Scan barcode
dmswack3's review against another edition
4.5
I highly enjoyed the narration Prince Harry gave, and the story itself was fun to listen to. His ghost writers was phenomenal in my opinion. I'm very glad I listened to it instead of reading it, however, because I think I would have found myself bored by some of the longer chapters had it not been read to me.
Something else for readers to be weary of besides long chapters and perhaps boring text, should you choose to read this rather than listen- this story bares all... Like ALL. You will hear a LOT about the Prince's... Todger, as he calls it. Like a LOT. Where it's been, who's seen it, how it's been injured so uh. Fair warning there.
Beyond the todger, this book really doesn't pull punches. I saw shocked at points, angered at others, cried at some. But I also felt myself thinking: is it all true? God I hope not. It's that bad.
Give it a listen.
Graphic: Grief, Toxic relationship, Medical trauma, Suicide, Car accident, Infertility, Child death, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Violence, War, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Death, Miscarriage, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Alcohol, Death of parent, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Drug use, Hate crime, Addiction, Racial slurs, and Sexual harassment
bessadams's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Racism, Death of parent, War, Pregnancy, Miscarriage, and Grief
Moderate: Pandemic/Epidemic, Car accident, Drug use, Blood, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Mental illness, and Alcohol
emilylovesgoodbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs
Minor: Death, Suicide, Miscarriage, Animal death, and Suicidal thoughts
dogoodwithbooks's review against another edition
5.0
While this book deals with a lot of heavy topics, Prince Harry is brilliantly able to tell his side of the story for the first time ever.
Over the course of 15 hours and 40 minutes, Prince Harry’s memoir felt more like a long podcast than a book, which I thought was interesting. Don’t be put off by the total duration as the chapters are very short and you can breeze through them very quickly if you want to.
After hearing Prince Harry’s point of view, I think that the reasons behind things he did made a bit more sense. I’m not going to lie because I wasn’t a huge royal family observer prior to Spare, but I do think that this book brought more insight on who the royal family might actually be. Add that to the poignant and illustrative writing style going over Prince Harry’s life story, this is a book worth investing in and especially through an audiobook.
Graphic: War, Grief, Mental illness, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Suicidal thoughts, Drug use, and Suicide
Minor: Animal death
julesvision's review against another edition
4.25
Minor: Stalking, Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
cosmun's review against another edition
3.5
Moderate: Miscarriage, Suicide, Death, and Death of parent
fina44's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Drug use, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Miscarriage, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide
mythian's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Miscarriage, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Stalking, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Racism
Minor: Suicide
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: PTSDstardusstie's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Death, Miscarriage, and War
Moderate: Suicide, Stalking, Bullying, and Racism
Minor: Sexual assault