The Woman in Me: A Book Review

TLDR: 5/5 stars, gut wrenchingly tragic and very well written.

Growing up, I’ve watched some youtube conspiracy theory videos about Britney and her conservatorship, so I was aware at least of the things that fans thought happened to her. Hearing this book was a conclusion to the mystery on that. And my god, what a hell she’s been through. This memoir is a heavy one, because though she’s been in the media a lot throughout her life, I doubt many people knew what she was actually going through. This story, if anything, is a story of survival. I am so glad that it has a happy ending, and that she has managed to escape. I highly recommend the book.

When I started reading this (audiobook, I’m 50/50 on whether or not it’s reading but it’s helped me finish a lot of books a lot quicker) I’d slowly started slipping into a bit of a reading slump after the last book I’d read. That one was just the perfect book—so in my lane, so well written, etc.—so any book thereafter would surely be a disappointment. Just so happened to be this one, so I stopped reading for a week or two. But now, with regained spirit, I finished it. Incredible book. Horrifying story. 5/5 stars.

It’s a very private and close up insight into her life both professionally and privately. It’s wild to hear what it’s been like for her, arguably one of the biggest stars at that time. Even before the conservatorship, which I’m sure is the part that a lot of people skip ahead to. Her start at Disney, then becoming a massive pop star. Essentially pulling her family out of poverty, which is something no child should bear any responsibility for. And then her later years, her relationships, her finding her religion (and losing it, to gain it back later).

I’m not gonna lie, if I’d have been in her shoes, I don’t think I would’ve handled it as gracefully as she has, even when she was drugged out by her father and the medical staff. There’s just an insane strength in her. Of course, auto biographies are biased, but I believe what she’s saying. And no one should ever face such betrayal by their own family, let alone (ex)lovers. It’s a miracle she’s still alive. More than anything, this book made me feel for her. It’s brave, too, that she decided to write about it. Writing is already a very personal thing, let alone when you’re writing about your own life.

I hope she’ll get to live the rest of her life however she wants to live it.

Recommend reading it. She’s a great writer.