My tastes in music run to 60’s – 80’s rock and pop for the most part. Ms. Spears’ career began long after that and so I have never been that familiar with her music. I remember when I was working as a graphic artist for Hard Rock Cafe’s corporate headquarters and I was assigned to edit and enhance some images of Ms. Spears. One of the other artists (who was much younger than me, lol) asked if he could do the work on them because he had a huge crush on her. I gladly said, “Go ahead, knock yourself out” and he did.

Even though I never kept up with her music, it was hard not to be bombarded with all the gossip and news about her and her relationships. I remember feeling sorry for her and the microscope she (and other performers, whether they be actors, musicians, writers…just celebrities of all stripes) found herself under. When the news broke that she was put under a conservatorship, I wondered if it was her behavior or greed on her father’s part that put her there. And I assumed we would all find out when that order was lifted by a judge in 2021.

So, a few months ago when I saw that she had a book coming out I put it on my TBR list and recently I finished her work, The Woman in Me.

I am of two minds about her life. On the one hand I see she had fame thrust upon her at an early age and it’s very rare that children or young adults survive that fame unscathed. On the other, I feel like she brought a great deal of her woes, as most of us do, on herself. Yes, it seems her parents and perhaps even her sister, were all more interested in the money she could bring than her well-being. But she also exhibits a lot of immature behavior that opened her up to that from her family and even some so-called “friends” in her life.

Be assured, this book is NOT a work of art. It’s not even well-written, though I do believe it IS written from her heart. She still seems rather immature and child-like, despite being in her 40’s with children and a career that has made her the idol of millions. I am glad that she is no longer living the life of an indentured worker under the thumb of her father. I am glad she feels like she is living her best life now. I hope she is. But other than satisfying my own curiosity about her life and where she has arrived since 2021, this book was a burden to read.

I gave it one star on Goodreads.