Britney Spears

Let me first say that I honestly had an open mind going into this one. I didn't have a strong feeling one way or another regarding Britney Spears and I haven't really followed her chronicles in the media other than to know a few basic things that stuck out in my head: her obvious rise to fame in the late 90s, a history with the Mickey Mouse Club, a stint with Justin Timberlake, a *very* brief marriage resulting from an impulsive decision in Vegas, another impulsive decision when shaving her head bald, and then some odd control thing with her parents. I liked her early music and I could see her appeal -- she is/was a beautiful girl and she knew how to command attention on stage. And so I was curious to read her memoir.

But this was a train wreck, and I'm not talking about Britney's life (which might also fit that description). For some reason there are a lot of high-rated reviews for this book, and based on that, I had no idea what I was getting into. I rarely, if ever, rate a book as low as I'm rating this one, but...yikes. I'm not sure where to start. Britney supposedly had a ghost writer assist in this book's writing, but for the life of me I cannot see how this made it past all the editors. The writing is so poor -- it reads like a 13-year-old's diary. Britney is very back & forth in her writing, repetitive, contradictory, shallow, choppy.....it's very incohesive and immature and I am guilty of a lot of eye-rolling. Despite the relative short length and "easy" reading, it took me a long time to get through this. I know that Britney's been through a lot. It can't be easy for anyone who rises to fame quickly, esp. at a relatively young age who becomes a victim of the media and those who try to exploit her. I have no doubt that her family, esp. her father, took advantage of her via the conservatorship. But I also have to wonder if maybe in some ways it was indeed for her own good. She did (and does currently) seem to be out of control in a lot of ways, with some questionable mental instability and definitely some poor decision making. The last portion of the book, dealing with the conservatorship and the aftermath, was especially hard to get through. Lots of repetitive self-pity. I know there are two (or more) sides to every story, but I don't feel that Britney did herself any favors in releasing this book. The least she could've done was to let someone else write this for her.… (meer)

It's always a challenge for me to rate a memoir because how do you "rate" someone's life experiences? BUT I will say I've learned that I shouldn't necessarily be rating their life but moreso I should be rating the book itself. Not the author but the author's writing/language style, characters, engaging plot, setting, pacing, thorough editing, research and overall enjoyment are a few of the basic aspects I critique.

With that being said...

I have always admired Britney Spears as a pop icon and now a survivor. I do feel horrible for Britney, as no person should ever have to live through the experiences she passed for. I respect her courage and resilience to sit down and relive the pain. That is never an easy task. In doing so, I hope this book helps others that might relate. I'm incredibly happy for her that she now can live freely and continue to heal, BUT this book just didn't cut it for me.

I was curious and eager to read Britney Spear's memoir, The Woman in Me, ho to get some insight into her life and care and how she overcame the challenges shefaced. Unfortunately, I felt like this was a self-indulgent rant than a genuine reflection. The book is poorly written, with many grammatical errors, repetitions, and contradictions. Spears jumps from one topic to another, without any clear structure or coherence. She spends a lot of time blaming others for her problems, especially her father, who she portrays as a greedy and abusive villain, but I kept asking myself, "Why do you keep staying and dealing with the nonsense?" She also paints herself as a victim of the media, the public, and the legal system, without acknowledging her own mistakes or responsibilities. The book lacks depth and honesty, as Spears glosses over many important aspects of her life, such as her marriages, her children, her mental health, and her music. She does not offer any meaningful insights into her creative process, her artistic influences, or her musical legacy. She also does not address some of the controversial issues that have surrounded her, such as her lip-syncing. her sexualization, and her cultural appropriation. The book is full of clichés, platitudes, and self-praise, as Spears tries to convince the reader that she is a strong, independent, and spiritual woman. She repeats the same phrases over and over, such as "I am a fighter", "I am a survivor", "I am a mother", "I am a woman", etc. She also quotes a lot of song lyrics, Bible verses, and inspirational quotes, without explaining how they relate to her life or what they mean to her. The book is not a memoir, but a propaganda piece, aimed at boosting Spears's image and career, and gaining sympathy and support from her fans. It does not reveal the real woman behind the pop star, but a carefully crafted persona that Spears wants the world to see. It is a disappointing and frustrating read, that does not do justice to Spears's talent and achievements, or to the complexity and challenges of her life.… (meer)

“I just want to let you know,” he said, “I call the shots. You sit right there in that chair and I’ll tell you what goes on.” I looked at him with a growing sense of horror. “I’m Britney Spears now,” he said.

I’ve always been a fan of Britney. Grew up listening to her song, watching her music videos - so for me, as I’m sure for a lot of her fans, it was heartbreaking seeing her struggling and exploited. I couldn’t even imagine, however, how deeply disturbing and crushing her story actually is.

This book is simple and straightforward, but effective and charming (as Britney herself). I… maybe, “enjoyed it” is not the word that fits 100%, but I definitely couldn’t stop turning the pages.

Very happy that such a strong and creative performer and simply a talented woman got her life back.

PS: I’ve always known that Justin Timberlake is a piece of shit, god, yuck.… (meer)