A delicious portrait of 80s and 90s London and a more universal tale of a working-class young woman making a life in a world that has not been designed for the likes of her. For all its effortlessness [...] Alison ends up carrying a great emotional heft. It's a lovely book, and I cried at the end. * Guardian * And so she does. Alison becomes a self-supporting artist whose works are exhibited in London galleries, develops a community of friends, and thrives. Subtle and deliciously complicated, this is a big book on big subjects, but lightly, elegantly done. I loved it'Tessa Hadley, author of Free Love

A beautiful depiction of life as an artist, of the movements of love and time. I absolutely loved it. -- Megan Hunter, author of The End We Start From Baby’s first graphic novel! And OMG why didn’t anyone tell me how much I was missing out, and that adding STUNNING artwork to a book doesn’t mean it’s any less of a story?! Consider me sold. With its focus on friendship and the passing of time, Alison often recalls Stewart’s graphic short story collection It’s Not What You Thought It Would Be. While its predecessor was enjoyable but uneven, here she sustains the drama, and the parade of small things – baths and bars, studios and shopfronts, spiralling arguments and moments of joy – builds into something rather special. Before you know it, half Alison’s life has rushed by, and she is the established artist feeling bemused and invigorated by the next generation – and able to dispense more balanced advice than the old men who preceded her.

Summary

I really don’t want to give anything else away, but let’s just say that Alison is a heartbreaking, emotionally charged, but ultimately uplifting work of art. Yes, a work of art, I loved the artwork in Alison, Lizzy Stewart’s way of using mixed media in the form of the graphic novel ( some written, some drawn ) works so well. It’s a gloriously gorgeous piece of work, and the first I have read of Lizzy Stewart, but it won’t be the last. I loved it, so well put together. I loved the art style as well as the subtly this book uses to cover some really big subjects. For me Alison had everything - if you think that cover is beautiful just wait until you open it up and see the amazing drawings inside. I really liked the way the author added so many different styles, colours and even interspersed the art with letters, it was visually fabulous. Her compassionate depictions of women alone, women together, will undoubtedly find welcoming audiences * Shelf Awareness * A captivating new graphic novel that could have been dreamt up by Edna O'Brien and Judith Kerr of The Tiger Who Came To Tea fame, had they ever collaborated. * The Gloss Ireland * A genius graphic novel (but lots of words) about a young woman from Dorset who leaves her life to be with a much older famous artist in London. It's also brilliant on relationships, creativity and friendship (and the art world) -- India Knight

Lizzy's work is beautifully executed with an eye for composition, colour and fine detail * It's Nice That * A quietly powerful book, and Stewart's well chosen and often witty dialogue goes straight to the heart. Her artwork is filmic and beautiful -- Isabel Greenberg, author of Glass Town A genius graphic novel (but lots of words) about a young woman from Dorset who leaves her life to be with a much older famous artist in London. It's also brilliant on relationships, creativity and friendship (and the art world)'India Knight Alison is newly married, barely twenty and struggling to find her place in the world. A chance encounter with an older artist upturns her life and she forsakes convention and her working-class Dorset roots for the thrumming art scene of London in the late seventies. First of all: The pictures were stunning and really brought the atmosphere of the story to live and the prose were so delicately beautiful.A delicious portrait of 80s and 90s London and a more universal tale of a working-class young woman making a life in a world that has not been designed for the likes of her. For all its effortlessness [...] Alison ends up carrying a great emotional heft. It's a lovely book, and I cried at the end.' Guardian