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mhague's review
2.0
Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Racism, Miscarriage, Gun violence, Animal death, War, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Car accident, and Bullying
katharina90's review against another edition
2.5
The memoir is at its strongest whenever Harry provides glimpses into his emotional/mental state and his attempts at growth and healing.
Although he doesn't dive deep, you get a good sense of the family dysfunction and Harry's toxic relationship with his father and brother. Even at surface level a lot of it is heartbreaking and I often found it pretty triggering of my own trauma.
As one would expect, there's very little criticism of British colonialism and racism and the monarchy's role in all of it. In fact, Harry decidedly refuses to take a stand and instead goes on and on about his love for Africa in a very white savior-y manner. There's also no critical analysis of the wars he willingly participated in, and no real acknowledgement of the huge amounts of privilege Harry has access to.
Yes, I get it. He's heavily indoctrinated and has a lot to unpack.
But also, the train is moving and Harry is late to the station.
Moderate: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Racism, Animal death, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Sexism, Bullying, Miscarriage, Toxic relationship, War, Death of parent, and Colonisation
Minor: Ableism and Cultural appropriation
sydapel's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, and War
Moderate: Racism, Mental illness, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, and Miscarriage
Minor: Self harm, Cultural appropriation, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
amelianotthepilot's review against another edition
1.0
The audiobook is also unnecessarily 15.5 hours long but honestly all due to the fact that this man reads at a snails pace with a breath in between every other word.
It’s a psychiatrists playground with not only generational trauma but also family trauma but also war PTSD but also stalker trauma but also maternal death trauma topped off with royal trauma. Truly a wild time. I’m sorry to this man.
Graphic: Misogyny, Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, War, Cultural appropriation, Abandonment, Car accident, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Drug use, Grief, Kidnapping, Bullying, Death, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, and Toxic relationship
emaurer21's review
3.5
Moderate: War, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Miscarriage
rhinaissance's review
3.5
My thoughts:
- too long. Could have been 25% shorter, and my recommended edits are removing the numerous mentions of his penis.
- Harry is an angry, angry boy. I say "boy" because I got a large, encompassing whiff of emotional immaturity throughout his life stories. And don't get me wrong, he has every right to be angry. He made it clear.
- I was not interested in hearing about Afghanistan whatsoever. When he went back I groaned audibly and maybe even skipped a chapter. It felt that it went on for ions.
- my respect for Meghan increased despite me already being a fan. She is a patient woman having to support Harry in figuring out how to be a functioning adult with boundaries.
- the monarchy is fucked, and he is still indoctrinated despite his not believing so.
Graphic: Car accident, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Colonisation, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Death of parent, Classism, Death, Cultural appropriation, Miscarriage, and Pregnancy
the_true_monroe's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Stalking, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, War, Animal death, Bullying, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Animal cruelty, Car accident, Gaslighting, Drug use, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Grief, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Medical content, Suicide, Sexism, and Classism
Minor: Classism, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, Excrement, Physical abuse, Miscarriage, Slavery, Colonisation, and Cultural appropriation
venetiana's review against another edition
3.75
It's in three parts: roughly, those are 1. Harry's childhood, 2. his time in the army, 3. his time with Meghan.
The childhood/yourh part is of course emotional and sad, but also interesting. The army part absolutely made me cringe, the way he talks about war and killing people etc. (also slightly racist, though I guess trying not to be). The third part was shocking in terms of the violent and racist press, the aggressions within the family/firm etc., but of course also romantic and hopeful. Harry reading the book himself certainly adds to that, and makes it much more personal.
Given how the author has spent his whole life "inside", certain views didn't surprise me, though I was kind of disappointed that he hadn't yet found the time to "adjust" them to a world less enabled by privilege. But I definitely respect how he shared all his traumata (and stories), and how he's working on them. I respect that Meghan and him left, it's a big step, and I think it was important to share and explain what led there.
That being said, one small thing, I felt the book ended quite abruptly.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Car accident, Stalking, Racism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Ableism, Gun violence, Slavery, Islamophobia, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship, Violence, Alcohol, Bullying, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Body shaming, Addiction, Grief, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Abandonment, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Mental illness, War, and Xenophobia
The way Harry writes about travelling to Africa isn't always done well, there are sort of mildly racist bits (also, a bit white saviour-y and tourist-y). There are islamophobic/racist bits in the army part (quite violent at times). It's within the frame of the "duty" of war etc., but still.kaitlinmarks's review
5.0
Graphic: Drug abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Miscarriage, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Death, Cultural appropriation, Animal death, and Drug use
mads_reads_books's review against another edition
Graphic: Gun violence, Classism, Colonisation, War, Death of parent, Death, Stalking, Pregnancy, Antisemitism, Murder, Grief, Car accident, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Slavery, Self harm, Racism, Ableism, Racial slurs, and Toxic friendship
Minor: War, Car accident, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Panic attacks/disorders, Miscarriage, Violence, Addiction, Genocide, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, Colonisation, Islamophobia, Gaslighting, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Drug use, Classism, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Domestic abuse, Antisemitism, Infertility, Vomit, Xenophobia, Incest, Toxic relationship, and Religious bigotry