Died By Jennette

If your mother died and you decided to write a book about her, and the manner in which she treated you, what would the title be? In the mouth-opening memoir, I'm Glad My Mom Died, written by ex-Nickelodeon star Jennette McCurdy, she recounts her childhood and early years of fame. Jennette chats about her mom-fueled anorexia, her struggles with acting, self-doubt and insecurities. The reader follows her eating disorder recovery and mental health improvements in real time, with laughs and tears along the way. Jennette opens up about her love life, troubles at home, and jealousy among her and her coworkers. McCurdy proves that you shouldn't always follow the loudest leader, because it may not be in your best interest. In the New York Times best-seller

“‘I don't want to act anymore.’ Mom looks at me in the rearview mirror. A mixture of shock and disappointment fills her eyes. I immediately regret saying anything. Don't be silly, you love acting. It's your favorite thing in the world,’ Mom says in a way that makes it sound like a threat.” (79) Jennette doesn't want to pursue a career in acting, but she feels guilty for not loving it due to acting being her mom's dream. Jennette continues to act through her adulthood instead of quitting, which slowly sends her into a spiral of unsureness and self-doubt. Because she continued, her mother got exceedingly possessive over Jennette's every move, to the point of showering Jennette herself and restricting her calories. It would take years for Jennette to successfully remove this habit from her everyday life. Even though she learned how to trust herself, she didn't always. Throughout the memoir, Jennette shows that she is loyal to her mother and will do anything to please her, but this ideology starts to shift once she starts attending therapy for her eating

Though, Jennette doesn't believe them for a second. “Laura suggested that Mom was abusive my whole life, my entire existence has been oriented to the narrative that Mom knows what's best for me. Even in the past, when resentments started to creep in or wedges started to come between us, I have curbed them so I can move forward with this narrative intact, which feels essential to my survival.” (248) Jennette, throughout her entirety, truly believed that her mother wanted the best thing for her; her acting career, outfits for the day, eating habits and dating life all revolved around her mothers better judgment. After finding a new therapist who works much more effectively with Jennette, she realizes her mother's principles were in fact not the best for her. “I had her up on a pedestal. that pedestal kept me stuck, emotionally stunted, living in fear, dependent, in a near constant state of emotional pain and without the tools to even identify that pain, let alone deal with it.” (303) After her mothers death, Jennette was able to break free from her mothers abusive ways, and now she copes through her pain with