I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Genre: Memoir

Blurb (on back of book): 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.

MY OPINION: *****

It's been a while since I've read a memoir (literally years) but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I ended up enjoying this book. I hope to read more celebrity memoirs, especially of celebrities I love, and learn more about their lives.

This book tells a sad story but does so in such a sarcastic, comical, witty way that you do not feel bogged down by all the negativity Jennette clearly felt as she grew up. I watched iCarly when I was little but I did not know anything about the actors' backstories, obviously, so this was a really shocking read for me. 

Jennette tells the story of her mother's emotional abuse her entire life, perpetuating and encouraging her eating disorder, forcing her into acting even though she was terrified of auditions, and emphasizing her outward appearance above everything. She forced her daughter to pay their bills, emphasized her Mormon religion and hence not allowing Jennette to pursue romantic/sexual relationships, and gaslit and manipulated her daughter, weaponizing her cancer. It was truly shocking and definitely eye-opening to learn about the intricate details of a child star who I had admired so much on screen as a child. 

Everything in this book was told in an honest and real way. I never felt like things were hidden or fluffed up to appeal more to the readers. Jennette always wanted to be a screenwriter more than an actress and this memoir definitely highlights her obvious writing prowess. I hope to read more from her in the future if she ever decides to write another book. 

She covers decades of her life and the trauma she endured from her mother, the industry, other actors, older men, and everything else that can affect a young, female, child star. Her vivid descriptions of her eating disorder and "calorie counting" was sick and twisted and made me feel sick inside, knowing that she, like so many other people in the spotlight, honestly believed this was GOOD for her at first. Once you get stuck in that cycle, it can be extremely difficult to break and she didn't sugarcoat that process in this book. 

I loved reading about her friendship with Miranda (Carly), and seeing how female friendships could indeed be something so positive. It was interesting to see this in contrast with her relationship with Ariana Grande. 

Even if you've never watched one of Jennette's childhood shows or haven't really heard about her, I'd highly recommend still picking this book up. It tells the story of being a child actress in the spotlight, dealing with abusive mothers and fighting off the creepy producer that we all know existed in Nickelodeon. It's easy to read as well; I finished it in a couple of days easily.  

Main Character: Jennette

Sidekick(s): Friends, etc

Villain(s): Mother, eating disorder, etc

Memoir Elements: This is an autobiographical story of Jennette's life.