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A review by sarahannereadsbooks
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
What a refreshingly honest book. This is probably one of the best memoirs I have ever read. No punches were held. The writing is fantastic and considering a lot of the shocking content that is revealed the book remains witty and hopeful for the future.
Jennette talks about the abuse she suffered and how she became the main bread winner for the whole family, when she is coerced by her mother to become a child actress. As a result of this she is also encouraged by her own mother to develop an eating disorder to help her look smaller, so she can look like a child for as long as possible. And that is not even the half of the ordeals her mother puts her through.
Jennette loves her mother and does everything she can to make her mother happy, to the point that she does not allow herself to be happy and live the life she wants for herself.
I never felt like Jennette was looking for sympathy when reading this book. This is a book about overcoming the abuse she suffered from her mother and coming out the other side and finally being able to live the life she wants without any interference or judgement. I think she is so brave to have written this. We tend to put our mothers on a pedestal, even though they are only human and make mistakes like the rest of us. She makes no excuses for her mother and I found it refreshing.
Some issues at Nickelodeon are also discussed, but they are by no means the main focus of the book.
This is an emotional read, but truly worth it. I would highly recommend the audiobook which is narrated by the author.
Jennette talks about the abuse she suffered and how she became the main bread winner for the whole family, when she is coerced by her mother to become a child actress. As a result of this she is also encouraged by her own mother to develop an eating disorder to help her look smaller, so she can look like a child for as long as possible. And that is not even the half of the ordeals her mother puts her through.
Jennette loves her mother and does everything she can to make her mother happy, to the point that she does not allow herself to be happy and live the life she wants for herself.
I never felt like Jennette was looking for sympathy when reading this book. This is a book about overcoming the abuse she suffered from her mother and coming out the other side and finally being able to live the life she wants without any interference or judgement. I think she is so brave to have written this. We tend to put our mothers on a pedestal, even though they are only human and make mistakes like the rest of us. She makes no excuses for her mother and I found it refreshing.
Some issues at Nickelodeon are also discussed, but they are by no means the main focus of the book.
This is an emotional read, but truly worth it. I would highly recommend the audiobook which is narrated by the author.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Death of parent
Moderate: Body shaming, Cancer