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benita 's review for:
The Woman in Me
by Britney Spears
It's been a while since this book was released and I'm glad I'm reading it after the hype has diminished. I'll admit I had never been a Britney fan. I didn't listen to her music or pay much attention to her until all the news about the conservatorship. I hate that for her and I feel for her but I'm coming at this book not as a fan, but as an observer and a curious person.
It's interesting to hear from Britney on her life story vs what everyone else wants to say about her, but I didn't love this. It's badly written, even with a ghostwriter. Britney didn't deserve what happened to her and her family completely failed her, but this book isn't great.
It reads like journal entries of an immature teenager, which makes sense considering Britney was never given the chance to grow up or even have a typical childhood. She comes across as an emotionally stunted, naive woman who never had a chance to be a person.
The first third is particularly troubling. She can't look back on her early years with an adult lens and it's clear she's envious of Jamie Lynn being spoiled by her mother and being the "favorite." She also fixates on popularity and being "cool" when she talks about her tween and teen years, which is really immature. I was horrified to learn her mother took her out for alcoholic drinks when she was 12-13 and she sipped white Russians in the car. What?! This is all weirdly glossed over without any analysis or insight. She obviously has horrible parents and her family did not do anything in her best interests. The poor girl was destined to fail at life.
"It was just innocent fun," she writes of her drunken Vegas marriage to a high school friend she went on a weekend bender with. She can't seem to understand, even years later, that she was out of control and needed help. Just like she matter-of-factly mentions the child custody battle and briefly mentions the head shaving incident and clear mental breaks. She doesn't fully acknowledge them, in my opinion.
The conservatorship section was probably the most interesting but even then, I wish she provided more information.
I guess I was expecting more depth and introspection. She doesn't really acknowledge her mistakes or drug/alcohol abuse, and mental health issues. I was really hoping she would address that.