Review by Frank Plowright

All Things Connect is Andrew Squire’s story of his relationship with Ise, which began in Glasgow’s Queens Park when he acquired his first dog in 2007. She provided plenty of advice and they soon realised they had more in common than owning dogs.

This is an ultimately tragic slice of life memoir, accompanied by the constant irritation of Squire’s chosen presentation of four panels occupying around half the page space. As illustrations the panels are attractively drawn in simple sketched ink conveying personality, but using the format commonly associated with newspaper strips leads to the expectation of a punchline ending. Even when aware that’s not happening, it remains as an unusually restrictive method of storytelling as some scenes could be expanded, while a few seem thrown together to fit the format.

Crucial to events is the 2008 global banking collapse. Ise is a passionate activist, and if not initially as committed, Andrew at least shares her principles, and being an architect by trade he’s able to design the ecologically sound house they build. However well meant, the principles are intrusive. Even readers aligned with the prevailing view will feel constantly lectured about global warming and other subjects via frequently unconvincing dialogue, so any sceptics are going to be alienated. Ironically, there’s even a panel noting people don’t like being lectured amid a hefty middle section moving toward protest.

Andrew and Ise’s story continues over a decade, and eventually its nature becomes more apparent. While heartfelt and personal, and featuring two caring people, too little stands out as beyond ordinary. The appealing art can only carry matters so far, and it’s only toward the end that All Things Connect takes flight. Musings about death accompanying the narrative reaching 2020 and covid, prove prescient in what’s the most moving sequence, a doomed fight connecting where much else doesn’t.

All Things Connect is created as a loving personal memoir, but too much is too ordinary to attract a broad audience.