I'm Glad My Mom Died

 

I'm Glad My Mom Died  by Jennette McCurdy            Memoir/Dysfunctional Family

(from Amazon) 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.

(My Review)

I have so many thoughts after reading this. I remember watching her on iCarly with my kids. Who knew? Who ever knows?? I was so horrified to read what this poor child went through at the hands of her mother, and with the entertainment industry that obviously does not look after the welfare of children. Children are just a commodity. I just think of the trauma Jennette experienced, and wonder if she will ever truly ever recover. Do I recommend this book? Yes, but be warned it can be disturbing. While it is not exactly explicit, it is still disturbing. I think it's interesting to consider the generational trauma/abuse in this book as well.  I still think of what she went through, and hope for the best for Jennette's continued recovery. I also recommend watching interviews she has done to promote the book, and you will see how therapy has helped her to recover. I am really proud to see her strength.