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A review by lilias
The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
reflective
sad
fast-paced
4.5
We learn a lot about Britney in this book, and I think that’s what she wanted with its publication; that, after decades of being portrayed by others since she was a kid, she is finally free and able to say: this is ME.
And some might be surprised by the Britney Spears whose voice is quite obviously present in this book (cheers to the ghostwriters for backing off so much!) I am just a few months younger than Britney, and I vividly remember first seeing the Rolling Stone cover that came out with the release of …Baby One More Time. And I was skeptical, not of her talent but of the male gaze I thought she was pandering to. Britney Spears was everywhere in the late 90s and early 2000s, and her omnipresence and her clear and bold image always made me feel like she had full control over her life and career. But, again, my impression was directly influenced by the media portrayal and her stage persona.
The Britney Spears who wrote this book is a sweetheart. She has been through hell and back quite a few times, and has never really been able to communicate with the public without the shield of her Pop Princess persona or without the misrepresentation by the media until now. And the result is something my 16 year old self would probably not have guessed: I cried. The last few pages of this book broke my heart because tragedy kept coming even after the conservatorship was ended. I was tempted to give this book five stars, and maybe I will eventually, but as much as I appreciated how stripped down this memoir was, I wish there had been a little more from Britney because I felt some restraint.
And some might be surprised by the Britney Spears whose voice is quite obviously present in this book (cheers to the ghostwriters for backing off so much!) I am just a few months younger than Britney, and I vividly remember first seeing the Rolling Stone cover that came out with the release of …Baby One More Time. And I was skeptical, not of her talent but of the male gaze I thought she was pandering to. Britney Spears was everywhere in the late 90s and early 2000s, and her omnipresence and her clear and bold image always made me feel like she had full control over her life and career. But, again, my impression was directly influenced by the media portrayal and her stage persona.
The Britney Spears who wrote this book is a sweetheart. She has been through hell and back quite a few times, and has never really been able to communicate with the public without the shield of her Pop Princess persona or without the misrepresentation by the media until now. And the result is something my 16 year old self would probably not have guessed: I cried. The last few pages of this book broke my heart because tragedy kept coming even after the conservatorship was ended. I was tempted to give this book five stars, and maybe I will eventually, but as much as I appreciated how stripped down this memoir was, I wish there had been a little more from Britney because I felt some restraint.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Grief, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol, and Pandemic/Epidemic