A review by thewordsdevourer
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
3.5
to preface, it's always weird to rate memoir and autobiographies bc of how personal they are - esp one as disheartening as this one - so in no way is my rating a reflection of "enjoyment" of britney's story, but rather for the book overall.
brilliantly read by michelle williams, the woman in me reveals the story of a woman whose voice as a human is rarely heard, whose fame has always eclipsed her humanity as perceived by the world. here, britney tells the story of her childhood and family, path to worldwide fame, artistry amid immense personal struggles in the public eye, and subsequent abusive conservatorship at the hands of her own family.
imo some of the chapters are too short, this making the book's pace uneven, and some things are too vague, but i rly appreciate hearing britney's own POV on many things that have simply been assumed or spoken for her by others. it's disheartening but most of the memoir is sad and - in the last half or so - even enraging, not only for how her family fails her, but also the legal system and the larger sexist, misogynist world as a whole. britney's strength and tenacity are admirable and im happy that she's at least a free woman now.
brilliantly read by michelle williams, the woman in me reveals the story of a woman whose voice as a human is rarely heard, whose fame has always eclipsed her humanity as perceived by the world. here, britney tells the story of her childhood and family, path to worldwide fame, artistry amid immense personal struggles in the public eye, and subsequent abusive conservatorship at the hands of her own family.
imo some of the chapters are too short, this making the book's pace uneven, and some things are too vague, but i rly appreciate hearing britney's own POV on many things that have simply been assumed or spoken for her by others. it's disheartening but most of the memoir is sad and - in the last half or so - even enraging, not only for how her family fails her, but also the legal system and the larger sexist, misogynist world as a whole. britney's strength and tenacity are admirable and im happy that she's at least a free woman now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Mental illness, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Forced institutionalization, Misogyny, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Stalking, and Body shaming
Minor: Miscarriage and Sexual content