Reviews with content warning for Rape - I'm Glad My Mom Died

I grew up watching iCarly, so in a way I felt like I was growing up with Jennette and Miranda. I remember growing out of the Nickelodeon pantheon right as Sam&Cat started, and wondering if Jennette also felt like she was outgrowing the network. Little did I know that Jennette had never really wanted it in the first place.

Reading her story and just how abusive not just her mother, but other people in her life were, was hard to stomach. Knowing now what she went through for all those years is devastating, and really shines a light on the industry of children's TV and how easy it can be for kids to be exploited. And this is just the life of a successful actor, who knows what other children have gone through who weren't successful enough to gain independence, or weren't able to shake their parent's grip, child star or otherwise.

For a book with such frightening details of abuse and mental illness, it's still incredibly funny and engaging, as well as hopeful for people struggling with eating disorders. I really hope the popularity of this book means it has reached the people who need it most. And I hope Jennette is now living the life she always deserved.

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thatenbyisisreads's review

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challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad fast-paced

3.0

I highly appreciate Jennette Mccurdy for having written this book, especially with such a controversial title. Usually, it's something that's looked down upon if you hate your mother, despite how horrible they were behind the scenes. People would always say, "But that's your mother, she gave birth to you, you should be more grateful for her." Over time, it makes the child feel like the bad guy when in reality, they have every right to feel those emotions. So, thank you for validating our experiences with mommy issues. Now, I did rate low because I had a couple concerns with some of the things that were said in the book that could have been prevented. Jennette used the "I slur chief" towards the Indigenous community when talking about a past convo with her mother. Another instance was the "e slur" towards the Inuit Natives when ignorantly referring to the "e-slur" kiss. I was also taken aback by the comment on her mother convulsing and she compared it to a patient at a mental asylum which is ableist. Overall, this book was very informational on her life compared to my prior knowledge of her as a child actor.

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crowbarsoda's review

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emotional hopeful informative reflective fast-paced

5.0

I have loved Jennette since I was a child and iCarly first came out, I always thought she was so funny. When I heard about this book and started to find out about her trauma and hardships during her time with Nick, I felt almost guilty about watching the show when I was younger. This book gives me such a deep appreciation for Jennette sticking through all of her hardships, and finding out that even though we do not have a similar life or upbringing in the slightest, I could still relate to her sentiments and feelings towards her mother. 10/10

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