“Freeman weaves her story lightly through her reading so that books are to the fore, describing her illness in plain language that rings with truth. She writes about books beautifully, picking out evocative descriptions of food which have helped her inch towards a less fraught relationship with it. Reading helps clarify her thoughts while walking muffles the voices in her head just as it did for Virginia Woolf as Freeman discovers in Woolf’s diaries. The epilogue is both a lovely testament to the love and help of friends and family, and an expression of hope that her book might help others with whatever ails them.” – Susan Osborne, A Life In Books
“I have read a fair number of the books that Laura talks about in here and whilst the eating and celebration of life between friends and strangers is a key part of them, it is not something that particularly stood out for me, until now. Just reading the descriptions quoted in the book made me very hungry.” – Paul Cheney, Half Man, Half Book
“Ultimately a tale of addiction and redemption; about getting better again; about the impact of books and the characters and food therein, The Reading Cure is a wonderful memoir that will encourage its readers’ to live a life filled with the creme de la creme of literature and the finest of foods.
Freeman’s writing throughout is beautiful and bountiful; her descriptions of food are full of flavour and temptation; her journey to wellness an inspiring one. It too, is a wonderful reminder of the power of books and their healing nature; whatever your ailment may be.” – Lucy Pearson, The Lit Edit
“I admired her candidness throughout the book, and found her discussions about mental health issues refreshing and down to earth, especially the lasting effects of it both on her and those closest to her. More than once she writes about how isolated she was during the worst points of her illness, whether that was in a literal sense when she was confined to bed, or in a more personal sense when she felt different and weird for having these issues around food. Her discussions of the possible causes of her anorexia are insightful and fascinating as she takes us through her happy and thoughtless childhood eating through to her gradual realisation as a teenager that food could make her fat, something she didn’t want to be, and that the ideal form was obviously to be thin.” – Lizzi Risch, These Little Words
“Laura’s writing is searingly honest. The book doesn’t dwell too much on the details of Laura’s illness, as Laura herself mentions at the start of the book that there are plenty of books out there documenting the actual illness. Whilst this book is heartbreaking and highly emotive there is a thread of absolute determination and bravery running right through it’s heart.
Its a tough read at times and at one point I found myself putting the book down and absorbing what I had just read, I had such a sudden swell of emotion. ” – Amanda Chatterton, Bookish Chat