I have never resonated with anything more! And I’m not sure how I feel about that ha
This is a wonderfully raw account of mental health and I’ve never quite found anything that is as truthful as this. Sad girls - this is the book for you

"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."

Amazing art style and different POV. A bit harder to read so I suggest checking the TW/CW before jumping in. I'm not sure if I got a defective copy of this but I thought the book was hard to follow with multiple blank pages... Might be a user-problem rather than the book. Though it was hard to follow, I still thought it was a wonderful depiction of how someone with mental health struggle cope with everyday life!

An ok read this is a graphic memoir covering six months of the author's life whilst she goes through ups and downs. The art accompanying it it's beautiful.
I enjoyed the exploration of the self-doubt and depressing feelings but whilst it was relatable to a certain extent it also felt like there was nothing to take away from it. Which is not necessarily a bad thing- just not something I tend to go for.

This book is some pretty big topics. It is emotional and not an easy read, but it is well done. A little odd at times, but a powerful look at life.

4 stars

DNF
Depressing graphic art memoirs are some of my favorite reads, but this was so excessively and aggressively weird I can't even finish.

As someone who has dealt with depression her entire life this was one of the most accurate depictions of the struggle I’ve ever read. Beautiful art that felt real and raw with how it changed as she told her story.

A look into how suicidal depression can shape one’s life and outlook. How isolated one can feel in their own mind and how kindness can mean the difference between life and death

The art in this book was entrancing, and the story was addictive. I was first hooked by the way art changed styles and yet seemed to still all fit together seamlessly. As I read I was drawn in even more by the narrative, what I read felt raw and real. I enjoyed this book and found it a unique graphic novel that stands out from the others I’ve read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for a copy of this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

This is an autobiographical graphic memoir covering a six month period in the author's life. It covers ups, and downs, plans made and changed, self-doubt, and fighting depression. It is an emotional read.
The artwork is gorgeous, with a range of styles employed throughout.

If you enjoy autobiographical graphic novels, or authors like Tillie Walden, check this one out.

a masterclass on the way mental health impacts the creative process. i really appreciated the distinct art styles reflecting different manifestations of zoe’s struggles, and thorogood as an author excels at creating a narrative that is discombobulating by nature, truly highlighting a disjointed psyche. i often don’t read graphic novels a second time but this one i just might reread.

This will be a relatable book for many, as it captures emotions and depression well, expressing how the author is feeling over the 6 month period recorded.
The art work is incredible, showing a mix of different styles that will leave any reader in awe.
Can be a difficult read at some points but overall a beautiful book with stunning art, however I would’ve liked to be able to read it on my kindle as this would have made viewing easier, but this option was unavailable.

Note: I received access to read this book from the publisher for free. That doesn't influence my opinion on it, but it is worth disclosing.

RELATABLE.
Gosh, I loved this. Review done.

3.5/5⭐️
Always happy to see mental health rep out there.
Story felt a tad empty but overall it flowed ok and the art was beautiful and varied.
Just felt it needed more content to carry it.

A relatable, well written dive into the author's autobiographical journey dealing with depression and isolation.

"Cartoonist Zoe Thorogood records 6 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 metanarrative look into the life of a selfish artist who must create for her own survival."

This graphic novel is author Zoe Thorogood's introspective look at the all too relatable (for many readers) thorny issues surrounding emotional distress, suicidal ideation, and how to cope with, move through and ultimately deal with the trials and tribulations that accompany life on planet Earth.

The artwork was absolutely astonishing, and I was truly in awe of Thorogood's drawings and how she used them to really capture the pain and hope(lessness) she was expressing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Image Comics for providing me with this advance copy to review!

Ah I really wanted to love this but it just didn't move me. I really appreciate that it is someone's most dark and honest thoughts but the structure didn't do it for me. Really love the mix of art styles, and I appreciated her interesting viewpoints on her feelings, but it left me feeling a bit flat. Will keep my eyes open for other books by Zoe, cos I do think I could love her work.

Thanks to netgalley for an advanced copy for an honest review

An amazing read, the artwork is great and it is a very meaningful autobiography.

It’s lonely at the centre of the earth can be a bit of a difficult read as the subject matter but it is worth it.
Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An amazing graphic novel. To start, the artwork is amazing. Beautiful in nature and striking in its own right, the art pops and shows confidence and power. This work was so reflective to me as it resembled, in my eyes, an honest portrait of life itself. I truly felt like Zoe through how depression and life were depicted here, and I think many will as well. While some parts can be a bit slow, this work usually pops from page to page with precision and understanding that is beautifully empowered by creative and thoughtful artwork. Upon reflection and re-reading, I would argue the slow moments are actually brilliant in articulating the timeline of the work and the many fragments of emotion that hit our lead. This work feels like reading a beautiful, fun conception of emotions rarely captured as detailed in comics I have read recently. Along with all of this, there were many jokes that made me get out of my chair and laugh with glee, a true delight in that aspect as well. A great, fun, emotional read that touches on many deep concepts wonderfully!

Zoe is a fantastic illustrator! A very meaningful autobiography. Zoe if you’re reading this you’re super funny and this story was very meaningful. The way you illustrate is so fun and trippy, i love it. Don’t give up even if you only help one person. And with this book I’m sure you’ve helped millions. Will be picking up more of her books.

Full review at link below.

This book is difficult to love and impossible not to.

The self-deprecating, faux-narcissistic, depressive, dark humour is just too – sorry Zoe, I’m going to say it – relatable.

For those like me – especially fellow creatives – who have lived experience of mental illness, this ‘auto-bio-graphic-novel’ is a must-read.

I say this with the caveat that the author pulls no punches in her depiction of the depths of mental illness. In fact, she includes her own content warning.

The vibe is kind of like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off if Cameron was the main character. Except instead of destroying his dad’s car, he gets an STD and a broken heart.

I love how Zoe experiments with different styles throughout the book. The story flows seamlessly, despite the staccato changes in colour, layout, form, etc. It’s a great representation of the bumpy spiral-turned-whirlwind of mental illness.

That search for meaning, purpose, and identity; the horror of being perceived and the fear of disappearing entirely; simultaneously craving and recoiling from connection and the subsequent vulnerability.

The fact that Zoe manages to inject humour into this undeniably depressing book is a credit to her skill as an artist. To make me as the reader feel like I wanted to laugh, cry, write a poem, and punch myself in the face all at the same time is quite an achievement.

This isn’t the kind of A-to-B, linear, formulaic mental illness story where the protagonist goes from sad to happy, running off into the sunset with a grateful wave to their trauma for all the “good lessons”.

There is disappointment. There are failures. There is self-sabotage and unanswered questions and the author doesn’t tie up all the loose ends with a neat bow. It’s messy. It’s ambiguous. It’s real.

“… maybe life is just about those good f*ckin’ sandwiches.”

I mean, she’s not wrong. I do love a good sandwich.

Depression can make everything much more difficult than it looks. Getting out of bed can be a nearly insurmountable challenge, let alone putting a pen to paper to draw or to write. Add a global pandemic into the mix, and it's truly astonishing that Zoe Thorogood got anything done at all - but get it done she did. She persevered, at times kicking and screaming, sure, to document six months of her life in comic book form. IT'S LONELY AT THE CENTRE OF THE EARTH is the result of that.

I'd not read Thorogood's work before, but I was struck by the beautiful artwork and the insightful self-examination that was offered up in this book. She puts herself under the microscope revealing warts and all - or mask-induced acne outbreaks. She examines the dark side of herself, and the difficulty of reaching success and still not finding happiness. Other reviewers have called her pretentious and self-absorbed, and I'm sure she calls herself that as well, but often-times this is part of the process of just living with depression.

It would be a cliche to call this book relatable, but I'd be pretty darn surprised if a lot of creative types didn't relate to, and feel sympathy for her over the course of reading this. Everyone struggles to some degree, I can only hope that she finds some peace and happiness in her life. One of the most damaging cliches of the artistic world is that you have to hate yourself and be depressed in order to create. These things can be managed if you put the work in and get the right help.

There's hope out there, and I imagine this book will help an awful lot of people find hope in their own lives, too. I hope Zoe finds it in her own life.