Lizzy Stewart’s latest book has been described as “genre defying”. Where to stack it in the bookshop? Is it a straight-forward novel with illustrations? Or a graphic novel with damn good writing? Whatever label sticks, The Wreck is a touching story of communal living in the English countryside.
Two couples reconnect later in life after the women, who knew each other back in the 1970s, decide to create a new kind of shared life together. So far, so idyllic. But as time passes, their dream of a harmonious arrangement begins to unravel. The house becomes a kind of petri dish for old rivalries, buried resentments and unresolved feelings — and what started as an experiment in friendship and
togetherness slowly turns toxic. Lizzy’s endearing illustrations are folded into the text and add humour and irony to the tale without diminishing the pleasure of her writing.
“I like the change of pace and I like the way they (the images) break up the flow of the book a little and allow you to pause”, she said in a recent interview. Let’s invent a new classification for her “genre” so that we know where to find her! We look forward to hearing her talk about The Wreck and her creative process at Festilitt.