You could say that this is a brutally honest book, but in reality, it’s a beautifully honest book. Emma tells the story of her anorexia, her mental health, and her sense of identity with refreshing realism and analysis. Personally, it is her honesty as a Christian that relapsed back into her illness, after theological training and while working for a Church, that reminds me that we are rarely the people we portray ourselves to be. Even as she heartbreakingly shares the long-term physical consequences of her illness, it is the ongoing gift of our new name and identity in Jesus that is the greatest takeaway from this book.

This is not a book that describes everyone’s story, but neither is it just a book for those that suffer with anorexia – her openness lays bare the lies and traps that enslave those of us who suffer or have suffered with any variety of mental health issues. It’s also a must-read book for those of us who want help to understand and walk alongside. Please buy it, read it, and pass it on to a friend, whether they know Jesus yet or not!


Innes MacSween, Smithton-Culloden Free Church