A review by brookeasmith17
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

challenging dark emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

Jennette McCurdy’s memoir “I’m Glad My Mom Died” is a powerful reflection on childhood trauma, eating disorders, and the entertainment industry.

McCurdy retells her story with such an openness and vulnerability that really lends itself to the overall book and audience, making it a book that’s very engaging and hard to put down. She doesn’t shy away from the negative details of her situation and all she’s been through. She lays her entire story out with grace, outlining the role her mother, the entertainment industry, herself and others played in her trauma and battle with eating disorders.

There’s also something to be said about the way McCurdy speaks about her own mistakes and patterns of learned behaviour that is inspiring, and incredibly mature and well thought. It makes the book feel like a step in healing which adds to its rawness, and comments on McCurdy’s bravery in healing and choosing to share her story.

She writes in a way that, at times, feels detached, highlighting the normality of abuse in her life, but it’s also so self-aware. The humour she is able to weave into her story creates much needed balance to such heavy history.

The audiobook, narrated by Jennette herself, is a compelling form to read this book in as it showcases her tone and her voice in this story. It can be difficult to listen to at times, as she speaks about her abuse and complicated feelings towards her abuser, but her voice adds to the experience of the book and the story, and I highly recommend the audiobook if you’re thinking about picking up this memoir.

Do check the trigger warnings for this book as it details, in an very raw way, eating disorders and recovery, as well as emotional and sexual abuse. 

Overall, Jennette McCurdy’s memoir is an incredibly engaging read that will shock many, validate others, and remind us all that what someone presents to the world isn’t always reflecting what’s happening behind closed doors. 
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