Alveridgea

Ivan Clark and Stu Duval

Atlantic Books

Otago Daily Times, September 15th 2012

Alveridgea and the Legend of the Lonely Dog by Ivan Clarke and Stu Duval, is a beautiful book in all senses.

Set in a world where poor working-class dogs are subjugated by wealthy and aristocratic cats, it tells the tale of a shy and reticent young musician called Lonely, whose songs inspire cat and dog alike to rebel against the cruelty and injustice of the ruling elite.

The story itself is a universal one, redolent with echoes of historical (and contemporary) events and the setting reminiscent of rust-belt America, so it is relatable. But each character has an independent existence, a detailed back-story.

The artist, Ivan Clarke, has been painting and (in conjunction with Richard Taylor) sculpting Lonely Dog and the other inhabitants of Alveridgea for years – the central character is based on his own dachshund, Arthur Snout – and the young hound’s adventures originated as bedtime stories for Ivan’s children. His illustrations bring the story, eloquently written by his longtime friend Stu Duval, to life; and render the book a genuine treasure, a work of art as much as literature.