Book Review: The Woman in Me

By Allyson Bales

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. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

“There have been so many times when I was scared to speak up because I was afraid somebody would think I was crazy.  But I’ve learned that lesson now, the hard way.  You have to speak the thing that you’re feeling, even if it scares you.  You have to tell your story.  You have to raise your voice.”

To say that I was riveted reading Britney’s memoir is an understatement.  I was engrossed, gripped, and truly consumed.  My wife and I were on our way back from a very fun bachelorette weekend with a five-hour car ride journey ahead of us and we started to listen to this compelling and emotional read and I could. Not. Stop.  I had to have the audio and physical copy so that I could finish as quickly as possible. I read this in one day, honestly probably five hours.

I have always been a fan of Britney.  I remember watching her with Justin Timberlake at the VMAs.  I remember her ‘Baby One More Time’ music video and being mesmerized by her.  I remember when she shaved her head and watched the paparazzi chase her and her small children down the street.  I have watched every documentary there is, being completely fascinated by her life.  What a life she has lived and endured and so many of us have had no clue what she has been going through and dealing with.  This book showcases her strength and what an amazing human she is.

This book will make you understand her.  It will make you relate to her.  It will possibly also make you more aware of just how many people are suffering in silence and the last thing that they need is judgment.  It reads like a diary or series of long instagram posts with short chapters.  Britney’s storytelling is a bit all over the place but it makes sense and keeps you so engaged.  It is so nice to finally get to hear Britney’s truth and to hear her reflect, with such depth, on what she has learned.  It showcases how good of a mom she is, how thoughtful of a person she is, how strong she is.

This is probably one of my favorite memoirs and I think everyone should read it.  So many of us are consumed by pop culture and scrolling on our phones and celebrity news.  At the end of the day, they are just normal people trying to do the best that they can and this book really represents that.  I also think it spotlights how important it is to recognize there is always more than one version of the story and no one deserves to be ridiculed or judged.  Everyone deserves for their voice to be heard.  

I think you need to know that I also really enjoyed Michelle Williams's narration and highly recommend either version of the book.

Thank you Britney for sharing your story with us.  You are one strong woman!

Thanks to Gallery for the book in exchange for an honest review. Purchase The Woman in Me here.

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