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choufrise's review
3.75
Graphic: Classism, Death of parent, Grief, and Drug abuse
Minor: Car accident, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Colonisation, Racism, and Suicidal thoughts
issyd23's review against another edition
3.0
Other thoughts:
- I cannot believe I now know that Prince Harry is circumcised
- Find it hilarious that according to Haz Charles is in his ‘Camilla era’ - Taylor take note! ✍️
- On a serious note his hatred of the media (especially Murdoch) is palpable - I wonder if he’ll pursue them in court
- On a personal note I don’t love that Harry is convinced we (US + allies) were the ‘good guys’ in Afghanistan - and his refusal to think critically about the wider implications and complexities of the war/occupation.
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Blood, Bullying, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Incest, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Miscarriage, Pandemic/Epidemic, Stalking, Violence, War, Confinement, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Body horror, Car accident, Classism, Colonisation, and Grief
kelly_e's review against another edition
4.0
Author: Prince Harry
Genre: Memoir
Rating: 4.00
Pub Date: January 10, 2023
T H R E E • W O R D S
Revelatory • Intimate • Tragic
📖 S Y N O P S I S
It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on.
For Harry, Spare is that story at last. From his battles with loneliness and anger; to his struggles at school; to his time in the army; to meeting Meghan, their fairy-tale wedding, and being hounded by the press; to finally choosing to step away from the spotlight lest history repeat itself, Harry bares everything in his memoir.
💭 T H O U G H T S
When I first heard that Harry was going to be sharing his story, I wasn't sure if I would read it. I cannot call myself a royal follower, but of all the members of the Royal Family, I have always had a soft spot for Harry. I can relate to being the second-born and his struggles to find himself or his place in the world. Nonetheless, I placed a hold at the library for the audio knowing the wait would be lengthy and when it finally came through I decided I needed to see what everything was about for myself.
Presented in a chronological manner that works best, Spare offers an unprecedented inside look into royal life. With unflinching honesty, Harry holds nothing back detailing his intense loneliness and struggles in the wake of his mother's death. My heart went out to his younger self as he describes how everything was handled and how he chose to believe his mother was simply off on vacation somewhere for many years.
I never realized the extent of the role the media plays and how it sensationalizes a lot. I don't know how anyone can handle having every single thing you do, scrutinized by millions of people. It will come as no surprise that Harry speaks openly about his mental health struggles, which I highly commend him for. The rigorous standards of the monarchy at times even made him feel like a failure, which is just heartbreaking.
The memoir is quite long and there were definitely parts where it lulls throughout the middle. As with everyone's story there are always parts that are more and less interesting. For me, my interest was mostly in his life in the wake of his mother's death, his time in the army, and his and Meghan's life. I'll admit I was a tad disappointed that his life with Meghan comprises only a small part at the end, but I completely understand his reasoning in doing so - privacy has become an very important aspect of their lives and I respect that. At the end of the day, I am glad that they found each other and have created a beautiful life together.
If you're on the fence about Spare, I'd make the suggestion of reading it for yourself so you can form your own opinions. There is no denying he was born into a life of privilege, yet that doesn't mean he isn't entitled to his own feelings, thoughts and desires. The way he and his family have been treated in the wake of stepping down speaks volumes to the outdated conditions of the monarchy. I'd also highly recommend the audio as there's certainly power in the fact he narrates it himself.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• royal family devotees
• celebrity memoir lovers
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"No one had an answer for a boy actually seeking external pain to match his internal."
"Grief is a thing best shared."
"I'd traveled the world from top to bottom, literally. I'd hopscotched the continents. I'd met hundreds of thousands of people, I'd crossed paths with a ludicrously large cross-section of the planet's seven billion residents. For thirty-two years I'd watched a conveyor-belt of faces pass by and only a handful ever made me look twice. This woman stopped the conveyer belt."
"In this mixed-up world, this pain-filled life, we’d done it. we’d managed to find each other."
Graphic: Bullying, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, Car accident, Racial slurs, War, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, Abandonment, Suicide, Racism, Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, Animal death, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Drug use, Alcohol, Classism, Cursing, and Colonisation
⚠️ CW: PTSDbookbird's review
3.25
Fame is, often, just abuse in a glittery package. Hereditary fame even more so. Harry has survived an incredible amount.
He's also surprisingly naive, though. He talks about a trip to the North Pole like it was a lads weekend, and not something millions of people dream about doing. One line towards the end really rubbed me up the wrong way - he talks about security at his wedding being a necessity (valid), but cites one of the reasons for this as the press "stirring up racism and class resentment". I certainly don't mean to defend the abhorrent tabloid press here, because they absolutely contributed to (or even created) the racist vitriol aimed at Meghan, but class resentment? Really? In a country where 1 in 5 children live in poverty (even more are food insecure), but we still spend millions on a monarchy that are increasingly out of touch? I don't think that's resentment - I think that's justified anger.
Ultimately, it feels weird to rate this book, but I'm basing my rating purely on how much I actually enjoyed it. Much of it is incredibly interesting, much of it is baffling, but I'm ultimately glad I read it.
Lastly - and I'm saying this as someone who was born here and has only ever lived here - the UK is truly bonkers. What a weird, fucked up country.
Graphic: Pregnancy, Abandonment, Child death, Classism, Colonisation, Death, Death of parent, Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Racism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and War
alanabenjamin's review
2.75
The choices in content and narrative structure are baffling at best.
However, the last 1/3 is better than the first 2/3. That's its saving grace.
So many of his family members caught strays - more of a gossipy tell-all than a constructive interrogation of the Royal family.
Graphic: Grief, War, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Mental illness, Death, and Colonisation
Moderate: Miscarriage, Antisemitism, and Violence
orpiment's review
3.0
Graphic: Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Miscarriage, Emotional abuse, Drug use, Colonisation, Death of parent, War, Stalking, Pregnancy, Panic attacks/disorders, and Car accident
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
3.75
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Pregnancy, War, Colonisation, Miscarriage, Racism, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, and Grief
vaguely_pink's review against another edition
2.5
And not too much about the monarchy or whatever. But perhaps too much about the war. And his frostbitten penis.
I suppose I can sympathize with having a hard time editing out bits of your life when composing a memoir, especially when that life has been lived so publicly and with such scrutiny over events that were inaccurately reported. And when you've endured so much trauma. But this book was entirely too long and often felt disjointed. I often tuned out during the middle section of the book where he goes on for eons about how much he loved the war.
Which is a shame because he has some very poignant and important things to say about how we treat those in the public eye. You just have to endure many stories about flying helicopters and camping in Botswana that you might not be interested in and paragraphs of the former Prince of Wales reminding you of all the "great work" he's done.
At the end of the day, if you're at all intrigued by the inner workings of the British monarchy and Harry specifically, Spare is probably worth a read. Just be aware that it definitely needed a more discerning editor.
Graphic: Classism, Grief, Gun violence, and War
Moderate: Death of parent, Stalking, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, Cursing, Drug use, Medical content, and Racism
Minor: Colonisation, Miscarriage, Vomit, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Injury/Injury detail, Islamophobia, Pregnancy, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
5.0
This is a very heavy book and I cried many times listening to his recount of very painful topics: his mother’s death, 9/11, self medicating with drugs and alcohol, going to war, racism against his wife and children, threats against their lives, the loss of an unborn child, the toxicity of his family, the death of the Queen, and the paparazzi who refuse(d) to let them live their lives.
This was a highly enjoyable and deeply moving memoir, even for an anti-monarchist living in the colonized commonwealth.
Graphic: Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Racism, Alcohol, Classism, Gun violence, Hate crime, Drug use, Animal death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Mental illness, War, Death, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Bullying, Car accident, and Cursing
Moderate: Antisemitism, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Misogyny, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Abandonment, Blood, Colonisation, Miscarriage, and Kidnapping
lisasilv's review
4.0
Graphic: Grief and Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Car accident, Gaslighting, Mental illness, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, War, Suicide attempt, and Colonisation