Book Review: I’m Glad My Mom Died by Janette McCurdy

Rating: ★★★★☆(4/5)

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Introduction:

I’m Glad My Mom Died is a raw, unsettling, and deeply honest memoir that lives up to its provocative title. Jennette McCurdy writes with brutal clarity about growing up in the shadow of a controlling, abusive mother while navigating the pressures of child stardom, eating disorders, addiction, and delayed emotional development.

Quick Facts

• Release: August 2022 Read: October 2022, January 2026 (reread for this review)
• Reading Time: 6.5 hours on Audiobook.
• Pages: 320
• Format Recommendation: Audiobook is recommended for this one all the way. Getting to hear Janette read her own words made the story for me.
• Perfect for: Readers interested in memoirs about trauma and recovery – particularly those that don’t sanitize abuse, mental health struggles, or complicated family dynamics.
  • People who grew up with controlling or emotionally abusive parents – the book articulates experiences many readers recognize but rarely see named so directly.
  • Fans of honest, unfiltered celebrity memoirs – especially those curious about the darker realities of child stardom beyond the polished public image.
• Genre and Writing Style: Memoir
• Spice Level: 🌶️
• Trigger Level:💀💀💀💀

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Summary: A Brief Overview (Without Major Spoilers)

From Goodreads: A heartbreaking and hilarious memoir by iCarly and Sam & Cat star Jennette McCurdy about her struggles as a former child actor—including eating disorders, addiction, and a complicated relationship with her overbearing mother—and how she retook control of her life.

Jennette McCurdy was six years old when she had her first acting audition. Her mother’s dream was for her only daughter to become a star, and Jennette would do anything to make her mother happy. So she went along with what Mom called “calorie restriction,” eating little and weighing herself five times a day. She endured extensive at-home makeovers while Mom chided, “Your eyelashes are invisible, okay? You think Dakota Fanning doesn’t tint hers?” She was even showered by Mom until age sixteen while sharing her diaries, email, and all her income.

In I’m Glad My Mom Died, Jennette recounts all this in unflinching detail—just as she chronicles what happens when the dream finally comes true. Cast in a new Nickelodeon series called iCarly , she is thrust into fame. Though Mom is ecstatic, emailing fan club moderators and getting on a first-name basis with the paparazzi (“Hi Gale!”), Jennette is riddled with anxiety, shame, and self-loathing, which manifest into eating disorders, addiction, and a series of unhealthy relationships. These issues only get worse when, soon after taking the lead in the iCarly spinoff Sam & Cat alongside Ariana Grande, her mother dies of cancer. Finally, after discovering therapy and quitting acting, Jennette embarks on recovery and decides for the first time in her life what she really wants.

Told with refreshing candor and dark humor, I’m Glad My Mom Died is an inspiring story of resilience, independence, and the joy of shampooing your own hair.

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What Worked for Me:

The book’s greatest strength is its refusal to soften the truth—McCurdy never asks for pity, nor does she attempt to excuse the damage done. Her voice is sharp, self-aware, and often darkly funny, which makes the heaviest moments feel bearable without diminishing their weight.

That said, while the memoir is emotionally powerful, it can feel somewhat narrow in scope. Much of the narrative remains tightly focused on her mother, and at times it feels like McCurdy is circling the same emotional terrain without fully moving beyond it. Readers looking for a stronger sense of resolution, healing, or life after trauma may find the ending more abrupt than cathartic. Still, the book succeeds as an act of reclamation—of voice, autonomy, and truth. It’s an uncomfortable but important read, and while not perfect, it’s compelling enough to earn a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its honesty, courage, and unflinching self-examination.

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What Didn’t Work for Me: Trigger Warnings and Criticisms

The content was fully triggering: I’m Glad My Mom Died contains detailed discussions of emotional abuse, controlling and manipulative parenting, eating disorders (including anorexia), disordered eating behaviors, body shaming, and food restriction. The memoir also addresses childhood exploitation, grief, parental illness and death, addiction (including alcohol misuse), mental health struggles, and the long-term psychological effects of childhood trauma. Some scenes may be distressing or triggering, particularly for readers with experiences related to abusive family dynamics or eating disorders.

I have some of my own experiences that made it hard to stomach reading sections of the book. My father was emotionally abusive to me growing up and very neglectful when taking care of my mother who is disabled after having a stroke. He died in April of 2022, and I have had to deal with the complex grief that came with that. With the book coming out so close to when he passed, I remember feeling very triggered while reading it the first time. I have since reread it this year and have found that I am able to read it from a more healed place.

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Final Thoughts: I’m Glad My Mom Died is not an easy read, but it is a meaningful one. Jennette McCurdy’s willingness to confront uncomfortable truths—about abuse, fame, grief, and the lasting impact of childhood control—makes this memoir feel necessary rather than sensational. While it may not offer a neat or comforting sense of closure, it succeeds in validating experiences that are often minimized or misunderstood. The book ultimately feels less about anger and more about honesty: reclaiming autonomy, naming harm, and allowing space for complicated emotions to coexist. For readers prepared for its heaviness, it leaves a lasting impression long after the final page.

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