Mary Talbot recounts her childhood in Preston, Lancashire, focusing upon her relationship with her father, Joycean scholar James S.

Inspired by Carol Shloss's 2003 biography of Lucia, it covers her ambitions in dance and her deteriorating mental condition.

Explaining the process to the Sunderland Echo, Talbot says, "[t]he usual state of affairs is you get a script through the post or by email and that is the end of the collaboration.

I would suggest changes to the script to make it clearer or to get a point across, then we would discuss it over dinner.”[3] Rather than have Bryan rework the art, Mary identified inaccuracies by inserting footnotes throughout the book.

"[4] The Telegraph's review was similarly positive, labelling the book: "ambitious, entertaining and perceptive and blends a first-time script from Mary Talbot with stunning drawings and design from her husband, Bryan (Luther Arkwright, Grandville, Alice in Sunderland).