Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Spare by Prince Harry

85 reviews

rhiannonhoward's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny lighthearted reflective relaxing sad tense slow-paced

3.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Bullying, Car accident, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, Infidelity, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, and War

jewelleryjen's review against another edition

emotional funny reflective sad fast-paced

3.25

I don't have much of an interest in the Royal family and I would never have picked up this book if it hadn't been for a review on YouTube by Leena Norms. I saw headlines about Megan and Harry leaving the family and was interested in their side of it. 
This book was very interesting, it smacks of privilege (having a bad time?!- fly to Botswana and escape) but of course it does, the guy was a Prince and doesn't know anything else. There are parts where I can see he's trying to say he's normal, but it made me cringe as it seemed very inauthentic (I shop in TK maxx and dry my laundry on the radiators round my flat). If you can give him the benefit of the doubt on those things this book is hugely telling. It's mostly about death, the press and his search for belonging. The entire family are utterly dysfunctional and he doesn't shy away from talking about it. They are expected to do what they're told, or what is tradition, and never show emotions, not even to each other. 
This is an enjoyable book to read, the chapters are short and easy.
I missed out on some of it as I didn't know who he was talking about when referencing cousins etc and there were stories from papers that I'd never read or heard of, but it didn't stop me enjoying it.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, War, Racism, Hate crime, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, and Toxic relationship

greenek3's review against another edition

informative sad slow-paced

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Racism, and War

kcbatts's review

medium-paced

I cannot speak to the truth of the contents of this book (who can except those involved in the events?), but I did enjoy reading. I found the readability to be easy even when the contents discussed were not. While I can see it was tad bit long in places, if you have interest in Prince Harry and British royals, I think it's worth a read or listen. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Animal cruelty, Racism, War, Death of parent, and Toxic relationship

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Alcohol, Drug use, and Pregnancy

jeanettesreadingcorner's review

dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death of parent, Bullying, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Torture, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, War, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Pregnancy

abbyscarde's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective medium-paced

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Car accident, War, Toxic relationship, Suicide, Miscarriage, Alcoholism, Drug use, Death of parent, Stalking, Violence, and Addiction

chronicallyplotting's review against another edition

dark informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

The saying “An heir and a spare” is one that haunts Prince Harry. It is one that his father referred to him when he was born and one that has haunted him his entire life. Feeling as though he his existence is to always be a backup in the eyes of his family, a formality.
 
I did not expect to like this book as much as I did. I do not follow the royal family close, I am a person who is very thankful to not live under a monarchy and after reading this I am even more thankful not to live under one. 
It is sad how much Harry and William went through growing up with the death of their mother, and the lack of mental health help provided to them was shameful. Prince Harry spent his life tortured and haunted by the media. 
The only thing about the book that Prince Harry contradicted himself on was he hated people who wrote “tell alls “exposing things. And this book was a “tell all”. 
I hope Harry and Megan find peace away from the monarchy and press like the hope. 

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcohol, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Car accident, Racism, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Sexual content, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, Death, Medical content, Suicidal thoughts, and Drug use

jamie_rich's review against another edition

challenging emotional informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent and Grief

Moderate: Racism, Car accident, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Drug use, Gaslighting, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Gaslighting

danimcthomas's review against another edition

reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

Beautifully told and enlightening. I knew nothing about the royal family going in. I found the book very sad overall, but it feels hopeful, too. I’m sure it’s biased in some ways, but Harry seems to be very Frank and honest about his own failings as well as his family’s.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Suicide, Suicide attempt, War, Drug use, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Racism, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Death of parent, and Emotional abuse

mcarabooboo's review against another edition

emotional informative reflective sad slow-paced

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Violence, Alcohol, Sexism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Gun violence, Grief, Death of parent, Cursing, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Vomit, Suicide, Racism, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Death, Car accident, Animal death, Racial slurs, Gaslighting, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, and Miscarriage