{7*7} reviewed Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys by Lol Tolhurst
{{7*7}}
5 stars
=1+1
English language
Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys
by Lol Tolhurst
Review of 'Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Cure fans will almost certainly enjoy this memoir. There are some great anecdotes, particularly from the early days of the band, as well as various, compelling exploits from later years. For non-fans, this is probably more of a three star read as there are some meandering passages, and several instances of repetitive or overstated accounts of particular points and events. Still, I found the overall experience interesting, entertaining, and worthwhile. Another editing pass or two would most-likely have made for a better, smoother, more compact read but I do generally recommend the book as its minor, technical shortcomings don't significantly hinder it.
As a fan of the band for many years, I found Lol's perspectives mostly thoughtful and thought provoking. It seems clear to me that his heart and mind were both in the right place in terms of respectfully and sincerely telling his story, which ultimately elevated the experience …
Cure fans will almost certainly enjoy this memoir. There are some great anecdotes, particularly from the early days of the band, as well as various, compelling exploits from later years. For non-fans, this is probably more of a three star read as there are some meandering passages, and several instances of repetitive or overstated accounts of particular points and events. Still, I found the overall experience interesting, entertaining, and worthwhile. Another editing pass or two would most-likely have made for a better, smoother, more compact read but I do generally recommend the book as its minor, technical shortcomings don't significantly hinder it.
As a fan of the band for many years, I found Lol's perspectives mostly thoughtful and thought provoking. It seems clear to me that his heart and mind were both in the right place in terms of respectfully and sincerely telling his story, which ultimately elevated the experience in my mind, and left me feeling good about seeing it through to its satisfying conclusion.
Review of 'Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
The first half of the book, describing how three friends came together to form a band in a dead-end English suburb, is the strongest. During the years covered in the second half Tolhurst's alcoholism led to blackouts and memory loss, with the result that he seemed to have few anecdotes to relate for some of The Cure's most vibrant years.
The passages involving Robert Smith seemed mostly tentative, as if Tolhurst was worried about damaging his recent reconciliation with Smith by writing anything less than glowing. This was a nice story, gently told, but fans hoping for detailed insight into the inner workings of The Cure are likely to be disappointed.
