laurenabeth's review
4.0
Graphic: Grief, Death of parent, Death, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Gun violence, Pregnancy, Classism, Racism, War, Suicidal thoughts, Racial slurs, Car accident, and Bullying
Minor: Drug use, Stalking, Pandemic/Epidemic, Miscarriage, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
anasf21's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Drug use, Gaslighting, Classism, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Alcohol, Grief, Miscarriage, Racism, and Pregnancy
at806's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Misogyny, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Mental illness, Racism, War, Death, Kidnapping, Violence, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Animal death, Car accident, Miscarriage, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders
sarah_hutchins's review
4.0
Graphic: Grief
Moderate: Car accident, Death, War, Islamophobia, and Stalking
Minor: Sexism, Torture, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, and Panic attacks/disorders
hannahcstocks's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Racial slurs, Abandonment, Xenophobia, Violence, Drug abuse, Sexual content, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Classism, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, Child abuse, Bullying, Toxic relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Death of parent, Death, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Colonisation, War, Murder, and Miscarriage
emilylovesgoodbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs
Minor: Death, Suicide, Miscarriage, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
cosmun's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicide, Death, and Death of parent
gwendle_vs_literature's review
4.0
I was aware in general how badly the press had treated Megan and Harry (I’d witnessed some of it, and also watched the Netflix documentary) but this book goes back further in time, beginning with Diana’s death and ending (in the epilogue) a few days after the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
I struggled through the section on his military service — it was interesting, but I have a hard time viewing the military in any kind of positive light. I also felt that Harry had blinders on when he talked about how the wealth of the monarchy (and other vastly rich families) was acquired “when the system was unjust and wealth was generated by exploiting workers and thuggery, annexation and enslaved people” . . . as though the system is now just and workers are no longer exploited; as though keeping land and wealth and possessions obtained in that way could ever be moral. But I suppose we all (or most of us) make excuses for our families. Maybe his position on that will evolve in time — it seemed to be rooted mainly in loyalty to his Granny.
The revelation that he has no memory of ever hugging or being hugged by his father or grandmother, and that he and William have only ever hugged a few times was so sad — not just for Harry, but for all of them.
The text is mostly well-written and well edited, with only a few examples of Harry using the wrong word — in one case the opposite word (he said “nonplussed” when he meant “un-phased”, which is a common mistake, but which any editor worth their salt should have caught).
I can definitely recommend reading this book if you enjoy non-fiction, or are trying to challenge yourself by reading more of it.
Moderate: Miscarriage, Hate crime, Drug use, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, and Grief
ashbooks5's review
4.5
I think that Harry is a deeply emotional person who has not been allowed to show or share that emotion in both public and privately among his family and I think that can do a number on a person. When he receives the news that his mother has died, no one hugs him or really comforts him. He is expected to show that infamous British stiff upper lip. I was shocked to find that for most of his life, Prince Harry thought that his mother faked her death and intended to resurface in the future. Every day he thought that he would receive a call from his mother who would tell him where to meet her. Reading about this was heartbreaking.
The first section of the book recounts how Harry acted out a lot in his teens and twenties after his mother's death. Some of these stories are hilarious such as his encounter with shrooms at Courteney Cox's house and how he had one of his school friends shave his head (I cackled) but some were also definitely disappointing like his decision to dress up as a Nazi officer to attend a costume party. I actually remember seeing those pictures and being highly disappointed in him as he was my "favorite" prince of the two.
The military section of the book was kind of boring but I appreciated it because Harry was allowed to be himself completely in the British army. Also, his position was revealed numerous times in the press when he was serving in the military in Afghanistan, and I am surprised whoever did this wasn't arrested because he ended up being targeted.
The last section was all about his love story with Meghan Markle and I loved it. (I may have thrived on the fact that I got married within a few months of this royal couple.) I am appalled at the treatment of Meghan Markle by both the British and American press. I think we can all know why she's been getting such a different treatment but there are those who pretend to not see the rampant racism. It is for this reason that Harry asked to take a step back from royal service which ended up leading to them basically being booted from the royal family (with no security, might I add).
Other things I took away from the book:
- Harry's frostbitten...um...nether-regions after his exploit to the North Pole (I wish I could say I didn't laugh buuuuuut)
- The anger of his family when Harry speaks against the press
- How much Prince William (and Kate Middleton) needs to get over himself
- No like seriously...
- Harry's love of Botswana and his work with conservation and also his work with veterans
- How much of a boss Meghan Markle is
- My happiness when Harry started therapy
All in all, I enjoyed Spare. I wish all of the best for Harry and Meghan. Honestly, I'm happy for them both because they're living away from the limelight and as privately as they can.
Graphic: Cursing, Gaslighting, Car accident, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Drug use, Stalking, Toxic relationship, and War
puglover's review
4.25
Graphic: Misogyny, Grief, Death, Death of parent, Racism, and Sexism
Moderate: Miscarriage, War, Islamophobia, Xenophobia, and Racial slurs
Minor: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Infidelity