Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

Spare by Prince Harry

13 reviews

bookcheshirecat's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

3.0

 “The Heir and the Spare—there was no judgment about it, but also no ambiguity. I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy. I was summoned to provide backup, distraction, diversion and, if necessary, a spare part. Kidney, perhaps. Blood transfusion. Speck of bone marrow. This was all made explicitly clear to me from the start of life’s journey and regularly reinforced thereafter.”

➽ I don't follow the royal family at all, but I was intrigued by Prince Harry's memoir! It was interesting to learn more about his childhood, the grief over losing his mother and the role the media has played his entire life. These parts appealed the most to me, as the vicious nature of the paparazzi and the twisting of the truth by the media sound horrifying. I can't imagine being treated like an object for media attention instead of a person. Harry talks a lot about the practices of the magazines that have also turned against him and his wife, viciously ripping them apart for not fitting into the mould.

➽ In the end, the memoir wasn't anything too impactful. The writing was basic and though I appreciated that Harry narrated his own memoir, his narration style was pretty flat. I also wasn't a big fan of the big focus on Harry's military service. In general, I'm not interested in military propaganda, so seeing Harry talk about his pride about killing others didn't feel right - especially with the Islamophobic undertones! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Racism, War, Death, Sexism, Stalking, and Violence

Minor: Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Gore, Islamophobia, and Torture

cheuksin's review against another edition

dark emotional funny informative sad tense slow-paced

3.75

This book is essentially trauma dumping for 400 pages. I never thought I’d feel sympathy for a royal yet here I am. 

The tunnel is called Pont de l'Alma, I told him.
Yes, yes. He knew it.
I want to go through it.
You want to go through the tunnel?
At sixty-five miles per hour - to be precise.
Sixty-five?
Yes.
The exact speed Mummy's car had supposedly been driving 

Wow. The ghostwriter really worked some magic. At some times it does feel like someone tried to stretch an sentence into and essay. Harry mentions his mother in pretty much every paragraph. Oversharing is a understatement. 

Honestly, anyone who could hate Harry and Megan after reading this book is a heartless bastard. My neutral opinion of Will and Kate has also depreciated.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Gun violence, Racism, Sexual assault, Stalking, and War

Moderate: Xenophobia, Drug use, Car accident, Cursing, Death, Gaslighting, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

Minor: Infertility, Trafficking, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Rape, and Suicide

gracewiley's review against another edition

dark emotional informative reflective sad medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Death of parent, Stalking, War, Animal death, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Racism

Moderate: Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal death, Blood, Car accident, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Racial slurs

Minor: Colonisation, Kidnapping, Miscarriage, Addiction, Classism, Pregnancy, and Torture