-coaster, and her ability to blend humor, pain, and existential dread is something else.

There’s a moment where she talks about loneliness making you self-obsessed, not out of narcissism, but because you become the only thing in your world. That hit hard. The book is full of these insights, little gut-punches wrapped in dark humor and beautiful art. And then there’s the “would I fuck my clone” bit in the middle of an existential crisis — I get her, man.

By the end, this book isn’t just a memoir; it’s an experience. It leaves you thinking, absorbing, and maybe even seeing things a little differently. There’s a life lesson in there, even in the midst of the author's despair over not having one, which I should probably take to heart.

Zoe Thorogood’s It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is a visually pleasing but uneven graphic novel that delves deeply into mental health issues and flirts with self-destruction.

The art style is unique and pleasing and the writing has moments of humor shine through unfortunately the narrative often feels disjointed and at times overly self-indulgent. The relentless focus on despair whilst valid can feel alienating as a reader making it a challenging read that struggles to balance raw vulnerability with cohesive storytelling. It’s a bold attempt, but one that may leave readers more exhausted than enlightened.

Thank you image comics for providing this book for my consideration via netgalley. All opinions are my own

Creative outlets for the terminally depressed are vital. Being genetically disposed to having depression is no joke, but the author makes somewhat light of what she goes through on a day-to-day basis. She is very talented and I hope she continues to make art.
I will warn readers: if you’re already on the struggle bus with your mental health, maybe take a breather from this one, ok?

#ThxNetGalley

I loved this! It really was relatable. The stream of consciousness style timeline kept me hooked from page one. I loved the art style as well.

I loved this graphic novel. It was definitely so unexpected. It took me a long time to read and finish just because of the very heavy topics.Please check the trigger warnings.It’s hard for a graphic novel to connect with me when it comes to mental health, but this one was done beautifully. It truly felt like she was writing about me.
My favorite quote was “thats the problem with flirting with the idea of something, sometimes you fall in” and “that’s the isolating part of mental illness it seems to come after the ones you love most”.

I really liked the artwork, which is why I’m giving this graphic memoir 3 stars. Unfortunately, nothing else resonated with me. It felt like a stream of consciousness, lacking structure or order. While I empathize with the author’s struggles with depression, I wish the memoir had been presented as a series of vignettes or a comic collection instead.

Oh boy, this one hit close to home. It is a blunt and stark look into the life of someone living with mental illness and it is so TRUE. I'm unashamed to say I was so touched my parts of this that I cried. A gem of a book.

I loved the frank way that Zoe Thorogood approaches depression, loneliness and isolation. I imagine that this would have been a wonderful read during the pandemic. "It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth" was wonderfully poignant, especially the insightful comments during the process of creating the book itself (how meta). As an art teacher, I also appreciated the variety of different cartoon and art styles (one minute there are some colourful and collaged-like stickers, and gothic and dark in another).

I appreciated what the author was expressing throughout this book. It vividly depicts her own struggles with her mental health, and that's such an important topic to discuss.
For me, while parts of the book were great, interesting and engaging. I Also found myself not being drawn to this particular art style, or perhaps I should say some of the art style, as parts were great, while others didn't suit my taste.
I think a lot of people will be able to relate to many of the authors struggles.
Personally for me this was a good read, I just didn't love the art style and found the story a little disjointed at times. But the overall premise was great, with some fantastic humour and a lot of emotions.

A graphic memoir about the author’s struggles with putting her life together over the span of 6 months. This book is on the weird, abstract, psychedelic side, and maybe not for everyone. Through illustrations, text, and metanarrative thoughts, we explore d3pression, mental health, and dark thoughts. I enjoyed the various art styles but the book was a bit confusing for me. Thanks NetGalley and Image Comics for the copy!

It's lonley at the centre of the earth - Zoe Thorogood

Huge shout out to @netgalley and @imagecomics for the graphic novel.

It's lonley at the centre of the earth is the profound insight of the life of the author, Zoe .
It follows a 6 month snippet of her life in which we join her and her struggles with mental illness.

I don't really know where to start with this review and it might sound like I didn't like the graphic novel but I actually really did. It made me uncomfortable, but uncomfortable because I saw so much of my own self destructive habits and thoughts in it. I don't want to use the word relatable (you'll understand if you read it) but it was relatable.
It was confusing, but confusing in the same way that your mind can be confusing. Confusing in the same way when you're talking to your self but also having multiple different conversations at the same time with your different voices.
The end was fantastic and I really do hope that the snippet of healing continues.

The art was fantastic. The use of colours and lack of colours, multimedia and various art styles really draws you into the feelings of confusion.

thank you NetGalley for my copy. all opinions are my own.

i can see where a lot of people wouldn’t enjoy this story or the art, however, for someone who also struggles with depression, persistent depressive disorder, dysthymia, depressive personality disorder, or whatever title you want to tack on, i felt not only seen but understood while reading this story. i also think the art and the way Thorogood uses her artistic talent to portray unspoken messages was distinctly unforgettable. if this story/script was simply written down in words only, i don’t think it would have the same depth of impact that it has as the graphic novel. i think the ending/message the book leaves with the reader is something we all need to be reminded of regardless of our mental health diagnoses.