kimveach's review against another edition
4.0
This is a story of a boy without a stable home life whose mother dies tragically. That trauma carries into war zones and his search for a relationship that can withstand the scrutiny of the press. With the help of therapy, he's able to move forward.
Some of the best parts for me were learning about life in the palace, at Eton, and in the army. It was also fascinating to learn how Prince Charles divided royal duties and access to money between the brothers.
Graphic: Bullying, Death, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Drug use, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Abandonment, Death of parent, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Medical trauma, Miscarriage, War, Classism, Grief, Pregnancy, Car accident, and Cursing
sydneynorman's review
4.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Bullying, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Miscarriage, Murder, Self harm, Car accident, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Pandemic/Epidemic, Pregnancy, Racism, Cursing, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Gun violence, and Hate crime
christinastuart26's review
3.5
Graphic: Drug use, Gun violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, and Miscarriage
redheadorganist's review
4.5
Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Animal death, Pregnancy, Blood, Car accident, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, War, Classism, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Miscarriage
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
2.5
And not too much about the monarchy or whatever. But perhaps too much about the war. And his frostbitten penis.
I suppose I can sympathize with having a hard time editing out bits of your life when composing a memoir, especially when that life has been lived so publicly and with such scrutiny over events that were inaccurately reported. And when you've endured so much trauma. But this book was entirely too long and often felt disjointed. I often tuned out during the middle section of the book where he goes on for eons about how much he loved the war.
Which is a shame because he has some very poignant and important things to say about how we treat those in the public eye. You just have to endure many stories about flying helicopters and camping in Botswana that you might not be interested in and paragraphs of the former Prince of Wales reminding you of all the "great work" he's done.
At the end of the day, if you're at all intrigued by the inner workings of the British monarchy and Harry specifically, Spare is probably worth a read. Just be aware that it definitely needed a more discerning editor.
Graphic: Classism, Grief, Gun violence, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Stalking, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, Medical content, and Racism
Minor: Colonisation, Miscarriage, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
lmy612's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very heavy book and I cried many times listening to his recount of very painful topics: his mother’s death, 9/11, self medicating with drugs and alcohol, going to war, racism against his wife and children, threats against their lives, the loss of an unborn child, the toxicity of his family, the death of the Queen, and the paparazzi who refuse(d) to let them live their lives.
This was a highly enjoyable and deeply moving memoir, even for an anti-monarchist living in the colonized commonwealth.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Racism, Alcohol, Classism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Drug use, Animal death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Mental illness, War, Death, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Car accident, and Cursing
Moderate: Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Blood, Colonisation, Miscarriage, and Kidnapping
aloy's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Gun violence, Grief, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Cultural appropriation, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Death of parent, Death, War, Racism, Kidnapping, Colonisation, Classism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Torture, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Bullying, Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Alcohol, Xenophobia, Violence, Pregnancy, Misogyny, and Miscarriage
peggyluwho's review
2.75
Graphic: Xenophobia, War, Gun violence, Violence, Medical trauma, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Car accident, Death of parent, and Death
Moderate: Cursing, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Pregnancy, Classism, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Vomit, Ableism, Alcohol, Animal death, and Colonisation
norwegianforestreader's review
4.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Gaslighting, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcoholism, Animal death, Animal cruelty, Gore, Blood, Body horror, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Hate crime, Kidnapping, Stalking, Alcohol, Classism, Bullying, Car accident, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Mental illness, Death of parent, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, and War
yarnarh's review
0.5
Felt sad for him that paparazzi were harassing him but my god is he delusional and out of touch.
Graphic: Classism, Alcoholism, Car accident, Child abuse, Death, Gun violence, Murder, War, Addiction, Alcohol, Death of parent, and Drug abuse