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Anfield Road
Writer, artist, and filmmaker Chris Shepherd’s debut graphic novel depicts a beautiful coming of age story centered around growing up in the working-class dynamics of Merseyside in the late eighties.
For fans of emotional stories about family and ambition and set in the rich history of Liverpool.
As Conor Sterling is about to turn 18, he wrestles with a tough to go to art college or look after his sick, dominating grandmother? While life seems to move faster, he falls for a West-Indian girl who his grandmother disapproves of. Conor is torn between doing the right thing for him or submitting to the will of his crazy grandmother.
What follows is a funny and poignant coming of age story set in Liverpool in 1989. The land of the La’s, the Hillsborough disaster and Findus Crispy Pancakes.
For fans of emotional stories about family and ambition and set in the rich history of Liverpool.
As Conor Sterling is about to turn 18, he wrestles with a tough to go to art college or look after his sick, dominating grandmother? While life seems to move faster, he falls for a West-Indian girl who his grandmother disapproves of. Conor is torn between doing the right thing for him or submitting to the will of his crazy grandmother.
What follows is a funny and poignant coming of age story set in Liverpool in 1989. The land of the La’s, the Hillsborough disaster and Findus Crispy Pancakes.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published October 29, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
December 9, 2024
I really enjoyed this lookback at an 80s coming of age story in the north of England. It's just so very English, through and through - it expertly captures a specific kind of melancholy, which makes it especially moving. A story that's sad and funny; what could be more British than that?
Lovely expressive art, with wonderful colouring.
(Thanks to Titan Comics for providing me with a review copy through Edelweiss)
November 16, 2024
Key themes of personal growth, family conflict, and social tension within a working-class Liverpool backdrop. Conor Stirling’s story of navigating his controlling grandmother Mary’s influence while finding love with Maureen, whose identity challenges Mary’s prejudices, drives much of the novel’s emotional core. This coming-of-age narrative captures Conor’s inner struggles between fulfilling family obligations and pursuing his dreams of becoming an artist.
The art was cinematic; the story heartfelt.
The art was cinematic; the story heartfelt.
November 20, 2024
This was a heart breaking story of Connor who is growing up in Liverpool during the 1980s. He lives with his grandmother on the road that Anfield sits. Unfortunately she get's a cancer diagnosis which will turn his life upside down. The whole city is obsessed with football and he dreams of leaving to move to London to study art. This graphic novel covers the tragic events of Hillsborough. My favourite thing about this was the art style. It's very gritty and graphic which compliments the story well.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for sending me this copy to review.
Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for sending me this copy to review.
May 18, 2025
I'm a little bit torn on this one as I absolutely adored the illustrations which really captured the rawness of Connor's emotional anguish as he grappled with growing up, personal and family struggles and the possibility of leaving Liverpool behind. The portrayal of Liverpool was beautifully done, depicting both the rougher edges and familiar beauty of such a vivid city. I just felt that a little bit too much was thrown at Connor's story, that of a young man growing up in the social volatility of the 1980s, to really allow that personal growth to develop naturally. At times it felt more like a checklist of anguish rather than a fully-formed journey which meant that it didn't hit the emotional notes that it should have done, considering the experiences that Connor had in such a brief period of time.
November 23, 2024
This was a great read, full of interesting and likeable characters. Loved all the illustrations and colours used. Would highly recommend, definitely a young adult read as quite a few swears so not suitable for younger readers under 14/15 .
November 5, 2024
Conor Sterling carries a sketchbook wherever he goes. His art teacher loves his drawings. He adores a fellow student. But what kind of future can Conor look forward to? Will he end up stuck in a dead-end job in Liverpool? Or will Conor get a chance to pursue his dreams? Let's grab our drawing pads, leap into Anfield Road, and see!
Story
Conor lives with his grandmother next to Liverpool FC. Most people in town would relish living next to the premier football club. But Conor dislikes the footie. So, he sits by his gran’s screwed-down windows and sketches the Ian Rush wannabees as they shout, drink, and hurl their empty bottles into the trash-ridden streets. Aside from watching football, there’s nowhere to go except nearby pubs (and Colin’s underage). So, his grandmother takes him on field trips. They visit his grandfather's grave and the Indian restaurant where his mother ran off with a waiter.
Mary raised him after his mother abandoned him and his father went to prison. While she loves him, his grandmother also curtails his activities. Mary distrusts others and claims Conor ruined her life. But they belong to each other, even if she dominates his existence on Anfield Road. Conor’s art teacher gives him a reason to hope for a better life. She is sending a letter of recommendation to the London College of Painting. The fact that she is also recommending Maureen gives Conor a chance to bond with her. When Maureen learns he also likes a local music group, that’s another point in Conor’s favor.
But fate throws an obstacle in Conor’s path when Mary grows ill. A doctor at the hospital delivers a dire diagnosis. His grandmother may be controlling and abusive, but she loves him. Conor wants to repay her devotion by caring for her during this crisis. Besides, there is no one else. Mary has pushed everyone else away. Mary may claim Conor ruined her life, but she built her world around him. A man of Indian heritage took her daughter away, so Mary distrusts anyone who isn't English and white. Conor loves Maureen too much to curtail her future or make her put up with his grandma’s ranting. So, staying in Liverpool means giving up Maureen, a promising career, and any chance at happiness.
Art
Chris Shepherd composes each page as if it belongs in Conor's sketchbook. Conor embellishes people with quirks while rendering highly detailed street scenes on Anfield Road. He compares the football fans to Magnum PI clones (lacking Thomas Magnum’s sex appeal and boyish charm), while he draws a realistic portrait of Mary for his art class. But when depression strikes, images of Mary reaching for the bottle of Port in the kitchen collide with Captain Kirk demanding Saurian Brandy from Doctor McCoy. After his grandmother pursues him up the stairs, hurling abuse as Conor enters his tiny bedroom cluttered with cardboard boxes, Mary towers above the rowhouses lining the street like an Attack Of The 50 Ft Ogre, wielding a battle axe and clad in scraps of cloth. The BFG she is not.
Chris Shepherd lavishes one or two colors on his art. Then, like a football scally with an empty bottle, Shepherd hurls an accent color onto the page to highlight an important feature. Evenings and home interiors get brown. Purple shines upon his art class, while green casts a pall over hospital scenes. But blue is usually the color of daylight, making it more poignant when a fellow student disparagingly dubs him Picasso in Anfield Road.
Chris Shepherd fills dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with generously sized uppercase letters. Thoughts appear in cloudy balloons. Words embolden for inflection and enlarge for raised voices or Mary's operatic singing. Amid the rare sound effects and the giant block print denoting time and place, a handwritten letter gives Conor a reason to hope and fear the changes destined to rock his world.
Final Thoughts
Abandoned by dysfunctional parents and smothered by his grandmother’s love, Conor’s sole escape is a school that resembles a prison and his burgeoning relationship with a fellow art student. But when calamity strikes on Anfield Road, Conor's dreams of a better life could get lost amid a landscape of tragedy as Liverpool FC relentlessly marches toward Sheffield’s Hillsborough stadium.
Story
Conor lives with his grandmother next to Liverpool FC. Most people in town would relish living next to the premier football club. But Conor dislikes the footie. So, he sits by his gran’s screwed-down windows and sketches the Ian Rush wannabees as they shout, drink, and hurl their empty bottles into the trash-ridden streets. Aside from watching football, there’s nowhere to go except nearby pubs (and Colin’s underage). So, his grandmother takes him on field trips. They visit his grandfather's grave and the Indian restaurant where his mother ran off with a waiter.
Mary raised him after his mother abandoned him and his father went to prison. While she loves him, his grandmother also curtails his activities. Mary distrusts others and claims Conor ruined her life. But they belong to each other, even if she dominates his existence on Anfield Road. Conor’s art teacher gives him a reason to hope for a better life. She is sending a letter of recommendation to the London College of Painting. The fact that she is also recommending Maureen gives Conor a chance to bond with her. When Maureen learns he also likes a local music group, that’s another point in Conor’s favor.
But fate throws an obstacle in Conor’s path when Mary grows ill. A doctor at the hospital delivers a dire diagnosis. His grandmother may be controlling and abusive, but she loves him. Conor wants to repay her devotion by caring for her during this crisis. Besides, there is no one else. Mary has pushed everyone else away. Mary may claim Conor ruined her life, but she built her world around him. A man of Indian heritage took her daughter away, so Mary distrusts anyone who isn't English and white. Conor loves Maureen too much to curtail her future or make her put up with his grandma’s ranting. So, staying in Liverpool means giving up Maureen, a promising career, and any chance at happiness.
Art
Chris Shepherd composes each page as if it belongs in Conor's sketchbook. Conor embellishes people with quirks while rendering highly detailed street scenes on Anfield Road. He compares the football fans to Magnum PI clones (lacking Thomas Magnum’s sex appeal and boyish charm), while he draws a realistic portrait of Mary for his art class. But when depression strikes, images of Mary reaching for the bottle of Port in the kitchen collide with Captain Kirk demanding Saurian Brandy from Doctor McCoy. After his grandmother pursues him up the stairs, hurling abuse as Conor enters his tiny bedroom cluttered with cardboard boxes, Mary towers above the rowhouses lining the street like an Attack Of The 50 Ft Ogre, wielding a battle axe and clad in scraps of cloth. The BFG she is not.
Chris Shepherd lavishes one or two colors on his art. Then, like a football scally with an empty bottle, Shepherd hurls an accent color onto the page to highlight an important feature. Evenings and home interiors get brown. Purple shines upon his art class, while green casts a pall over hospital scenes. But blue is usually the color of daylight, making it more poignant when a fellow student disparagingly dubs him Picasso in Anfield Road.
Chris Shepherd fills dialogue balloons and narrative boxes with generously sized uppercase letters. Thoughts appear in cloudy balloons. Words embolden for inflection and enlarge for raised voices or Mary's operatic singing. Amid the rare sound effects and the giant block print denoting time and place, a handwritten letter gives Conor a reason to hope and fear the changes destined to rock his world.
Final Thoughts
Abandoned by dysfunctional parents and smothered by his grandmother’s love, Conor’s sole escape is a school that resembles a prison and his burgeoning relationship with a fellow art student. But when calamity strikes on Anfield Road, Conor's dreams of a better life could get lost amid a landscape of tragedy as Liverpool FC relentlessly marches toward Sheffield’s Hillsborough stadium.
November 7, 2024
Really good. It's about a teenager from Liverpool in the 80's. He's living with his grandmother after his parents abandoned him when he was a kid. His grandmother is really overbearing and he refers her as the Ogre. The city is obsessed with football even though he's never been to a game. All he wants to do is get into art school in London. It's a slice of life comic about growing up poor in the U.K. 30 years ago. Really well done. I liked the monotone single color palette art as well.
April 9, 2025
Readable, sure. Re-readable? I'm not tempted to keep it long enough to find out.
December 30, 2025
"Findus fuckin' crispy panfucks"
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews