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A review by iread2dream
I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
dark
emotional
sad
5.0
This is not a typical 5-star book for me. 5-star books make me cry, make me feel love, make me feel seen. 5-star books don't have me simmering with anger the entire time. But anything less than 5 stars for this book does not do it justice. I don't think I can do it justice with my words either.
The first time I saw the title of this book when it was published, I figured it was some sort of comedy. I mean, that title. Come on! I kept seeing it on lists and Instagram posts; it seemed really popular but I paid no mind and never looked up what it was about. I had absolutely no idea who this Jennette McCurdy was. Why should I care if she's glad her mom died? A few days ago I came across a post that mentioned child actors and "look at Jennette McCurdy and what she went through with her mom" or something along those lines. (I can't remember where I saw this, else I'd happily tell you.) So I looked her up. I've heard of the iCarly show but that aired way after my Nick watching days so I can't say I ever watched an episode. But I was intrigued. That witty, take-no-shit (maybe? I only watched a snippet of the show here and there) character had a "mom-ager"? I'll bite.
Oof.
I think I was in an angry state during the entirety of part 1 ("Before"). I was angry at Jennette's mom, at Jennette's circumstances, the environment she lived in. By no means the worst, but no child deserves to worry about stopping a fight between their parents. No child deserves to be manipulated and guilt-tripped by their own mother into doing something they don't want simply because the mother chooses to live through their child. No person, child or otherwise, deserves to live through that.
The book is raw, emotional, and at times heavy, and I'll admit to being a little stressed out about what would come next, but I kept going with the hope that everything worked out. That Jennette didn't write this book from an entirely angry place, out for vengeance or simply to smear her mother's name (maybe she did, maybe she didn't, who knows). I hoped she was in a place where writing the book was cathartic. It helped her heal and release things she may have been holding on to. I enjoyed the dry humor (is that what it's called? "[Jeff] is an umless man." That kind of stuff) and I appreciate how much of her shit Jennette shared. How much she didn't simply gloss over things but also didn't romanticize them. I was glad to see her admit truths that were likely incredibly difficult not just to admit to herself but to share with the world. As much as I would've loved to read her brothers' or her non biological dad's thoughts on some of the shit Jennette and the whole family went through, I can appreciate that this is Jennette's story and that she kept it as such.
My NetGalley bio (who doesn't like free books and advanced copies at that, amiright?) says that a good book leaves me wanting more, and this book exactly fits that, but all I want is to see Jennette heal and find peace and to truly figure out who she is. I don't want to give her a hug, or share uplifting words. I may not even want to hear from her again. I just want her to be well and enjoy her life, with all its ups and downs.
This is not a "rainbows and butterflies and unicorn farts" kind of story, but I highly recommend it nonetheless. It really lays out how stressful and lonely acting and stardom can be for children, and how much a strong and stable support network is necessary to ensure they're not tabloid fodder for years to come.
The first time I saw the title of this book when it was published, I figured it was some sort of comedy. I mean, that title. Come on! I kept seeing it on lists and Instagram posts; it seemed really popular but I paid no mind and never looked up what it was about. I had absolutely no idea who this Jennette McCurdy was. Why should I care if she's glad her mom died? A few days ago I came across a post that mentioned child actors and "look at Jennette McCurdy and what she went through with her mom" or something along those lines. (I can't remember where I saw this, else I'd happily tell you.) So I looked her up. I've heard of the iCarly show but that aired way after my Nick watching days so I can't say I ever watched an episode. But I was intrigued. That witty, take-no-shit (maybe? I only watched a snippet of the show here and there) character had a "mom-ager"? I'll bite.
Oof.
I think I was in an angry state during the entirety of part 1 ("Before"). I was angry at Jennette's mom, at Jennette's circumstances, the environment she lived in. By no means the worst, but no child deserves to worry about stopping a fight between their parents. No child deserves to be manipulated and guilt-tripped by their own mother into doing something they don't want simply because the mother chooses to live through their child. No person, child or otherwise, deserves to live through that.
The book is raw, emotional, and at times heavy, and I'll admit to being a little stressed out about what would come next, but I kept going with the hope that everything worked out. That Jennette didn't write this book from an entirely angry place, out for vengeance or simply to smear her mother's name (maybe she did, maybe she didn't, who knows). I hoped she was in a place where writing the book was cathartic. It helped her heal and release things she may have been holding on to. I enjoyed the dry humor (is that what it's called? "[Jeff] is an umless man." That kind of stuff) and I appreciate how much of her shit Jennette shared. How much she didn't simply gloss over things but also didn't romanticize them. I was glad to see her admit truths that were likely incredibly difficult not just to admit to herself but to share with the world. As much as I would've loved to read her brothers' or her non biological dad's thoughts on some of the shit Jennette and the whole family went through, I can appreciate that this is Jennette's story and that she kept it as such.
My NetGalley bio (who doesn't like free books and advanced copies at that, amiright?) says that a good book leaves me wanting more, and this book exactly fits that, but all I want is to see Jennette heal and find peace and to truly figure out who she is. I don't want to give her a hug, or share uplifting words. I may not even want to hear from her again. I just want her to be well and enjoy her life, with all its ups and downs.
This is not a "rainbows and butterflies and unicorn farts" kind of story, but I highly recommend it nonetheless. It really lays out how stressful and lonely acting and stardom can be for children, and how much a strong and stable support network is necessary to ensure they're not tabloid fodder for years to come.