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A review by readfrenzy
Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family by Omid Scobie, Carolyn Durand
2.0
2.5 stars
My opinion, in short: excellent fact checking, mediocre writing. I’m a firm Sussex supporter. The charitable endeavors by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, their obvious love for each other, and their warm demeanor quickly made me a fan. Even I have to admit, though, that the writing in this book is saccharine. Nobody is as perfect as Meghan is depicted.
Where the book shines is in debunking many of the salacious headlines and asinine accusations hurled at Meghan. Where it falls short is in getting to the heart of the emotional powder keg that became so toxic that Harry and Meghan felt they had no other choice but to step away. There isn’t enough emphasis on the reasons behind their urgency to leave. The book sugarcoats the incessant vilification of Meghan in the press, particularly when she was pregnant. But exactly why wasn’t she supported publicly by the family? Did they support her privately at all? I’m also curious about how Meghan’s many successful initiatives were received by The Firm? (The book omits two of her record-breaking projects that she launched while pregnant and on maternity leave: guest editing of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue — which was also criticized in the press — and creating a fashion capsule collection for the charity SmartWorks.)
The sequence of events tends to jump around, giving the book a disjointed feeling sometimes. As much as I love one of the authors for his straightforward and balanced reporting, this reads more like a gushing amateur piece of writing than a professionally published biography.
My opinion, in short: excellent fact checking, mediocre writing. I’m a firm Sussex supporter. The charitable endeavors by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, their obvious love for each other, and their warm demeanor quickly made me a fan. Even I have to admit, though, that the writing in this book is saccharine. Nobody is as perfect as Meghan is depicted.
Where the book shines is in debunking many of the salacious headlines and asinine accusations hurled at Meghan. Where it falls short is in getting to the heart of the emotional powder keg that became so toxic that Harry and Meghan felt they had no other choice but to step away. There isn’t enough emphasis on the reasons behind their urgency to leave. The book sugarcoats the incessant vilification of Meghan in the press, particularly when she was pregnant. But exactly why wasn’t she supported publicly by the family? Did they support her privately at all? I’m also curious about how Meghan’s many successful initiatives were received by The Firm? (The book omits two of her record-breaking projects that she launched while pregnant and on maternity leave: guest editing of the September 2019 issue of British Vogue — which was also criticized in the press — and creating a fashion capsule collection for the charity SmartWorks.)
The sequence of events tends to jump around, giving the book a disjointed feeling sometimes. As much as I love one of the authors for his straightforward and balanced reporting, this reads more like a gushing amateur piece of writing than a professionally published biography.