Spare by Prince Harry (audiobook)

 genre: memoir

This book isn't for everyone, obviously.  If you don't care about the Royal Family or aren't interested in the drama surrounding them, I'm not sure why you'd read it.  I myself have paid attention to a certain extent, mostly because the princes were just barely younger than me so I sort of grew up alongside them.  There is also a certain strange appeal in the idea of "royalty" and the fact that people still in this day and age are born into a ridiculous amount of privilege because of a title their parents hold.  I recognize that there are all kinds of "nepo babies" out there, but I do have a particular interest in these ones :)

I listened to the audio so I could hear Harry tell his own story.  It is so clear in this book that his mental health was truly devastated by his mother's loss at such a tender age.  It was heartbreaking to hear his vulnerability throughout the book when it came to his mental health.  I truly appreciated this honesty.  Did I need to hear about all the times he was "naughty" and getting roaring drunk or about all the times he smoked a joint somewhere?  No. Sometimes I felt like he was trying a bit too hard - but even then - I could forgive him for it.  I can't even articulate why, except that loosing your mom before she gets to raise you through your teenage years has to take its toll.  He seemed to play fair by the previous relationships he'd had and I'd imagine that if I was one of those girls read it, I wouldn't feel like he'd somehow thrown me under the bus.

What I didn't expect was for so much of Harry's story to be about war.  His decision to join the army was pivotal to his coming-of-age and his position in the royal family made it a complicated road.  I didn't feel in any way like he glamorized war or his role in it, mostly just shared his own experience and the fallout from it.  Oh, and Africa.  I had no idea how much time he'd spent being in Africa, it seems so random and yet, there it is.

A huge theme in the book is the way the media has tormented him throughout his life.  I think when he and Meaghan left and moved to America, it seemed very shocking - almost like, he was overreacting.  Now, having read this book - I feel so much more compassion for him and his little family.  I also acknowledge that we are only getting one side of the story - and clearly our author is biased - but everyone's experience is their own.  And Harry seems to truly have gotten the raw end of the deal - but has managed to find his own way regardless.  I applaud him for that.

I liked the mostly-chronological vignette style.  I hurt along with Harry as his family unraveled around him - but I cheered for him as he stuck up for himself and his wife.  4 stars for interesting me enough to keep me engaged for a really long book.