Summary of “I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy

Introduction

I’m Glad My Mom Died is a memoir by Jennette McCurdy that tells the story of her childhood as a child star on Nickelodeon and her relationship with her mother. Published in 2022, McCurdy’s first book explores complex experiences with body image, love, family, religion, and the child acting industry.

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The Story

The book begins with McCurdy’s childhood. She was raised in a religious household, and her mother was a devout Christian. McCurdy’s mother was also very controlling, and she had high expectations for her daughter. McCurdy was forced to diet and exercise from a young age, and she was constantly criticized for her appearance.

When McCurdy was 10 years old, she was cast in the Nickelodeon series iCarly. The show was a huge success, and McCurdy quickly became a household name. However, her fame also came with a price. McCurdy was subjected to intense scrutiny from the media, and she was constantly being judged for her appearance.

McCurdy’s mother’s controlling behavior only worsened as she became more famous. She would often tell McCurdy that she was not good enough, and she would constantly compare her to other girls. McCurdy began to develop an eating disorder, and she also started to self-harm.

When McCurdy was 18 years old, her mother was diagnosed with cancer. McCurdy’s mother died a year later. McCurdy writes that she was relieved when her mother died. She felt like she was finally free from her mother’s control.

However, McCurdy’s relief was short-lived. She began to struggle with depression and anxiety. She also started to use drugs and alcohol to cope with her pain.

It took McCurdy many years to heal from her childhood trauma. She eventually went to therapy, and she began to learn how to love and accept herself. She also started to speak out about her experiences, in the hope that she could help other people who have been through similar experiences.

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Summary of Key Events

• Jennette McCurdy is born into a religious household.
• Her mother is a devout Christian and has high expectations for her daughter.
• McCurdy is forced to diet and exercise from a young age.
• She is constantly criticized for her appearance.
• McCurdy is cast in the Nickelodeon series iCarly.
• The show is a huge success, and McCurdy quickly becomes a household name.
• McCurdy is subjected to intense scrutiny from the media.
• Her mother’s controlling behavior worsens.
• McCurdy develops an eating disorder and starts to self-harm.
• Her mother is diagnosed with cancer.
• Her mother dies a year later.
• McCurdy is relieved by her mother’s death.
• She struggles with depression, anxiety, and drug abuse.
• McCurdy goes to therapy and learns to love and accept herself.
• She starts to speak out about her experiences.

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Characters

• Jennette McCurdy: The protagonist of the book. She is a child star who struggles with body image, love, family, religion, and the child acting industry.
• Debra McCurdy: Jennette’s mother. She is a devout Christian and has high expectations for her daughter. She is also very controlling and critical of Jennette’s appearance.
• Mark McCurdy: Jennette’s father. He is a supportive and loving father, but he is often afraid to stand up to Jennette’s mother.
• Noah Munck: Jennette’s co-star on iCarly. He is a good friend to Jennette, and he helps her to cope with her mother’s death.
• Ariana Grande: Jennette’s co-star on Sam & Cat. She is a good friend to Jennette, and she helps her to heal from her childhood trauma.

Themes

• The impact of childhood trauma: McCurdy’s childhood trauma had a profound impact on her life. She struggled with eating disorders, self-harm, depression, and anxiety. She also had difficulty forming healthy relationships.
• The importance of self-love: McCurdy’s journey to self-love was long and difficult. However, she eventually learned to love and accept herself. This was a major turning point in her life.
• The power of speaking out: McCurdy’s decision to speak out about her experiences was a brave one. She knew that she could help other people who have been through similar experiences.

Thinking of reading “I’m Glad My Mom Died”? Use my link and grab a copy!

Review

I’m Glad My Mom Died is a powerful and moving memoir. McCurdy writes honestly and candidly about her experiences, and she does not shy away from the difficult topics.

Thinking of reading “I’m Glad My Mom Died”? Use my link and grab a copy!