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A review by katymul
Spare by Prince Harry
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
This book is achingly honest. That word feels inadequate to the vibe, but it is the most contested aspect of the book by those determined to disapprove of its having been written, so it seemed the best place to start.
Prince Harry's voice is raw and vulnerable, unveiling his deepest pains, many shameful moments of misbehavior, the daily experience of violence, how it feels to carry trauma, and also the first stirrings of true and lasting love with shocking power. The way that Harry accepts so many horrifying norms of life in the royal family is perhaps the most moving part of the book, and the decades it takes for him to unpack them (and not all of them, truthfully) is a compelling arc that ties together a wide-ranging life story. The "potshots" at his family that many have cited come out of a fundamental mismatch in how he and his family treat their relationship -- Harry longing for love and loyalty over a cold respectfulness that leaves him feeling alone.
There is much here even for those who do not care for the British monarchy, with honest assessments of trauma and how it feels to be on the inside of a particularly bad version of celebrity culture. It is also about seeing patterns in your own life and realizing that they are not as mandatory as everyone around you insists.
The fact that this tender, honest, loving unveiling of his life and heart is also a middle finger to the tabloids that hounded him his entire life just makes the book a more fascinating read.
Prince Harry's voice is raw and vulnerable, unveiling his deepest pains, many shameful moments of misbehavior, the daily experience of violence, how it feels to carry trauma, and also the first stirrings of true and lasting love with shocking power. The way that Harry accepts so many horrifying norms of life in the royal family is perhaps the most moving part of the book, and the decades it takes for him to unpack them (and not all of them, truthfully) is a compelling arc that ties together a wide-ranging life story. The "potshots" at his family that many have cited come out of a fundamental mismatch in how he and his family treat their relationship -- Harry longing for love and loyalty over a cold respectfulness that leaves him feeling alone.
There is much here even for those who do not care for the British monarchy, with honest assessments of trauma and how it feels to be on the inside of a particularly bad version of celebrity culture. It is also about seeing patterns in your own life and realizing that they are not as mandatory as everyone around you insists.
The fact that this tender, honest, loving unveiling of his life and heart is also a middle finger to the tabloids that hounded him his entire life just makes the book a more fascinating read.