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369 reviews for:
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family
Omid Scobie, Carolyn Durand
3.25 AVERAGE
369 reviews for:
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family
Omid Scobie, Carolyn Durand
3.25 AVERAGE
I've always liked Harry and Meghan and this book just sealed that adoration for me. I liked that this book was written in their favour and wasn't set out to slander them any further. While I tried to remember that this wasn't written BY them, the facts/thoughts felt genuine and it gave me new appreciation and understanding for all that this couple has truly been through, and I don't care what you think, no one deserves to be treated like they have been.
I’m going to be honest and tell you that I read the first two chapters and the last two chapters because I just couldn’t stand to listen to more of Meghans, I’m sorry, Omid’s whining about how perfect Meghan is and how much she gave up because she just lurved Harry so much and how sad Harry is just all the time except when he’s with Meghan.
If you want a more fact based opposite viewpoint book I suggest you read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs as told by the Big Bad Wolf.
If you want a more fact based opposite viewpoint book I suggest you read The True Story of the Three Little Pigs as told by the Big Bad Wolf.
I picked this up thinking it would be a fun look into the Royal couple that seemed to capture everyone’s attention...I felt bad for how hounded they were from day one by the media and it tugged my heartstrings to hear Harry point out the parallels between what Meghan was going through and what his mother, Princess Diana, went through. I thought this book would make for an interesting read...
However....
This book is rampant with grammatical errors, weird sentence structures, and words randomly added or missing from sentences.
The amount of name dropping paragraph after paragraph made many parts hard to follow and, personally, I didn’t feel it all added to the narrative/timeline.
And seriously...how do the authors and editors miss the incorrect death date of Princess Diana?!?
However....
This book is rampant with grammatical errors, weird sentence structures, and words randomly added or missing from sentences.
The amount of name dropping paragraph after paragraph made many parts hard to follow and, personally, I didn’t feel it all added to the narrative/timeline.
And seriously...how do the authors and editors miss the incorrect death date of Princess Diana?!?
A fascinating audio book as I am someone who really doesn’t know much about the Royals. It is clearly biased in the favor of Harry and Meghan but I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing since the paparazzi and media clearly have a bias against them. It’s nice to hear another perspective.
emotional
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
dark
informative
tense
medium-paced
I’ve been fascinated by the Royal family for years. So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that I wanted to read Finding Freedom to get more of the details around their decision to no longer be working Royals. I mostly listened to the audio book with the occasional chapters read from the physical book.
It was an interesting take although it definitely only covers one perspective. I’ll be reading Battle of Brothers next so it will be interesting to see how the different accounts compare.
It was an interesting take although it definitely only covers one perspective. I’ll be reading Battle of Brothers next so it will be interesting to see how the different accounts compare.
Interesting but sources seemed like they were mostly in the Megan/Harry circle so I would’ve liked more of a behind the scenes look at the royals when Harry and Megan broke away, etc.
So, having finished the book here are some of my thoughts.
They have filed lawsuits against 3 British tabloids for invasion of privacy. I don’t understand why the newspapers aren’t allowed to print these stories (which are pretty much all in the book and most of them are now verified to be true) but they are allowed to be in the book?
Meghan admits courting the press, she used to give paparazzi tip offs about where she would be before she was with Harry. She sent coded messages and cryptic clues using her Instagram and fashion choices before the palace told her to reign it in. They quite rightly told her, you can’t behave like this one minute and then demand privacy the next.
They have admitted to reading the comments section about themselves on the daily mail website - everyone knows not to read that, of course it will upset you! I would like to think that the royal family are above that nonsense.
The American words and spellings in the book are very frustrating and words in quotation marks are incorrect - Prince Charles would not have talked about changing Harry’s “diapers”, they were not keen to watch a “soccer” game, we do not have a Mayhew Animal “center” or OXSRAD disability “center”, Prince Harry did not say that Archie had “gotten big”.
It might not bother some people but I found it very annoying. Especially when quoting members of the royal family, I don’t think American spellings should have been used as that is not accurate.
There is a strong sense that Harry and Meghan feel that they have done absolutely no wrong, they come across as very self important and will shut down any reports of anything other than positive.
I do not believe the book’s version of events about what happened with Meghan’s dad at the beginning of their relationship and in the run up to the wedding.
Apparently they became frustrated with the “large, slow-moving machine that was the institution of the monarchy” they have years of experience, they know what they’re doing and they think before they speak. I’m sorry Meghan that as an ‘independent American woman’ this did not suit you - that’s just the way the monarchy works I’m afraid.
I have no doubt that the constant scrutiny and interest in their lives is very difficult to deal with, however I don’t have sympathy with a privileged man that was born into an institution has no doubt enjoyed the many benefits this has given him.
If the way that Meghan was ‘treated’ is true then I do feel a little bit sorry for her. However, I feel that lessons were learnt from the royal brides of the previous generation and a huge effort has been made to ensure mistakes of the past aren’t repeated.
I’m sure that she would have been warned what she was letting herself in for (I just don’t believe that she had no idea and no support) it has been widely reported about all the support that Katherine received before marrying William and I don’t see Meghan being treated any differently by the Royal Household in regards to preparation for her new life.
I hope they find happiness within their new roles. but I don’t think anyone has come out of the release of this book looking good.
There is no way on earth that this book has been written without co-operation from Harry and Meghan. I would also be concerned about the ‘hundreds’ of sources that have spoken to the book’s authors. There are just far too many intimate details in this book for them to have not been involved.
They have filed lawsuits against 3 British tabloids for invasion of privacy. I don’t understand why the newspapers aren’t allowed to print these stories (which are pretty much all in the book and most of them are now verified to be true) but they are allowed to be in the book?
Meghan admits courting the press, she used to give paparazzi tip offs about where she would be before she was with Harry. She sent coded messages and cryptic clues using her Instagram and fashion choices before the palace told her to reign it in. They quite rightly told her, you can’t behave like this one minute and then demand privacy the next.
They have admitted to reading the comments section about themselves on the daily mail website - everyone knows not to read that, of course it will upset you! I would like to think that the royal family are above that nonsense.
The American words and spellings in the book are very frustrating and words in quotation marks are incorrect - Prince Charles would not have talked about changing Harry’s “diapers”, they were not keen to watch a “soccer” game, we do not have a Mayhew Animal “center” or OXSRAD disability “center”, Prince Harry did not say that Archie had “gotten big”.
It might not bother some people but I found it very annoying. Especially when quoting members of the royal family, I don’t think American spellings should have been used as that is not accurate.
There is a strong sense that Harry and Meghan feel that they have done absolutely no wrong, they come across as very self important and will shut down any reports of anything other than positive.
I do not believe the book’s version of events about what happened with Meghan’s dad at the beginning of their relationship and in the run up to the wedding.
Apparently they became frustrated with the “large, slow-moving machine that was the institution of the monarchy” they have years of experience, they know what they’re doing and they think before they speak. I’m sorry Meghan that as an ‘independent American woman’ this did not suit you - that’s just the way the monarchy works I’m afraid.
I have no doubt that the constant scrutiny and interest in their lives is very difficult to deal with, however I don’t have sympathy with a privileged man that was born into an institution has no doubt enjoyed the many benefits this has given him.
If the way that Meghan was ‘treated’ is true then I do feel a little bit sorry for her. However, I feel that lessons were learnt from the royal brides of the previous generation and a huge effort has been made to ensure mistakes of the past aren’t repeated.
I’m sure that she would have been warned what she was letting herself in for (I just don’t believe that she had no idea and no support) it has been widely reported about all the support that Katherine received before marrying William and I don’t see Meghan being treated any differently by the Royal Household in regards to preparation for her new life.
I hope they find happiness within their new roles. but I don’t think anyone has come out of the release of this book looking good.
There is no way on earth that this book has been written without co-operation from Harry and Meghan. I would also be concerned about the ‘hundreds’ of sources that have spoken to the book’s authors. There are just far too many intimate details in this book for them to have not been involved.
Not being a royal watcher, I have no idea how much of this is fact or fiction, nor do I care. My rating is as always, a reflection of my reading enjoyment.