Jennette McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died is one of those rare memoirs that grabs you by the throat and refuses to let go. Honest, disturbing, and surprisingly funny, it is the story of a young woman who grew up in the blinding glare of child stardom and learned too late that her mother’s love came with devastating strings attached.
From the outside, McCurdy’s life looked like a dream. Cast as Sam Puckett in Nickelodeon’s iCarly and later Sam & Cat, she became a household name. But behind the scenes, she was living a nightmare of emotional manipulation, eating disorders, and control. Her mother, obsessed with fame, micromanaged every detail of her life from her diet and appearance to her personal thoughts and finances. Jennette’s childhood was consumed by the pursuit of her mother’s approval, and when her mother died of cancer, she was left to face the trauma that had shaped her entire identity.
A Childhood Stolen for Fame
McCurdy was just six years old when her mother began grooming her for Hollywood. Acting was never Jennette’s dream it was her mother’s. In painful and often shocking detail, she recounts being subjected to “calorie restriction,” constant weigh-ins, and invasive control disguised as maternal love. She was forced to smile for cameras while battling anxiety, shame, and a growing hatred for the acting career she never wanted.
As she gained fame, the pressure only worsened. McCurdy reveals how Nickelodeon exploited her and other young actors while turning a blind eye to predatory behavior and emotional abuse. She contrasts her treatment with that of her co-star Ariana Grande, revealing how resentment and exhaustion deepened her spiral into addiction and self-loathing.
Brutal Honesty Wrapped in Dark Humor
What makes I’m Glad My Mom Died so powerful is McCurdy’s voice. She writes with razor-sharp wit and self-awareness, able to turn even the darkest moments into reflections that sting with truth. The audiobook, narrated by McCurdy herself, adds another layer of intimacy and impact. Her dry humor and matter-of-fact tone make the pain even more palpable.
Readers like Val from Goodreads have praised McCurdy’s ability to explore trauma without self-pity. She manages to convey the conflicting emotions of love and resentment toward her mother with nuance and grace. Others, like Mariana, highlighted how McCurdy’s honesty exposes not only her personal suffering but also the broader issue of child exploitation in the entertainment industry.
Emily May, another reviewer, perfectly summarized the emotional gravity of the book: it is both horrible to read and impossible to look away from. She notes how McCurdy’s story forces us to reconsider the ethics of child acting and the impossible standards placed on young performers.
Healing Through Storytelling
Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this memoir is how it serves as both confession and reclamation. Writing this book is McCurdy’s way of taking back control from her mother, from Hollywood, and from the narrative that once defined her. She acknowledges her flaws, her bitterness, and her pain, but she also allows herself to be seen as a whole person, finally free to decide what she wants from her life.
Final Thoughts
I’m Glad My Mom Died is raw, unfiltered, and unforgettable. It exposes the cost of fame, the complexity of abuse disguised as love, and the long, messy road to healing. Whether or not you grew up watching iCarly, this memoir will leave you shaken, moved, and in awe of Jennette McCurdy’s courage.
If you read only one memoir this year, let it be this one.
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