Theo is a teenager in the 1990s. He loves musicals, art and his grandma. He's also, however, in the grips of an eating disorder, personified by The Voice. Beautifully, lyrically told in verse Louder Than Hunger tells the story of his journey. This is not an emotionally easy read, but a necessary one. I have already bought a copy for my secondary school library.

This was a great book to read on the topic of anorexia, eating disorders and mental health in general in young people . It's not a comfortable, cosy or easy read but I think it's essential to explore more areas of the human experience that not align necessarily with the idea of a happy childhood or adolescence. This is a huge problem today and there isn't enough literature out there for those of us who wish to explore the subject deeper. I also thought that the main character being a boy is a great way to showcase that this is not a female problem but can really affect anyone.
The use of verse really draws the reader in, making the reading experience extremely immersive and you definitely feel that you are on the journey with Jake. We meet him as he gets admitted to Whispering Pines for anorexia. We experience the back and forth dialog between him and the 'voice' and John Schu does an amazing job at unfolding the struggle between reasoning and fear. Themes of isolation, loneliness, friendship, bullying, loss and grief are portrayed beautifully and overall the book serves as a gut punching call for awareness. So much of what children and young people experience is invisible and this book is a great reminder that they are not equipped to go through these feelings on their own so therefore the question arises: How can we support them as parents, educators and what is being done on government level?
A truly brilliant read, highly recommended.
thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my review copy, all opinions are my own.

I usually try to write a review as soon as I finish the book so I don't forget what I want to say. With Louder than Hunger, I don't know what I want to say. Moving, beautiful, inspirational - they don't feel big enough.

Jake has an eating disorder. He only truly feels like himself when he stays with his grandmother at the weekends. The rest of the time, Jake feels like he shouldn't be there, like he takes up too much space and doesn't deserve to eat, live and be well. This message is fully endorsed by many of Jake's peers and the Voice in his head, which regularly reminds him that he is not worth it.

Eventually, Jake is forced to accept help and he slowly begins to learn that he can question the Voice and that maybe it isn't right. With a cast of incredible characters that I hope are based on real life as much as Jake's experiences sadly are, Jake learns how much he means to other people and this gives him a reason to get better, until he can learn to do so for himself.

This is an incredible account of eating disorder recovery that expresses a person’s experiences in a way I’ve wanted to see for years. I’ve wondered what form it would have to take to work- and John Schu has cracked it: the verse novel is the perfect format for this story.

This book had to be written in verse. It reflects perfectly the emotional ups and downs, the brain fog, the silences and the screams of Jake’s recovery journey. Although the verse is obviously carefully crafted, it delivers a rawness which perfectly reflects Jake’s vulnerability and inner turmoil.

This book has the potential to help (young) people understand what people experience when they suffer from an eating disorder- language around mental health can be casually bandied about and misrepresentations are pervasive. This warts and all depiction helps show just how all-consuming and destructive an eating disorder is to all aspects of someone’s life. It has the power to be cathartic to sufferers to show there are people out there who absolutely understand. It could help sufferers to process and articulate their feelings. Most importantly, it shows there is hope; that things can and will get better.

Thank you to John Schu, to @WalkerBooksUK & NetGalley for the chance to read this incredible, moving book.