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Free: My Search for Meaning
Amanda Knox spent nearly four years in prison and eight years on trial for a murder she didn't commit - and became a notorious tabloid story in the process. Though she was exonerated, it's taken more than a decade for her to reclaim her identity and truly feel free.
Free recounts how Amanda survived prison, the mistakes she made and misadventures she had reintegrating into society, culminating in the untold story of her return to Italy and the extraordinary relationship she's built with the man who sent her to prison. It is the gripping saga of what happens when you become the definition of notorious, but have quietly returned to the matters of a normal life - seeking a life partner, finding a job, or even just going out in public.
In harrowing (and sometimes hilarious) detail, Amanda tells the story of her personal growth and hard‑fought wisdom, recasting her public reckoning as a private reflection on the search for meaning and purpose that will speak to everyone persevering through hardship.
Free recounts how Amanda survived prison, the mistakes she made and misadventures she had reintegrating into society, culminating in the untold story of her return to Italy and the extraordinary relationship she's built with the man who sent her to prison. It is the gripping saga of what happens when you become the definition of notorious, but have quietly returned to the matters of a normal life - seeking a life partner, finding a job, or even just going out in public.
In harrowing (and sometimes hilarious) detail, Amanda tells the story of her personal growth and hard‑fought wisdom, recasting her public reckoning as a private reflection on the search for meaning and purpose that will speak to everyone persevering through hardship.
287 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 627 reviews
April 5, 2025
I think people love to hate an attractive, intelligent woman who speaks her mind, self advocates, shuns approval-seeking, and is not afraid to be herself without apology. That’s one of the reasons I think some people still struggle to empathically grasp the utter surreal horror of what Amanda Knox endured as a sheltered college student barely out of her teens. Or, maybe people are just too numb to the story by now since the media has been beating us over the head with senseless and sensationalistic versions of it for nearly two decades.
For the TLDR version of that story: there was, we especially know scientifically by now, absolutely NO evidence that 20 year-old Knox committed the crime of which she was accused and there is a TON of hard evidence that she did NOT commit that crime, including a ton of evidence as to who actually committed that crime along with many others like it. The ONLY evidence that Knox committed the crime was a misogynistic, sexist, ageist, xenophobic fascination with the idea that such a gorgeous and angel-faced young foreign student recently arrived to the country could somehow secretly be some kind of complicated murderous sexually deviant operative. That “good story” was truly the ONLY “evidence” and it had absolutely everything to do with how she looked and absolutely nothing to do with who she was or is as a person. This virtual child was basically sacrificed at the altar of a tawdry tale.
To be falsely and abruptly accused, tortured alone by unjust interrogation measures largely in a language you spoke only remedially at the time, and then endure (formative) years and years in court and prison is bad enough, but since then and to this very day - I just saw a freaking stupid Daily Mail story yesterday! - Knox and her experience have also been incessantly, globally commodified and baselessly, grossly distorted and vilified for others’ entertainment and profit. It’s disgusting.
I’m therefore blown away that she has somehow been able to persevere and rise above all this to become an accomplished, educated professional writer, reporter, speaker, and human rights and social justice advocate, as well as a spouse and a mother. Her attainment of something akin to normalcy throughout and despite abnormal circumstances is astounding. I could not have done it.
Knox’s new book, Free, is not a rehash of her autobiography, even a corrected one, so if you’re looking for that yet again, know that’s not what this is. Knox has moved way beyond that project and she wasn’t and isn’t just here to entertain you: she has way more to offer than that. It’s rather more of a roughly chronologically structured collection of essays philosophically reflecting on the concept of freedom through the lens of her experiences. Knox thoughtfully and thematically considers various meanings, manifestations of, and avenues to freedom and liberation and different ways to achieve them given the contexts and limitations of inevitable adverse circumstances and suffering often beyond one’s control.
This is an honest and moving book with unique insights worthy of honor and respect in their own right, and especially given the complex and ongoing trauma Knox has endured since her youth.
For the TLDR version of that story: there was, we especially know scientifically by now, absolutely NO evidence that 20 year-old Knox committed the crime of which she was accused and there is a TON of hard evidence that she did NOT commit that crime, including a ton of evidence as to who actually committed that crime along with many others like it. The ONLY evidence that Knox committed the crime was a misogynistic, sexist, ageist, xenophobic fascination with the idea that such a gorgeous and angel-faced young foreign student recently arrived to the country could somehow secretly be some kind of complicated murderous sexually deviant operative. That “good story” was truly the ONLY “evidence” and it had absolutely everything to do with how she looked and absolutely nothing to do with who she was or is as a person. This virtual child was basically sacrificed at the altar of a tawdry tale.
To be falsely and abruptly accused, tortured alone by unjust interrogation measures largely in a language you spoke only remedially at the time, and then endure (formative) years and years in court and prison is bad enough, but since then and to this very day - I just saw a freaking stupid Daily Mail story yesterday! - Knox and her experience have also been incessantly, globally commodified and baselessly, grossly distorted and vilified for others’ entertainment and profit. It’s disgusting.
I’m therefore blown away that she has somehow been able to persevere and rise above all this to become an accomplished, educated professional writer, reporter, speaker, and human rights and social justice advocate, as well as a spouse and a mother. Her attainment of something akin to normalcy throughout and despite abnormal circumstances is astounding. I could not have done it.
Knox’s new book, Free, is not a rehash of her autobiography, even a corrected one, so if you’re looking for that yet again, know that’s not what this is. Knox has moved way beyond that project and she wasn’t and isn’t just here to entertain you: she has way more to offer than that. It’s rather more of a roughly chronologically structured collection of essays philosophically reflecting on the concept of freedom through the lens of her experiences. Knox thoughtfully and thematically considers various meanings, manifestations of, and avenues to freedom and liberation and different ways to achieve them given the contexts and limitations of inevitable adverse circumstances and suffering often beyond one’s control.
This is an honest and moving book with unique insights worthy of honor and respect in their own right, and especially given the complex and ongoing trauma Knox has endured since her youth.
August 19, 2025
This book came along at a time when I'm personally working hard at resilience. It's a daily battle. I was also extremely curious about why she would ever go back to Italy and the very places and people that caused so much distress. Well written and brutally honest it will appeal to those that appreciate a triumph over trauma story.
February 2, 2025
ARC for review. To be published March 25, 2025.
3.5 stars
Amanda Knox’s first book, WAITING TO BE HEARD was an autobiography dealing mostly with her time spent in jail, prison and on trial. This book goes into a bit more detail with regard to her time in prison and that is quite interesting and also discusses her second trial, but she also covers what her life has been like after.
I was curious to see what Amanda’s life had become and if she had been able to do things outside just being “Amanda Knox.” That isn’t meant as shade toward her, but I can’t imagine her being easily able to slip into the role of, say, a kindergarten teacher or something. Hers might be one of those cases where I would relax my long standing rule about not changing my name after marriage (I would also change my name if I married, say, a Rockefeller, so I could always get good tables at restaurants and upgrades and the like. I am not above abandoning my principles for free stuff!) But I digress…
So she spent four years in prison and eight years on trial. Four years. As stated, the book provides new information on that as well as her re-entry into life, her eventual return to Italy (I would have taken gigantic bodyguards), her relationship with her prosecutor (she’s a better woman than I,) and her personal life.
Amanda has had it hard. She was railroaded and there was absolutely no physical evidence to convict either her of Rafaelle Sollecito (and he’s had an incredibly difficult time too.) I just have always had a hard time with Amanda’s accusation of Patrick Lumumba, who did nothing at all, and, to my recollection, became involved primarily because of Amanda’s accusation.
And, of course, my heart breaks for Meredith Kircher and her family. Based on what Amanda suggests they still believe she bears some guilt, and they don’t feel like there has been justice. At first I thought Amanda wasn’t paying enough attention to that loss, but she includes a nice chapter about Meredith at the end, and I guess I forgot about how short a time they actually knew each other before Meredith’s death.
I liked the book and I strongly support the good work that Amanda is doing now. I hope it makes a difference for others in a similar position.
3.5 stars
Amanda Knox’s first book, WAITING TO BE HEARD was an autobiography dealing mostly with her time spent in jail, prison and on trial. This book goes into a bit more detail with regard to her time in prison and that is quite interesting and also discusses her second trial, but she also covers what her life has been like after.
I was curious to see what Amanda’s life had become and if she had been able to do things outside just being “Amanda Knox.” That isn’t meant as shade toward her, but I can’t imagine her being easily able to slip into the role of, say, a kindergarten teacher or something. Hers might be one of those cases where I would relax my long standing rule about not changing my name after marriage (I would also change my name if I married, say, a Rockefeller, so I could always get good tables at restaurants and upgrades and the like. I am not above abandoning my principles for free stuff!) But I digress…
So she spent four years in prison and eight years on trial. Four years. As stated, the book provides new information on that as well as her re-entry into life, her eventual return to Italy (I would have taken gigantic bodyguards), her relationship with her prosecutor (she’s a better woman than I,) and her personal life.
Amanda has had it hard. She was railroaded and there was absolutely no physical evidence to convict either her of Rafaelle Sollecito (and he’s had an incredibly difficult time too.) I just have always had a hard time with Amanda’s accusation of Patrick Lumumba, who did nothing at all, and, to my recollection, became involved primarily because of Amanda’s accusation.
And, of course, my heart breaks for Meredith Kircher and her family. Based on what Amanda suggests they still believe she bears some guilt, and they don’t feel like there has been justice. At first I thought Amanda wasn’t paying enough attention to that loss, but she includes a nice chapter about Meredith at the end, and I guess I forgot about how short a time they actually knew each other before Meredith’s death.
I liked the book and I strongly support the good work that Amanda is doing now. I hope it makes a difference for others in a similar position.
Read
March 13, 2025you know how some kids were obsessed with titanic growing up? amanda knox was my titanic (right along with martha stewart). i devoured the youtube series she hosted, 'the scarlet letter reports' so when i saw she had written a memoir when browsing netgalley i was stoked!
amanda knox's writing surprised me. i knew it would be from the heart but it was also really good. every chapter does try to answer her question "what does it mean to be free?" whether it be a personal anecdote or an analysis.
maybe it's because i've been reading a lot of books centered around religion lately, but what i keep coming back to are the moments with don saulo, and how his kindness affected her beyond the prison walls.
"may your enemies become friends, or if not friends, then fools, for we are all fools at times, and may you find wisdom in the fool's mouth"
amanda knox's writing surprised me. i knew it would be from the heart but it was also really good. every chapter does try to answer her question "what does it mean to be free?" whether it be a personal anecdote or an analysis.
maybe it's because i've been reading a lot of books centered around religion lately, but what i keep coming back to are the moments with don saulo, and how his kindness affected her beyond the prison walls.
"may your enemies become friends, or if not friends, then fools, for we are all fools at times, and may you find wisdom in the fool's mouth"
March 28, 2025
Coulda been a 3 but then I learned she named her son Echo.
March 18, 2025
As much as I loved this, and its message, I wish it didn't exist. Knox's repeated statement that she should've never been the narrative but a footnote resonates with me so hard. I hope that the more she shares her perspectives on peace and freedom, the more she does in fact impact the way cases are covered. Literally read an article this morning about a missing college student and thought completely differently about how the case and the person of interest were covered. That's impact.
This book goes more into her experience in prison and the impact it had on her mind and sense of self, the way she learned to survive, and especially how she learned to survive without losing her values. Then it's her choices after her release, where the prison is her mind and media, and the ways she both failed and succeeded in building a life for herself After.
While we share perspectives on kindness, her capacity for forgiveness is unmatched. Her capacity to demonstrate empathy for the people obsessed with her for good or ill, and the way she can think and logic her way out of it, are a reassuring perspective in strange and uncertain times.
I hope she keeps writing - not about her case, I think that can be laid to rest - but about survival, well-being, kindness, and incarceration.
This book goes more into her experience in prison and the impact it had on her mind and sense of self, the way she learned to survive, and especially how she learned to survive without losing her values. Then it's her choices after her release, where the prison is her mind and media, and the ways she both failed and succeeded in building a life for herself After.
While we share perspectives on kindness, her capacity for forgiveness is unmatched. Her capacity to demonstrate empathy for the people obsessed with her for good or ill, and the way she can think and logic her way out of it, are a reassuring perspective in strange and uncertain times.
I hope she keeps writing - not about her case, I think that can be laid to rest - but about survival, well-being, kindness, and incarceration.
March 28, 2025
Just read the last 25 pages. The rest is a slog. If you want to read a good book about forgiveness I recommend Called to Forgive by Anthony b Thompson
April 14, 2025
I thought I knew the entire story of Amanda Knox and I was missing so much information. This one will make you think!
February 12, 2025
Okay, so I'm a True Crime addict. I binge each new Netflix true crime docuseries, take notes during each episode of Dateline, the whole shebang. When I saw I could get an ARC of Amanda Knox's "Free," I jumped. The Meredith Kercher case was an international media circus when it happened. I was living abroad at the time and I couldn't escape the headlines, even if I had tried.
I didn’t follow the details closely at the time, but the whole "she was convicted because she didn't look and/or act how an innocent person is supposed to" thing always stuck with me.
A big chunk of "Free" focuses on Knox's correspondence with the prosecutor, Dr. Guiliano Mignini. She basically paints him as Inspector Javert from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, relentlessly hounding her. She's desperate for him to admit he was wrong, to say she's innocent. Honestly, their back-and-forth just felt... unresolved. Like she's still trying to make him see her side.
And here's the thing: I really wanted to like this book. I went in rooting for Amanda. But, man, it was a slog. I found it surprisingly dull, and I just couldn't connect with Knox's voice. I forced myself to finish it, hoping for some kind of satisfying resolution, but it just wasn't there for me.
Honestly, I think I need to reread Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" now. That's a book about finding purpose in suffering, and it's actually, you know, well-written.
Which brings me to my biggest issue: the writing in "Free" is just... not good. I don't know if Knox wrote it all herself, if there was a ghostwriter involved, or if it's a collaboration with ChatGPT, but it feels clunky and unengaging.
Look, no one can truly know what Amanda Knox went through. Years stolen, reputation destroyed, still guilty in the court of public opinion despite being acquitted. It's a horrific situation.
I genuinely hope she finds peace and can live a happy life away from the spotlight. But as a book? "Free" just didn't do it for me.
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This review reflects my personal and independent opinion.
I didn’t follow the details closely at the time, but the whole "she was convicted because she didn't look and/or act how an innocent person is supposed to" thing always stuck with me.
A big chunk of "Free" focuses on Knox's correspondence with the prosecutor, Dr. Guiliano Mignini. She basically paints him as Inspector Javert from Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, relentlessly hounding her. She's desperate for him to admit he was wrong, to say she's innocent. Honestly, their back-and-forth just felt... unresolved. Like she's still trying to make him see her side.
And here's the thing: I really wanted to like this book. I went in rooting for Amanda. But, man, it was a slog. I found it surprisingly dull, and I just couldn't connect with Knox's voice. I forced myself to finish it, hoping for some kind of satisfying resolution, but it just wasn't there for me.
Honestly, I think I need to reread Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" now. That's a book about finding purpose in suffering, and it's actually, you know, well-written.
Which brings me to my biggest issue: the writing in "Free" is just... not good. I don't know if Knox wrote it all herself, if there was a ghostwriter involved, or if it's a collaboration with ChatGPT, but it feels clunky and unengaging.
Look, no one can truly know what Amanda Knox went through. Years stolen, reputation destroyed, still guilty in the court of public opinion despite being acquitted. It's a horrific situation.
I genuinely hope she finds peace and can live a happy life away from the spotlight. But as a book? "Free" just didn't do it for me.
Disclaimer: I received a free advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. This review reflects my personal and independent opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2025
As someone who is extremely passionate about the innocence project, restorative justice initiatives, and abolishment of the death penalty, this book struck an unexpected chord in me. Amanda is an engaging writer and engages in conceptualizing her experiences through the lens of a variety of philosophical lens. Many people do not spend a long time thinking about how we are only one incident away from the criminal justice system, and I think Amanda has incredibly valuable insights into how our social narrative about criminal justice, guilt, and punishment have long and spiraling impacts. The part of this book that most resonated with me was actually the chapter on the women of ill respite, she so beautifully articulated a lot of the complex feelings about how the media has eviscerated women in way that is uniquely critical and cruel. I also really enjoyed the commentary about victimhood, and her final thoughts about Meredith. Overall, I think this was a valuable contribution outside of the typical true crime genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review
March 24, 2025
Her MIND! Probably my favorite celebrity (?) memoir I’ve ever read. Started crying multiple times.
March 13, 2025
In a world where the word "freedom" is often casually tossed around, Amanda Knox offers a profound meditation on what it truly means to be free in her poignant new memoir, "Free: My Search for Meaning." With searing honesty and remarkable insight, Knox takes readers through her harrowing journey from wrongful imprisonment to a different kind of confinement—life as "the girl accused of murder"—and finally to a hard-won freedom that transcends her circumstances.
This isn't Knox's first memoir. In 2013, she published "Waiting to Be Heard," which focused primarily on her wrongful conviction and imprisonment for the 2007 murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy. But where that book answered the "what" of her experience, "Free" tackles the far more complex "so what?"—examining how one reclaims an identity and builds meaning after being defined by the worst thing that never happened to you.
The Evolution of Resilience
Knox's narrative is structured to mirror Dante's Divine Comedy, moving from "Inferno" (prison) to "Purgatorio" (freedom but still confined by public perception) to "Paradiso" (genuine freedom through forgiveness and purpose). This framework serves the material beautifully, transforming what could have been merely a traumatic recounting into a philosophical exploration of human resilience.
The book's opening sections about her time in Italy's Capanne prison reveal Knox's remarkable capacity for adaptation. She writes with raw vulnerability about contemplating suicide after her conviction:
"I eventually settled on slitting my wrists. I could do it with a shattered plastic pen. I would turn the shower on as hot as I could get it. I would wait until my cellmates were out in the yard, I would lie down—two quick vertical slits—and I would let the water carry my life slowly down the drain."
What saved her, she explains, was not hope but a conscious choice to live despite her circumstances. This epiphany—that accepting her reality rather than waiting for rescue was essential to survival—marks the first of many profound insights Knox shares throughout the memoir.
Finding Identity Beyond Infamy
Knox's prose shines brightest when she examines how public perception shaped her post-prison existence. Her description of struggling to reconnect with others while carrying the baggage of global infamy is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking:
"I'd had more transparency about my potential fate when I was on trial; my lawyers always gave it to me straight."
The reader witnesses Knox's painful attempts to reintegrate into society—her failed relationships, her paranoia about being recognized, the bizarre experience of having strangers approach her with proposals or death threats. One particularly moving section details how she was manipulated by a con man who pretended to have been wrongfully accused himself, exploiting her desperate need to be understood.
The Path to Genuine Freedom
What elevates "Free" beyond a typical post-trauma memoir is Amanda Knox's evolving understanding of freedom as a practice rather than a state of being. Through her connection with the Innocence Network, her correspondence with her former prosecutor Giuliano Mignini, and her eventual face-to-face meeting with him, Knox demonstrates how freedom ultimately comes through agency and compassion:
"To be free is to be powerful, and if your power is kindness, you are always free. No one can stop you from being kind."
This perspective allows Knox to ultimately move beyond righteous anger toward something more profound: a reconciliation not just with her circumstances but with the very people who caused her suffering.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works:
1. Philosophical depth - Knox seamlessly weaves philosophical concepts from Stoicism, Zen Buddhism, and existentialism into her personal narrative
2. Emotional honesty - She never shies away from difficult truths, including her own mistakes and ongoing struggles
3. Structural brilliance - The Dante-inspired framework gives meaningful shape to a complex emotional journey
4. Universal relevance - Knox effectively translates her extraordinary circumstances into insights applicable to everyday challenges
Where It Falls Short:
1. Occasional defensiveness - While largely transcendent, Knox sometimes slips into a defensive tone when addressing critics
2. Uneven pacing - The "Purgatorio" section feels somewhat rushed compared to the meticulously detailed "Inferno"
3. Limited perspective on others - While Knox strives for empathy, some key figures in her story (particularly Meredith Kercher's family) remain somewhat flat
4. Idealistic conclusions - Her hard-won wisdom occasionally veers into platitudes that seem too neat for the messy reality she describes
A Cultural Mirror
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of "Free" is how Amanda Knox uses her extraordinary circumstances to illuminate broader cultural issues. Her examination of "the Sisterhood of Ill Repute"—women like Monica Lewinsky and Lorena Bobbitt who've been publicly shamed and reduced to tabloid caricatures—offers a scathing critique of how media narratives flatten complex human beings into simple villains or victims.
Similarly, her discussion of the "single victim fallacy"—the idea that acknowledging her suffering somehow diminishes Meredith Kercher's victimhood—provides a nuanced perspective on how our culture often pits victims against each other rather than recognizing the complex web of harm created by violence and injustice.
Final Assessment
"Free" Amanda Knox is not just a memoir about wrongful conviction and its aftermath. It's a profound meditation on what it means to be human in a world that constantly seeks to define us, judge us, and confine us to simplistic narratives. Knox writes:
"You can't choose your life, but you can choose how you feel about it, which will affect your life moving forward as you encounter an endless string of new challenges."
This hard-won wisdom—earned through extraordinary suffering and remarkable resilience—makes "Free" essential reading not just for those interested in Amanda Knox's specific case, but for anyone who has ever felt trapped by circumstances, defined by others, or in search of meaning amid seemingly senseless suffering.
For readers familiar with Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" or Pema Chödrön's "When Things Fall Apart," Knox's memoir offers a contemporary companion that demonstrates how ancient wisdom about suffering and resilience remains relevant in our hyperconnected, judgment-filled world.
While not without flaws, "Free" ultimately delivers on its ambitious promise: to transform one woman's extraordinary trauma into universal insights about the nature of freedom, the practice of compassion, and the art of creating meaning even in life's darkest moments.
Personal Reflection
I received an advance reader copy of "Free" in exchange for an honest review, and I found myself unexpectedly moved by Amanda Knox's journey. Having followed her case peripherally over the years, I approached the book with my own preconceptions—some I wasn't even aware of until Knox's candid writing forced me to confront them.
What struck me most was the evolution evident in Knox's writing since her first memoir. Where "Waiting to Be Heard" necessarily focused on establishing facts and proclaiming innocence, "Free" operates from a place of hard-won wisdom. The voice is more contemplative, the insights more universal, and the emotional landscape infinitely more nuanced.
At its core, this is a book about transformation—not just Knox's personal evolution from trauma victim to meaning-maker, but the transformation possible for all of us when we choose to view our wounds not as defining limitations but as portals to deeper understanding. In that sense, Knox has created something truly remarkable: a memoir that transcends its genre to become a genuine guide to living with purpose even when—perhaps especially when—life deals its cruelest blows.
This isn't Knox's first memoir. In 2013, she published "Waiting to Be Heard," which focused primarily on her wrongful conviction and imprisonment for the 2007 murder of her roommate Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy. But where that book answered the "what" of her experience, "Free" tackles the far more complex "so what?"—examining how one reclaims an identity and builds meaning after being defined by the worst thing that never happened to you.
The Evolution of Resilience
Knox's narrative is structured to mirror Dante's Divine Comedy, moving from "Inferno" (prison) to "Purgatorio" (freedom but still confined by public perception) to "Paradiso" (genuine freedom through forgiveness and purpose). This framework serves the material beautifully, transforming what could have been merely a traumatic recounting into a philosophical exploration of human resilience.
The book's opening sections about her time in Italy's Capanne prison reveal Knox's remarkable capacity for adaptation. She writes with raw vulnerability about contemplating suicide after her conviction:
"I eventually settled on slitting my wrists. I could do it with a shattered plastic pen. I would turn the shower on as hot as I could get it. I would wait until my cellmates were out in the yard, I would lie down—two quick vertical slits—and I would let the water carry my life slowly down the drain."
What saved her, she explains, was not hope but a conscious choice to live despite her circumstances. This epiphany—that accepting her reality rather than waiting for rescue was essential to survival—marks the first of many profound insights Knox shares throughout the memoir.
Finding Identity Beyond Infamy
Knox's prose shines brightest when she examines how public perception shaped her post-prison existence. Her description of struggling to reconnect with others while carrying the baggage of global infamy is both heart-wrenching and thought-provoking:
"I'd had more transparency about my potential fate when I was on trial; my lawyers always gave it to me straight."
The reader witnesses Knox's painful attempts to reintegrate into society—her failed relationships, her paranoia about being recognized, the bizarre experience of having strangers approach her with proposals or death threats. One particularly moving section details how she was manipulated by a con man who pretended to have been wrongfully accused himself, exploiting her desperate need to be understood.
The Path to Genuine Freedom
What elevates "Free" beyond a typical post-trauma memoir is Amanda Knox's evolving understanding of freedom as a practice rather than a state of being. Through her connection with the Innocence Network, her correspondence with her former prosecutor Giuliano Mignini, and her eventual face-to-face meeting with him, Knox demonstrates how freedom ultimately comes through agency and compassion:
"To be free is to be powerful, and if your power is kindness, you are always free. No one can stop you from being kind."
This perspective allows Knox to ultimately move beyond righteous anger toward something more profound: a reconciliation not just with her circumstances but with the very people who caused her suffering.
Strengths and Weaknesses
What Works:
1. Philosophical depth - Knox seamlessly weaves philosophical concepts from Stoicism, Zen Buddhism, and existentialism into her personal narrative
2. Emotional honesty - She never shies away from difficult truths, including her own mistakes and ongoing struggles
3. Structural brilliance - The Dante-inspired framework gives meaningful shape to a complex emotional journey
4. Universal relevance - Knox effectively translates her extraordinary circumstances into insights applicable to everyday challenges
Where It Falls Short:
1. Occasional defensiveness - While largely transcendent, Knox sometimes slips into a defensive tone when addressing critics
2. Uneven pacing - The "Purgatorio" section feels somewhat rushed compared to the meticulously detailed "Inferno"
3. Limited perspective on others - While Knox strives for empathy, some key figures in her story (particularly Meredith Kercher's family) remain somewhat flat
4. Idealistic conclusions - Her hard-won wisdom occasionally veers into platitudes that seem too neat for the messy reality she describes
A Cultural Mirror
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of "Free" is how Amanda Knox uses her extraordinary circumstances to illuminate broader cultural issues. Her examination of "the Sisterhood of Ill Repute"—women like Monica Lewinsky and Lorena Bobbitt who've been publicly shamed and reduced to tabloid caricatures—offers a scathing critique of how media narratives flatten complex human beings into simple villains or victims.
Similarly, her discussion of the "single victim fallacy"—the idea that acknowledging her suffering somehow diminishes Meredith Kercher's victimhood—provides a nuanced perspective on how our culture often pits victims against each other rather than recognizing the complex web of harm created by violence and injustice.
Final Assessment
"Free" Amanda Knox is not just a memoir about wrongful conviction and its aftermath. It's a profound meditation on what it means to be human in a world that constantly seeks to define us, judge us, and confine us to simplistic narratives. Knox writes:
"You can't choose your life, but you can choose how you feel about it, which will affect your life moving forward as you encounter an endless string of new challenges."
This hard-won wisdom—earned through extraordinary suffering and remarkable resilience—makes "Free" essential reading not just for those interested in Amanda Knox's specific case, but for anyone who has ever felt trapped by circumstances, defined by others, or in search of meaning amid seemingly senseless suffering.
For readers familiar with Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" or Pema Chödrön's "When Things Fall Apart," Knox's memoir offers a contemporary companion that demonstrates how ancient wisdom about suffering and resilience remains relevant in our hyperconnected, judgment-filled world.
While not without flaws, "Free" ultimately delivers on its ambitious promise: to transform one woman's extraordinary trauma into universal insights about the nature of freedom, the practice of compassion, and the art of creating meaning even in life's darkest moments.
Personal Reflection
I received an advance reader copy of "Free" in exchange for an honest review, and I found myself unexpectedly moved by Amanda Knox's journey. Having followed her case peripherally over the years, I approached the book with my own preconceptions—some I wasn't even aware of until Knox's candid writing forced me to confront them.
What struck me most was the evolution evident in Knox's writing since her first memoir. Where "Waiting to Be Heard" necessarily focused on establishing facts and proclaiming innocence, "Free" operates from a place of hard-won wisdom. The voice is more contemplative, the insights more universal, and the emotional landscape infinitely more nuanced.
At its core, this is a book about transformation—not just Knox's personal evolution from trauma victim to meaning-maker, but the transformation possible for all of us when we choose to view our wounds not as defining limitations but as portals to deeper understanding. In that sense, Knox has created something truly remarkable: a memoir that transcends its genre to become a genuine guide to living with purpose even when—perhaps especially when—life deals its cruelest blows.
May 9, 2025
2nd memoir by Amanda Knox, US student falsely accused of murdering her roommate, spent 4 years in Italian prison. She describes how she had to survive one day at a time. But even when she was released she faced another kind of prison with media and viewers more interested in the salacious aspects. Italian court even tried to try her again until its supreme court overturned. She later even reaches out to her Italian prosecuter hoping he'll admit his error. Her "freedom" finally coming from her (a little too new- ageish for me) embrace of Eastern philosophy. But I guess if we went thru such trauma we'd look for any way to get past it. Recommend Nina Burleigh's book,"Fatal Gift of Beauty" about the first trial.
May 17, 2025
Raw, powerful, and at times emotional. Knox’s story is one that most of us know, and I am in awe of how she has been able to find freedom and peace in the aftermath. It’s truly inspirational.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
I received an advanced copy through Netgalley in return for an honest review.
February 2, 2025
Parts of this I really enjoyed and parts were harder. Amanda is a great writer and I really enjoyed her reflections on her life, trauma, and healing. I understand she felt she needed to do it for her own healing but the parts with her prosecutor were really really hard for me to read. Every cell in my body was screaming "NO! DON'T DO IT!!!" As a longtime believer in Amanda's innocence I am glad she's able to build a happy life for herself and find peace.
dnf
February 16, 2025Made it to 19% and find myself not wanting to return to it. It’s a dnf for now but most likely forever.
May 8, 2025
This was a very thought-provoking book about Knox's time in prison and then her release. How does one deal with the worldwide scrutiny? Is one's life reduced to one moment in time, even if wrongly accused? What is the goal of life if public scrutiny has tried to define you before you've had a chance to define yourself?
All of these questions are explored and I found them to be SO interesting and complex. I appreciate that she tackled what her life looked like as a labeled convict, and later, after being proclaimed innocent. If you like books about character and the philosophy of life, this memoir is right up your alley.
All of these questions are explored and I found them to be SO interesting and complex. I appreciate that she tackled what her life looked like as a labeled convict, and later, after being proclaimed innocent. If you like books about character and the philosophy of life, this memoir is right up your alley.
April 12, 2025
Listening to the audiobook narrated by Amanda Knox transports you into her world without the media skewing the story for click bait. Telling her story in her own voice and at times, even hearing a slight tremble as she spoke made this a 5 star for me. I was interested in this trial when it broke and what happened with the verdict and retrial is unreal. What I got out of this is the court of public opinion and the media swaying the story can be more powerful than the justice system. I was in Milan in April of 2011, 6 months before Amanda Knox’s appeal verdict. Our cousins who lived in Milan had “no doubt of her guilt.” I never have brought this up since but their certainty stunned me. How can this even occur in these times? This can happen to any one of us or our children abroad. It’s a very real truth. Amanda has shown us that kindness can bring us peace and I’m happy she has found this for herself.
March 24, 2025
Thanks to the publisher, via Netgalley, for an advance e-galley for honest review.
I read Amanda Knox's first memoir over a decade ago when it first came out, and I was skeptical about a second memoir. After reading this one, I'm going to heavily advocate that anyone interested in hearing Amanda's story from her perspective pick this one up and not even consider picking up the first. I know I am not the only person who walked away from her first memoir thinking that she didn't do herself any favors, but this one, written with the benefit of time, healing, maturity, and perspective, does an excellent job communicating her experience and its lasting effects on her life and worldview.
I read Amanda Knox's first memoir over a decade ago when it first came out, and I was skeptical about a second memoir. After reading this one, I'm going to heavily advocate that anyone interested in hearing Amanda's story from her perspective pick this one up and not even consider picking up the first. I know I am not the only person who walked away from her first memoir thinking that she didn't do herself any favors, but this one, written with the benefit of time, healing, maturity, and perspective, does an excellent job communicating her experience and its lasting effects on her life and worldview.
April 11, 2025
2.75 ⭐️ Relieved it’s over.
April 25, 2025
Was not expecting Joe Rogan to be thanked in this book but go off I guess lol
October 31, 2025
I really could not be done with this book fast enough. I couldn’t believe it was almost 13 hours on audio the bulk of which was her describing how she was having another panic attack. I didn’t realize that she had written a first memoir, so maybe that would be better than this one, but I think based on this experience, I can’t bring myself to read it. This seemed like pure filler, like she ran out of money and needed a book deal.
April 30, 2025
Free: My Search for Meaning by Amanda Knox
4 stars ⭐️🤣🤣🤣
Amanda Knox’s Free: My Search for Meaning is more than a memoir-it’s a powerful meditation on resilience, self-determination, and the radical act of reclaiming one’s own narrative. While the story is rooted in her harrowing experience of being falsely accused and imprisoned in a foreign country, the true strength of this book lies in how Knox transforms that trauma into a broader reflection on hope, forgiveness, and personal agency.
What surprised me most is how Free isn’t really about reliving the crime or defending her innocence-it’s about what comes after. It’s about how we choose to understand our past, and how we can live with purpose even when life feels irreparably broken. Knox doesn’t ask for pity. Instead, she invites us to think about what it means to find peace when the world has stripped away your freedom, identity, and dignity.
Her writing is poetic and deeply personal-particularly her vivid reflections on growing up in Washington state and her love for the outdoors, which stand in stark contrast to her years in confinement. Her journey from solitary isolation to slowly regaining autonomy mirrors her inner transformation: she didn’t just survive-she decided who she would become.
One of the most surprising moments in the book is her decision to build a relationship with the prosecutor who once helped take her freedom away. It’s a powerful testament to her belief that we are not only shaped by our pain, but by what we choose to do with it.
Ultimately, Free is not just Amanda Knox’s story-it’s a story that dares readers to reflect on their own capacity for healing, forgiveness, and meaning-making. Her journey challenges us to ask: what would we do if everything we knew about our lives shattered-and how might we begin again?
Her story will stick with me for a long time.
4 stars ⭐️🤣🤣🤣
Amanda Knox’s Free: My Search for Meaning is more than a memoir-it’s a powerful meditation on resilience, self-determination, and the radical act of reclaiming one’s own narrative. While the story is rooted in her harrowing experience of being falsely accused and imprisoned in a foreign country, the true strength of this book lies in how Knox transforms that trauma into a broader reflection on hope, forgiveness, and personal agency.
What surprised me most is how Free isn’t really about reliving the crime or defending her innocence-it’s about what comes after. It’s about how we choose to understand our past, and how we can live with purpose even when life feels irreparably broken. Knox doesn’t ask for pity. Instead, she invites us to think about what it means to find peace when the world has stripped away your freedom, identity, and dignity.
Her writing is poetic and deeply personal-particularly her vivid reflections on growing up in Washington state and her love for the outdoors, which stand in stark contrast to her years in confinement. Her journey from solitary isolation to slowly regaining autonomy mirrors her inner transformation: she didn’t just survive-she decided who she would become.
One of the most surprising moments in the book is her decision to build a relationship with the prosecutor who once helped take her freedom away. It’s a powerful testament to her belief that we are not only shaped by our pain, but by what we choose to do with it.
Ultimately, Free is not just Amanda Knox’s story-it’s a story that dares readers to reflect on their own capacity for healing, forgiveness, and meaning-making. Her journey challenges us to ask: what would we do if everything we knew about our lives shattered-and how might we begin again?
Her story will stick with me for a long time.
May 8, 2025
Realized I knew nothing more about this story than what was fed to me by the media. What an actual living nightmare to overcome.
June 4, 2025
Amanda Knox has managed to write a book discussing freedom through the lens of her very unique experience and somehow made it relatable. I found her viewpoints on forgiveness to be very admirable. I listened to the audiobook, which she narrates herself. I only knew the 'Amanda Knox story' at a high level, but I was very surprised about the contents and reflections in this book.
I'm not special. You don't have to be especially weird or especially unlucky to wind up wrongly convicted. You don't have to be especially smart or especially strong to survive it and come out the other side believing in the goodness of the world. The same is true for cancer, assault, bankruptcy, you name it. Part of being human is confronting tragedy and getting through it. It's easy to think you're alone when you're in the thick of it. Loneliness is essentially a feeling of separation from everyone around you. The mantra of the lonely becomes 'you don't know what it's like.' I can't tell you how many times I've said that to myself. And with each repetition, the crack between you and the world widens. In that divide, loneliness grows like a weed that keeps returning no matter how many times you try to pluck it by the roots. But the weed shrivels when you recognize that other people do in fact know what it's like. That you're not unique in the hand life dealt you. However much it may feel that way, you are not in fact alone. When well intentioned people come up to me and say I can't imagine what you've been through, I simply say, try. We're all going through something. We're all carrying something. And the gulf that separates us from one another is bridgeable through empathy. Empathy is a tool of the imagination. You may not have lived someone else's worst moment, but you've lived your own.
Before I got wrongly accused, I never gave the criminal justice system a second thought because I belonged to a class of people who didn't have to.
After serious trauma, you don't get to go back to who you were, but you have to figure out how to have a say in who you become.
I also enjoyed discussing Burning Man and the value in seeing what a world without transactions or judgement would be like. Fear, especially fear of judgement, is poison for play. A good reminder to play more.
Also going back to Italy and meeting with her prosecutor was memorable. Any version of grief is challenging, but grieving a past you that you can't get back is tricky.
We suffer when the story of our lives isn't proceeding the way we want it to. Because we feel like the protagonists of our own stories, I think we feel like we should have a say. Or that what becomes of us should at least make some sense. So when something happens that seems to come out of nowhere, something that seems random, it induces deer in headlights awe. We are paralyzed. I feel blessed that I was struck by this so suddenly. This nightmare was my life. This was my story. But this feeling can also sneak up on you until you find one day that there's something off about your life. That surely this isn't the life you're supposed to be living. If agency is clarity, all you need to do to take back control of your life is to see more clearly. The feeling of freedom comes from realizing who we truly are and how we truly exist.
Rounded up.
I'm not special. You don't have to be especially weird or especially unlucky to wind up wrongly convicted. You don't have to be especially smart or especially strong to survive it and come out the other side believing in the goodness of the world. The same is true for cancer, assault, bankruptcy, you name it. Part of being human is confronting tragedy and getting through it. It's easy to think you're alone when you're in the thick of it. Loneliness is essentially a feeling of separation from everyone around you. The mantra of the lonely becomes 'you don't know what it's like.' I can't tell you how many times I've said that to myself. And with each repetition, the crack between you and the world widens. In that divide, loneliness grows like a weed that keeps returning no matter how many times you try to pluck it by the roots. But the weed shrivels when you recognize that other people do in fact know what it's like. That you're not unique in the hand life dealt you. However much it may feel that way, you are not in fact alone. When well intentioned people come up to me and say I can't imagine what you've been through, I simply say, try. We're all going through something. We're all carrying something. And the gulf that separates us from one another is bridgeable through empathy. Empathy is a tool of the imagination. You may not have lived someone else's worst moment, but you've lived your own.
Before I got wrongly accused, I never gave the criminal justice system a second thought because I belonged to a class of people who didn't have to.
After serious trauma, you don't get to go back to who you were, but you have to figure out how to have a say in who you become.
I also enjoyed discussing Burning Man and the value in seeing what a world without transactions or judgement would be like. Fear, especially fear of judgement, is poison for play. A good reminder to play more.
Also going back to Italy and meeting with her prosecutor was memorable. Any version of grief is challenging, but grieving a past you that you can't get back is tricky.
We suffer when the story of our lives isn't proceeding the way we want it to. Because we feel like the protagonists of our own stories, I think we feel like we should have a say. Or that what becomes of us should at least make some sense. So when something happens that seems to come out of nowhere, something that seems random, it induces deer in headlights awe. We are paralyzed. I feel blessed that I was struck by this so suddenly. This nightmare was my life. This was my story. But this feeling can also sneak up on you until you find one day that there's something off about your life. That surely this isn't the life you're supposed to be living. If agency is clarity, all you need to do to take back control of your life is to see more clearly. The feeling of freedom comes from realizing who we truly are and how we truly exist.
Rounded up.
September 11, 2025
I had to give this 5 stars because of the content and the fact I literally could not put it down. I wouldn’t say it is the best written book I have ever read but it completely consumed me. I went through an Amanda knox phase in 2018 when her other book and show came out but i’m currently also watching the new Knox show on hulu and it’s just insane that she has such a good attitude about the hardships she faced and the what ifs. For the last two days I thought about Amanda Knox 18 of my 24 hours. I was reading while walking, eating, even holding my Kindle in the shower just to keep going. That says it all. Will be reading Rafaelo’s book next!
May 21, 2025
This was a fascinating audiobook that I had to read when I saw that it was releasing. Specially, since my latest novel was loosely inspired by Amanda’s experience. This memoir dies into trauma, recovery, resilience, and so much more. She talks about her experience from the murder through trial into being vindicated. But it’s not truly about that experience. It’s about how we overcome the trauma in our past. It is a fascinating and well worth the time. The only thing missing is the source of true Hope.
June 6, 2025
Free by Amanda Knox
Audio Version
Overall Grade: A-
Information: A-
Writing/Organization: A
Narration: A
Best Aspect: Since she has not been in the media as much as she once was it was good to hear about her life post her incarceration in Italy.
Worst Aspect: Not as personal as I like my memoirs to be, she is famous and well spoken, but not full of emotions in her stories of her life.
Recommend: Yes.
Audio Version
Overall Grade: A-
Information: A-
Writing/Organization: A
Narration: A
Best Aspect: Since she has not been in the media as much as she once was it was good to hear about her life post her incarceration in Italy.
Worst Aspect: Not as personal as I like my memoirs to be, she is famous and well spoken, but not full of emotions in her stories of her life.
Recommend: Yes.
April 19, 2025
I really liked Amanda’s writing, you could tell the return to Italy was healing for her.
She really highlights how the media treats women, influences their reputation and shifts the attention away from victims. Thought the comparison to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal was great too.
She really highlights how the media treats women, influences their reputation and shifts the attention away from victims. Thought the comparison to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal was great too.
March 24, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for this eARC!
I was surprised when telling others I was reading this book, that not many people were familiar with Amanda Knox & her story. Amanda’s story is harrowing and powerful, and I invite you all to read her rendition of the injustices brought against her. I particularly enjoyed the way she describes the idea of being “free” as not starting when she was released from prison, but as a journey to finding her own freedom. I feel for this woman who had everything ripped out from under her at such a young, impressionable age. & I hope one day she finds the peace & freedom she so desperately deserves. Not to mention, she is a stunning, skilled writer.
I was surprised when telling others I was reading this book, that not many people were familiar with Amanda Knox & her story. Amanda’s story is harrowing and powerful, and I invite you all to read her rendition of the injustices brought against her. I particularly enjoyed the way she describes the idea of being “free” as not starting when she was released from prison, but as a journey to finding her own freedom. I feel for this woman who had everything ripped out from under her at such a young, impressionable age. & I hope one day she finds the peace & freedom she so desperately deserves. Not to mention, she is a stunning, skilled writer.
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