By Jennette McCurdy
5 Stars
Jennette McCurdy’s mother has always been obsessed with her appearance, using eyebrow gels, hair highlights, and a knock-off of Crest Whitening strips since she was six years old. It was that year that she got into acting, something that was always her mother’s dream, which she was forced into by the woman.
Since beginning acting, her mother’s obsession with her looks only grew worse, to the point where she introduced anorexia to the girl at twelve years old. Over the years, McCurdy’s mother’s abuse worsened, but she was ignorant to it, believing that her mother knew best.
Jennette’s tale of abuse and self-discovery is a harrowing tale, but it’s a tale people need to hear. The knowledge that many female actors and singers are pushed into the industry by abusive mothers is not a secret. From Jojo Siwa to Ariel Winter, the story is repeated and repeated over and over again, but the industry stays unchanged because the corporations do not care.
If we, as people, are able to know and understand the truth of these industries and the people pushed into them, we can make a difference. The truth is that McCurdy wasn’t just abused by her mother. She, the rest of the crew of iCarly, and the child actors in all his other films were constantly abused by Dan Schneider.
I found this book very eye-opening. The entertainment I had once enjoyed as a child was revealed to have been dangerous behind the scenes. The abuse that McCurdy faced, from the narcissistic boyfriends she was drawn to, to Nickelodeon directors, to her own mother, was actually relatable. Understanding victims and perpetrators can help you understand features of your own life, and others as well.
Reviewed by Ayesha
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