I'm Glad My Mom Died

This had been on my TBR for quite a long time, and I gotta say: Wow, I'm glad I finally took the time. I'm sure Quiet on Set pushed this book back into the spotlight and it is the perfect companion piece for those who want to know more about what was really going on at Nickelodeon behind the scenes.

If we're going to compare this book and the documentary, I feel like QOS was a lot more sensationalized and skewed. Here, she not only brings up the big bad of QOS (who was only the third worst person IMO), but also brings into question the entire child acting industry. From her first foray into acting and the lengths her mom would go to “help her succeed,” I think it's something we all should look a lot deeper into. Not only should we be asking “Do these people have our children's best interests in mind?” but also “Do we have our children's best interests in mind?”

Jennette's career as a child actor doesn't begin and end with Nickelodeon and it doesn't start or stop on set. She delves into the routine she must endure, the constant nitpicking of her weight to the point of developing an eating disorder, distrust in future relationships, alcohol abuse, sketchy people at home and away. She makes no qualms with stating that this was someone else's dream and that her upbringing should serve as a warning for others thinking about getting their selves or children into Hollywood. Not to say that everything is a bummer. She recounts high highs with the low lows, and even states that some of her lows might be others' highs. However, knowledge is power in this situation, so it's good to know what one is getting into.

This truly was an eye-opening memoir and I'm glad that Jennette had the courage to share with us.