Audiobook Length: 5 hours and 31 minutes

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Genre: Nonfiction, Memoir, Autobiography

Read Start Date: January 22, 2024

Read Finish Date: January 23, 2024

Goodreads’ Synopsis: The Woman in Me is a brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, fame, motherhood, survival, faith, and hope.

In June 2021, the whole world was listening as Britney Spears spoke in open court. The impact of sharing her voice—her truth—was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey—and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history.

Written with remarkable candor and humor, Spears’s groundbreaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love—and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last.

My Review: Let me start out by saying that Britney Spears is an astonishing woman who has lived an amazing yet tragic life. I am not here to make any comments on Spears as a person or artist. I am simply reviewing a book. I know what might come next is not the popular view, but I have to be honest. I am only giving this book 3 stars because while I found it interesting, it felt like something was missing. With only 5 hours and 31 minutes of listening time, there was not enough time to tell Spears’ story beyond the facts. For example, she barely touched on her time at the Mickey Mouse Club. What was it like to be a child star? What was it like to perform at such a young age? I think back to the book I read a few months ago, I’m Glad My Mom Died by iCarly star Jennette McCurdy (see my review here), and I can’t help but compare the two books.

McCurdy’s book was highly emotional, introspective, raw, and satirical. Spears’ book pales in comparison and feels more like an outline than a fully fleshed-out book. Don’t get me wrong. I think that what happened to Spears is atrocious, and the people in her life should be ashamed of themselves. Spears seems like a very sweet and sensitive person who was taken advantage of by the people around her. That being said, and because of that, Spears’ book feels like we are seeing only the surface of a very deep ocean.

Additionally, the book was published on October 24, 2023, and ends with the fact that Britney Spears was very much in love with her husband Hesam and was looking forward to her future with him. However, in July 2023, the couple separated and were getting divorced. Poor Britney. I feel so bad for her. Couldn’t the publishers have allowed a rewrite at the end of the book to get rid of that part? Or were they just another group of people taking advantage of Britney? In fact, I couldn’t help but think that throughout my reading of this book. The publishers wanted to strike while the iron was hot — Spears has been in the news recently due to the ending of her conservatorship — and she was in the spotlight again. I feel like they rushed the book to the presses to make money off her name. This book was good, but it could have been much better if there had been more time to flesh out the stories and give more time to explore Spears’ emotions and provide for her introspection.

All the above being said Britney’s journey to reclaim her agency and fight for her freedom is incredibly inspiring, and her book provides a behind-the-scenes look at the often exploitative nature of the music industry, particularly for young women. It sheds light on the pressures, manipulation, and control exerted on artists. I just wish there was more.

I hope Britney Spears comes out with a longer and deeper memoir in the future. If she does, I will definitely read it.