The Fire Never Goes Out

Review from Booklist Starred Reviews:

In 2011, 19-year-old Noelle Stevenson began her annual tradition of recapping her year through a Tumblr post, illustrating her prose reflections with spot comics. Over the course of a decade, she went on to huge success as a writer and artist, becoming the youngest ever National Book Award finalist, winning Eisner Awards, becoming showrunner for Netflix’s She-Ra—and cataloguing her triumphs along the way. Here, those posts are compiled into a memoir of Stevenson’s twenties, richly supplemented by additional and often haunting comics that add layers to her self-portrayal. The sum of these parts is a deeply affecting, heart-wrenchingly honest exploration of not just the reality behind her success but also the struggle faced by many new adults to discover themselves. Stevenson lays bare her own struggles with Christianity, body image, romance, independence, isolation, and most crucially, mental health, with her own particular demon being unnamed but described as a fire, eating her alive. Most of the work is fine-lined grayscale floating in white space, including the hand-lettered text, adding to the sense of isolation and encroaching desperation while also deepening the intimacy. This work of pure vulnerability and ultimately hope may serve as a vital lifeline for young fans in need of having their own inner struggles reflected in their heroes. An incredibly brave offering from one of comics’ most precious creators.