Reviews tagging 'Fatphobia'

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

1705 reviews

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I almost had to DNF this book due to the descriptions of her eating disorder. A rough read. 


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Simply put, a great book. I usually don't care for memoirs (mainly because I don't care about famous people, especially celebrities) but this one was very thoughtful. I pretty much never watched the author's shows, so I didn't know much about her, but while reading I felt deeply for her. I hope she can be happy and that she goes on to do great things (even if it's 'just' being happy). Rather than being glad her mom died, I'm glad she seems recovered (or to be recovering, as it can be a lifelong process). Either way, her mom dying (both literally and, more importantly, metaphorically, as her presence was still within the author) definitely was what she needed  — even as heartless as it may sound.

My one critique: I would have loved to get more 'guidance' on i.e. what age she was when a chapter started, because I found myself sometimes lost at the beginning of some of them because of the time jump.

All in all, the author's writing style is enjoyable and realistic, showing both the vulnerable and the funny, balancing the cynical and apathetic with the emotional and caring.
That scene in the end when she recalls the time when she was purging without having checked that the rest of the stalls were empty beforehand, only for a kid to ask for her autograph as she's vomiting was, in all its unrelatability, completely relatable.
If you can tolerate the trigger warnings, I would definitely recommend.

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Wow, what a story!

Before this, I didn’t really know much about Jennette McCurdy. She was one of those people I had seen on TV or online but never really knew who she was or what she was famous for. iCarly was way past my Nickelodeon-watching days, but I’m so glad I picked up this book (or rather, listened to it).

This memoir was raw, emotional, and at times, shocking. I was blown away by how brave she was to put all of this out there—to share her experiences as a child actor, the toxic treatment she endured from her family, and the lasting struggles with mental health that resulted.

The abuse she suffered at the hands of her mother was rage-inducing. My heart ached for that little girl who didn’t know anything different, who thought that the way she was treated was normal. It’s heartbreaking to think of how her childhood was completely stolen by a narcissistic mother who was so obsessed with living vicariously through her daughter that she didn’t stop to care about her. I know some will say that her mother loved her deep down, but I truly believe that narcissists like that are incapable of loving anyone other than themselves—and that is just as tragic for Jennette and her siblings.

Books like this are so important. They help people who have experienced similar things realize that what they went through isn’t normal, that help is out there, and that they can find people who truly care about them. This book was heartbreaking, eye-opening, and deeply impactful.

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