I’m at a loss for the right words. This book is very intense and very, well, “relatable”. I wanted to write this long profound review of the book, but now I just can’t seem to do that so I’ll leave you with a long word to take up space. supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

beautiful, emotional, and funny at times. zoe is an incredible storyteller and i’m excited to read her future works.

"Life is merely a collection of good and bad experiences loosely held together by the void in between- and that void is your space to mold, a space to harness and create in. Just be careful not to get stuck there."

A metanarrative Slice of Life graphic novel that will appeal to those in their 20s.

Society often portrays your 20s as the best time of your life. However, I really struggled in my 20s, more than I ever did in any other time in my life. I've heard the same for friends of mine. They call it a "second" puberty.
This book captures this tumultuous time.

The story covers:
*Imposter syndrome
*Generational trauma
*Healing your inner child
*Doing drugs
*Doubting yourself
*Dealing with weird "situationships"

Overall I enjoy the plot, voice, and artwork. I think this would have appealed to me more if I was still in that time period of my life and could resonate better with the angst.

**Check content warnings**

"I can't change my brain chemistry, but I can change now I choose to interact with the world around me"

Voted my favorite book of 2022.

I’ve never been particularly drawn to the black-and-white cartoon memoir genre of comics. So I am shocked that two of them top my list for best of the year. The cartoon autobioraphy has a rich heritage. Thorogood’s raw honesty, her abandonment of comics “formalism,” is right at home alongside Harvey Pekar, despite the wildly different worlds the two inhabited. One, a disgruntled middle aged man, the other a 23 year old woman struggling with mental illness. But this is a book that seeks to illuminate the mundane complexity of human life and experience, just as American Splendor did, in its own way.

Lonely at the Centre of the Earth sees Thorogood, hot off the critical success of her first book, The Impending Blindness of Billie Scott, trapped by the pressures of industry expectation and her own insecurities. She decides to document a six month period in her life following a suicidal episode, her first forays back into the world after pandemic quarantine.


What follows is an emotionally resonant and wildly creative book that literally invites readers to join Zoe in creating the book’s meaning and purpose. Thorogood’s supporting cast consists of various versions of herself, a chibi anime version that encourages her to live her artistic dream, the harsh realist, her childhood self, and even the embodiment of her own depression–the Void Creature. The depression avatar looms over Zoe throughout the book, a towering amorphous blob with a haunting grin that is sometimes adorable, sometimes comfort, and sometimes horrific.

Throughout the book, Thorogood plays with the unique nature of comics storytelling, the structure of the page itself, the artifice of narrative the control over time and image. She engages in thrilling mixed media to represent how her own struggles with mental illness feel disocciative. She falls through the air, her body broken into a dozen different styles and media. A grid of nine panels where she asserts her own confidence is interspersed with harsh black panels with LIAR written in large white paint.

Every page is a profound celebration of the power of art, of the potential of comics to tell unique stories in unpredictable ways. Zoe Thorogood has made a profoundly beautiful work of art.

In "It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth" creator Zoe Thorogood provides a raw and messy look at depression and the effects it has on her day to day life.

The way the art styles throughout mirrored the artists feelings and emotions are that moment in time, really drives home how deeply personal and emotional this autobiography graphic novel is, This is a frank and real look at how it feels to experience depression, even during what others would feel like should be highs in ones life. It's raw and relatable and will definitely make readers feel less alone.

Very interesting introspective story. Fascinating to follow her life and make sense of everything she is going through. Very deep for a comic book!

2 ⭐️

I got about halfway through before I decided to give up. I think if it had been the early 2000’s and I was still in high school I might have found this deep and profound. As an adult, this just feels like it is trying too hard.


**Thank you, NetGalley and Image Comics for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.**

This book was excruciatingly personal and really shined a light on the way your own brain can sabotage you. I can't say for sure if I liked it, but it felt like it was an important story. Someone will surely need this, maybe even me one day. Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

For some reason I really didnt like this novel, I just couldn't get into to storyline. However the artwork was vibrant and very good. Sorry I didn't like it.

I received a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review - all opinions are my own.

I thought this was a really beautiful and provoking graphic novel. Right from the start I was drawn in by Thorogood's honesty and unique art style. The disregard of the 4th wall meant I felt immediately connected with the author and her story.
Watching the shift over the course of the novel, over which I felt I got to know Zoe and her struggles, was very emotive and beautiful.
The art style was also beautiful and interesting, with a clear variety that showed talent as well as highlighting her inner thoughts and struggles throughout.

This was a beautiful graphic novel which I recommend to anyone who has struggled with their own place in the world.

“Zoe was really, really small. And that felt good. An inconsequential tiny piece of a much larger picture. It was a beautiful thought.”

As someone who has struggled with depression and suicidal ideation from a very young age, this book portrayed so many thoughts that I’ve had over the years. The guilt, the feelings of selfishness, the questioning every single thought and emotion running through your body at any given time.

This isn’t a book about hopelessness. It’s a book about perseverance. It’s a glimpse into the world that we have to create in order to exist in this ridiculous and painful reality we inhabit. This was all portrayed in such a unique and captivating art style. I want to run and buy a physical copy right this minute just to see the art on a larger scale.

I’ll be thinking about this one for a long time.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book!

It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth is a raw, vulnerable, intense glimpse into the inner world of artist Zoe Thorogood, unsanitised and unflinching in its depiction of depression.

In stark contrast to the decidedly unglamorous realities of mental illness is Thorogood’s art, which is as gorgeous as graphic memoirs get - by turns clean and messy, monochromatic and colourful, realistic and stylised, experimental and always unique. While Thorogood’s writing at times fell flat for me, I loved her art so much, and will absolutely be checking out her other work.

My thanks to NetGalley and Image Comics for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

Wow. That was a steaming pile. TW: depression and suicidal ideation.

The creator of this ... book is depressed and a rather miserable person to both herself and those around her. Being in her head was a really horrible experience and I'm sorry that she lives like that 24/7. I don't know if those who are depressed and hate themselves also are nasty and hate others and think horrible things about those around them, or if that is something else causing that for her, but it is really not great to read about.

She CAN draw well, when she chooses to. In order to show the ugliness in her head, she shows it on the page, and it is UGLY.

I am not knocking those who are depressed, it is a real affliction and I sympathize with it. However, I didn't realize this was a memoir about that. I saw that cover and title and thought it was a sci-fi, end of the world/survival type book and requested it completely blind. Mistakes were made.

This could be useful for those who are going through something similar, but I won't be recommending it to anyone unless they are into that sort of thing.

1, I need to not be fooled by pretty covers, stars.

I didn't know what to expect from this Graphic novel. I'm not familiar with Zoe Thorogood, and trigger warnings are usually a sign that I will either be irritated at the softness of today's youth or upset because...well heck, life should come with trigger warnings if I'm honest.
First, the art. Ms. Thorogood is an exceptional artist who gets everything across in her drawings. From the cartoonish drawings to the hyper-realistic drawings of herself, I was amazed at her talent.
The story was heartbreaking in its honesty and familiarity. This is a place many of us have found ourselves at one time or another, and some of us spend way too much time here doubting, hating, or regretting our lives.

Very well written, and though it is an over-used word...relatable.

Highly recommended. And yeah I guess you should read the trigger warnings if thoughts of suicide, talks about depression, sex, or anything else human bother you.

Thanks to @netgalley for allowing me to read this eArc in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.



@

Heartfelt and original. A recommended purchase for collections where memoirs and adult graphic novels are popular.

As a creative who also feels like they can’t see past that void at times this hit a spot way more visceral than I thought when I started reading. It doesn’t sugarcoat and it shows you all the truth and darkness of someone struggling to see that bigger picture. This dark graphic novel memoir follows 6 months of Zoe’s life as it’s falling part. The predominately monochromatic design and varying art styles gives this story more depth and gravitas as we get t0 understand Zoe more as a character, from her past experiences and current perceptions of self.

It’s Lonely at the Centre of the Earth… but you don’t always have to be there.

"It's Lonely At The Center of The Earth" by Zoe Thorogood is a raw and relatable journey into the life of an artist facing the challenges of anxiety, depression, and imposter syndrome. Thorogood's graphic memoir captures the struggle of a young woman striving to find her place in the world while pursuing a career in sequential art. The book is an intimate, meta-narrative exploration of mental health and self-discovery. Thorogood's honesty and vulnerability make it easy for young readers to connect with her experiences. Her artistry is a powerful vehicle for conveying the emotional rollercoaster of life's ups and downs. I found this memoir to be a poignant and genuine reflection of the battles many of us face as we navigate the complexities of mental health and personal growth. Thorogood's work is a testament to the power of art as a means of survival and self-expression. I recommend this to anyone seeking a relatable and heartfelt narrative about the pursuit of creativity and self-acceptance.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishing house for sending me this e-arc to read and review. This was a great book, I read it here a few months ago and liked it. The words were hard to read on the pages though, I had times when I'd have to zoom in since the words were so small. The book also looks like it's very small but there are so many words, so if you think this is a quick read it's not. Its so sad to hear what the author has gone through and I wish her all the best of luck.

As someone who has battled with depression for most of my life, this book hit very close to home. Zoe Thorogood's struggles are so relatable (haha, sorry to the author to use that word) and the way that everything is depicted is so REAL. I love that she was able to turn six months of her life that she struggled into a book that could speak to so many people. I was honestly rooting for her the whole book and still am. The artwork was beautiful, I found her physical depiction of the versions of her and her depression monster to be so, SO interesting too. I'm grateful to NetGalley for being able to read this free copy and the publisher as well. I will be reading her other works in the future and will be buying a physical copy of this as well.

This is a story focusing on hard topics in life. The pictures and writing were beautiful and matched the story perfectly.