Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - Spare

The story was interesting to me and it held my attention a lot more than I thought. I can’t really find anything I didn’t like about it that stood out other than I think it could've used a bit more editing.

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hannahcstocks's review against another edition

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emotional informative reflective medium-paced

3.75

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ashbooks5's review

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emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

4.5

First let me say: I think Prince Harry is extremely brave for having this published especially with the way the press have eviscerated both he and Meghan in the last couple years. In this book, he lays all of his cards on the table and finally allows the world a chance to see the story from his perspective. Within these pages, Harry recounts his life from the day of his mother, Princess Diana's, death to literally only a couple months ago when he is informed that his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, has died.

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.

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