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I'm Glad My Mom Died

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Jennette McCurdy's memoir, 'I'm Glad My Mom Died', delves into her harrowing experiences with childhood abuse, manipulation, and the struggles of being a child star. The writing is described as straightforward and brutally honest, not shying away from the darker aspects of her life. Readers are taken on an emotional journey through Jennette's traumatic past, from her mother's abusive behavior to her battle with an eating disorder, all while navigating the complexities of fame and Hollywood.

The book is praised for its candid and vivid descriptions of Jennette's life, showcasing her resilience and courage in sharing her story with the world. Readers are left with a deep understanding of the challenges she faced growing up in the shadow of a narcissistic parent and the toll that child stardom took on her mental and emotional well-being.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is accessible and engaging, using humor and direct language to tackle heavy topics.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative centers on abuse and neglect, highlighting the psychological toll on the author as a child star.

Setting:

The setting includes the entertainment industry, emphasizing the challenges faced within that world.

Pacing:

The pacing is quick and engaging, with a shift in tempo as the author navigates her recovery.
THE PRESENT IN FRONT OF me is wrapped in Christmas paper even though it’s the end of June. We have so much paper left over from the holidays because Grandpa got the dozen-roll set from Sam’s Club even...

Notes:

Jennette McCurdy's memoir, 'I'm Glad My Mom Died,' discusses her traumatic childhood and complicated relationship with her mother.
The book explores themes of child stardom, emotional abuse, and body image issues.
McCurdy describes her mom's controlling behavior, which included forcing her into the entertainment industry and restricting her food intake.
Readers appreciate how McCurdy uses humor to recount her painful experiences, making her story relatable and engaging.
The memoir has been well received and is considered one of the best celebrity memoirs in recent years, noted for its raw honesty.
Many readers report feeling seen and validated through McCurdy's experiences, especially those who have dealt with similar familial issues.
The title of the book is provocative and resonates strongly with her audience, sparking discussions about parental abuse.
Listeners have praised the audiobook version for being narrated by McCurdy herself, adding a personal touch to her storytelling.
Her writing style has been described as conversational and accessible, capturing the complexity of her childhood emotions.
The book also touches on McCurdy's journey of healing and self-discovery after her mother's death.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include high levels of child abuse, emotional manipulation, eating disorders, and mental health challenges.

From The Publisher:

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

#1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor-including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother-and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother's dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called "calorie restriction," eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, "Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn't tint hers?" She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I'm Glad My Mom Died , Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail-just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly , she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi ("Hi Gale!"), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I'm Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

Ratings (248)

Incredible (74)
Loved It (101)
Liked It (52)
It Was OK (17)
Did Not Like (2)
Hated It (2)

Reader Stats (385):

Read It (249)
Currently Reading (7)
Want To Read (103)
Did Not Finish (3)
Not Interested (23)

12 comment(s)

Incredible
1 week

The topics of eating disorders, abuse, the truth about child acting and the horrible treatment Jennette had to face is definitely hard things to read about but I have to say it's written in a very easy digestive way and I read it pretty quickly. I'm glad she wrote this book to tell her story, child abuse in all forms it's far to common yet not talked about enough. There's so many of us adults that have to learn navigating our adult life after years of trauma. I'm sad that she had to go through all. Wish there will come a day where all kids will have a great childhood

 
Incredible
2 weeks

Holy TW for ED. And lots of other things like SA, death, abuse, alcohol abuse, drug abuse.

This book ripped my heart out. I never watched iCarly or any of the shows Jennette was on, but I do know of them. I listened to the audiobook and I feel it was powerful to hear the story from Jennettes own voice. I would reccomend the audiobook, but either way the story is a heartbreaking one.

 
Incredible
1 month

I began by listening to the audiobook on a 1.5 hour car drive I had to my mothers house around 8pm after work on a random Thursday night and devoured the entire book through a mixture of reading and audiobook over a week. I'm glad I chose to listen to the audiobook to begin with, it allowed me to read the words in her voice and I think that helped with the detachment from my own life. Nevertheless, powerful stuff.

This book is something else. I put off reading it for the longest time because I knew it would be impactful and potentially triggering. There are so many aspects of this book that I relate to, things that align with my own life and past. Strength and bravery seeps through every word written on the page. I am in awe of Jennette's courage and perseverance. I empathise with her pain and I really, really hope she is able to find some peace from this point onwards.

P.s. 'the creator' can rot

 
Liked It
3 months

As a clinical child psychologist, I was not shocked to find that becoming a child (or adult) celebrity is not good for one’s mental or physical health and that there are toxic abusive relationships involved throughout the entire process.

I wish this young woman the best as she hopefully continues to heal from her past and moves forward.

 
Loved It
3 months

Un libro muy honesto o lo parece, gracioso por lo ridiculas que fueron algunas de las situaciones.

Interesante por el camino psicologico de la protagonista y lo dificil que puede ser cambiar.

Pero bien por ella, sobretodo felicidades por el valor de escribir este libro y el exito que ha cosechado.

 
Loved It
4 months

Fascinating

 
Incredible
5 months

i wonder what the first draft of this was

 
5 months

Jennette McCurdy explored some intensely personal moments of her life and how she handled grieving over her mother, eating disorders and her relationships.

She experienced so much pressure from her life as a child actress and it was sad to read about how much she hated acting as she grew up. Her mother gave all her directions and pressured her so once she died, the desire to still conform to those rules were overwhelming. Her struggles with abuse and eating disorders is written very clearly.

I hope she is able to be known as herself with this memoir and have more opportunities to write instead of being tied down to her childhood roles at Nickelodeon.

Writing wise, it was rather easy to read but I don't think I was blown away with how the story was revealed. Mainly because the voice felt rather young and naive even when she was 18 years old. It was nice when it was she was recalling her rehearsals, it enhances her desire to please people to book roles. The fact that she needed to learn new skills at her mother's directions just because she failed her auditions is sad. However, it does make a strong impact to contrast her first sexual experience.

I would give it a 3.5 stars in terms of writing

 
Liked It
5 months

Raw

 
Incredible
6 months

must read. open ended as she is on a lifelong journey and it is not yet complete

 
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