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ewanthespaceman's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Dysphoria
nadia_not_there's review against another edition
5.0
Coincidentally I read this book in the same week I watched episode 4 of The Penguin, which tells the story of Sofia Falcone’s gaslighting, forced institutionalisation, imprisonment and torture.
We’re not supposed to feel bad for rich powerful privileged women right?
Well, dammit, men will find a way regardless. To control, to silence, to gaslight, to abuse.
Britney is certainly not the first woman celeb in history to go through this, and indeed many women have experienced this and worse, but this story matters so much. For these themes to come through in a bestseller by someone who the tabloids (i.e. abusers of the precious right to free speech, which others in the world are denied and die for) and streaming services love to exploit could be a good way to get these issues on the table in a big way, which is difficult for the “little guy” to achieve. Britney got the chance to publish a guaranteed bestseller and used her platform to highlight lifelong patterns of these issues.
I will admit that I am not a very critical reader: I find something to like in almost everything I read, I can read almost any genre, and I tend to be especially forgiving of autobiographies/memoirs, because public figures are seldom the best writers!
Britney is not a writer. But she tells her story authentically, with much reflection and what feels like a difficult honesty. The pacing is not slow and she doesn’t really belabour any points. Where she does refer to certain chapters of her life a lot, such as her relationships with Justin & Kevin, or her father’s many flaws, it’s clearly because those affected her profoundly, and she had a lot to say that could not be said before. Tbh I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. She describes the awful things that happened to her while admitting to her own faults and apologising.
After the forced mental “treatment” and rehab, violation of privacy, denial of basic rights, after all the content made without her consent, after having no control of her life for so long, after her creativity and passion were repeatedly stifled, after tabloids provoking then exploiting her merely to keep media shareholders rich, it’s great to hear her own voice.
Moderate: Ableism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical trauma, Car accident, Abortion, and Gaslighting
Minor: Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Cultural appropriation, and Pandemic/Epidemic
casperoliver's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Classism
amandinesophie's review against another edition
5.0
I very rarely read celebrity memoirs but I've always had a certain affection for Britney Spears. This was really hard to read at times but also felt empowering because I deeply resonated with some of her unfortunate experiences. For the first time, maybe ever, I truly felt like I was not the only woman in pain and terribly traumatized who had to learn how to survive and build herself a place in this world.
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Chronic illness, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Medical trauma, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
cerysl's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
Moderate: Addiction, Biphobia, Confinement, Death, Drug use, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Sexism, Torture, Transphobia, Medical content, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
linnylionheart's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders and Rape
Minor: Cancer, Child death, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Dementia, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
underage drinking ; underage smoking ; underage driving (at 13)lunarxcross's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Body shaming, Bullying, Chronic illness, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Dementia, Abortion, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
issyd23's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria
ahoijules's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Car accident, Abortion, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Alcohol
mightyoscura's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Dysphoria, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Pandemic/Epidemic