A Different Kind of Power by Jacinda Ardern

4.48 AVERAGE

cyrinne's profile picture

cyrinne's review against another edition

5.0
funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

rerine's review

5.0
emotional hopeful informative inspiring sad medium-paced
Superb.
ritchelle's profile picture

ritchelle's review

4.5
informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

cbandj's review against another edition

5.0
informative inspiring medium-paced

tesrob's review against another edition

3.5
Too much toeing the party line, not enough tea spilled, too much seemingly manufactured journey to policy 
wonderwomannz's profile picture

wonderwomannz's review against another edition

4.0
I don’t usually go for autobiographies, and I’m still not sure exactly what made me pick this one up. I’ve never followed politics closely, but something about Jacinda Ardern always stood out to me. During her time as New Zealand’s Prime Minister, she appeared often in the media, but unlike many politicians, she came across as calm, kind, and genuinely thoughtful. Her responses in press conferences were composed and considered, no matter how chaotic the moment.

That’s probably what made me curious to hear her story.
Going in, I didn’t know much about her beyond the fact that she came from a rural background. What I discovered was a refreshingly honest take on political leadership, not as a glamorous calling, but as a job, done by real people with real doubts and imperfections. That groundedness made her story feel surprisingly relatable.

She recounts some of the major events that defined her time in office, some of them incredibly difficult, and gives just enough background to help you see the pressure and complexity behind those public moments. I also appreciated the parts where she reflected on motherhood and hearing about it.  You could hear the joy in her voice as she told these stories.

One of my favorite things was that Jacinda narrated the audiobook herself. It gave the whole experience a personal, intimate feel, almost like she was sitting across from me, telling her story one-on-one.

I came for the curiosity. I stayed for the insight, the humility, and the surprising warmth. This isn’t just a memoir for political junkies, it’s a story for anyone interested in leadership, empathy, and doing difficult things with integrity. 

chloe341's review against another edition

4.0
hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

mr01's review

5.0
emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

emily_barter's review

5.0
challenging informative inspiring medium-paced

raspberrycordial's review against another edition

3.75
emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced