Brave

by Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan was born in one cult and came of age in another, more visible cult: Hollywood.

In a strange world where she was continually on display, stardom soon became a personal nightmare of constant exposure and sexualization. Rose escaped into the world of her mind, something she had done as a child, and into high-profile relationships. Every detail of her personal life became public, and the realities of an inherently sexist industry emerged with every script, role, public appearance, and magazine cover. The Hollywood machine packaged her as a sexualized bombshell, hijacking her image and identity and marketing them for profit.

Hollywood expected Rose to be silent and cooperative and to stay the path. Instead, she rebelled and asserted her true identity and voice. She reemerged unscripted, courageous, victorious, angry, smart, fierce, unapologetic, controversial, and real as f*ck.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Feminism, Biography, Audiobook, Autobiography, Biography Memoir

247 pages, Paperback

First published January 30, 2018

About the author

ROSE McGOWAN is a thought leader and agent of change. As a writer, director, music artist, icon, entrepreneur, and feminist whistle-blower, she focused a spotlight on injustice and inequality in the entertainment industry and beyond. As an activist, she led a movement to break the silence and became a leading voice in the fight to disrupt the status quo. By creating the social justice platform #ROSEARMY, she has signaled to the world that it is time to think differently and be better. Rose gained recognition as an actress who held lead roles in films such as The Doom Generation, Scream, Jawbreaker, and Planet Terror. She starred on the hit series Charmed, one of the longest-running female-led shows in tv history. Her directorial debut, Dawn, was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Join the movement at http://ROSEARMY.com.

Reviews

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not going to review this book.
I'm not going to talk about Rose McGowan.
I'm not going to talk about how much better I am than all those "other" men.


I'm a male.
I'm a white male.
I'm a white male heterosexual.


This book isn't about the other men. It's about every man. It's about every woman.
What I'm going to do is look at myself and think about the things I can do better.

So buy this book. Read it. Give it to your daughters and give it to your sons.

[Debbie · Rating 2 out of 5]

!!!!????!!!!!&&&&%%??&!!!!!!??!!

OMG, I hated this book!! Full of lectures, full of rage, full of contempt for the reader. Since Rose McGowan was one of the key whistle blowers in Hollywood’s Harvey Weinstein gross story, she certainly gets to be livid. Add in the many other despicable things that happened to her in Hollywood (even severe physical injuries), and you have a cringe-worthy and sad story. But here’s the thing: In this book she has an agenda, and she goes beyond just reporting.

I HAD to read this book, because—get this—I used to work with Rose McGowan’s mom, Terri. We were both editors in a tech company. One day she came to work with a mama’s brag-grin and told me that her kid was on the cover of Rolling Stone. Holy shit! Then Terri blew my mind. The cover girl Rose was not the big story, as far as I was concerned. The blew-my-mind part was that Terri had six (!) kids and they were all born in Italy in the huge and scandalous religious cult called Children of God. She talked about escaping from the cult. I doubt I blinked while she told me stranger and stranger things. This was not typical editor talk, that’s for sure. She provided many details (because of course a mom of a Hollywood star can’t shut up), but damn, I forget most of the story. I remember she said that Rose’s boyfriend, the shock-rocker goth kid Marilyn Manson, was in real life a nice, soft-spoken guy from the Midwest. My teenage daughters wanted Rose’s autograph, but Rose had forbidden her mother to ever say yes to John Hancocks. I don’t blame her.

Before I get all chalky and bulky with my Complaint Board, I’ll say what I did like. McGowan is an articulate reporter who draws you in to her amazing life. When she talked about her days in the cult and her life before Hollywood, I was riveted and empathetic. What an intense and bizarre childhood she had.

And when she talked about her Hollywood days, I was equally riveted and empathetic. It was interesting to hear about Marilyn Manson, since her mom had talked to me about him. She talks about her several abusive relationships. And McGowan details her rape by Weinstein; it is so vivid I don’t think I’ll ever be able to erase it from my mind. It’s real and raw and I have to give her credit for putting it all out there for the world to see. And she talks about how women (and teens) were made to act sexually to titillate directors, all very upsetting. I was creeped out.

I learned a lot about Hollywood. We get an intricate view of acting and movie-making. She talks about the physical challenges, the mind fucks, the media slams and gossip, the lack of sleep, the abuse of power, the often disgusting treatment of women, the grueling hours, the stopping of emotion after “Cut.” Scenes that made her relive trauma. Sex, auditions, trying to remember lines. She sure painted a nasty picture of the business. If wanna-be actors read this, they very well might run the other way.

As long as Rose stuck to her personal story, or talked about what she saw in Hollywood, the book was fascinating and intense. She should have left it at that.

Because her well-told story could not save the book. OMG is my Complaint Board full! Her rants! The rant happens at the beginning, but I tried to ignore it, patiently waiting until she got to the memoir part. But after her story, the rant picks up and takes over the last half of the book. Her tone is nasty. She is so full of hate, I was squirming. I just can’t sit and listen to hate all day, I just can’t. She seems to have a deep hatred of all men. I’m not surprised that she does, given all the horrors she endured, but her hatred is over the top and it feels like she’s trying to tell me I have to hate all men too. I of course abhor woman haters, but I don’t like man haters either. The other gender is not the root of all our problems. But in truth, it seems like she hates all people. The hate overfloweth, and more and more I was jonesin’ to get away from it.

Okay, so she hates, which makes her seem at war with the world. And she also preaches, emphatically and obnoxiously. Maybe her days in a cult made her sort of act like a cult leader? The preachy tone is off-putting, plus the rhetoric seems sophomoric at times. She seems to have aspirations of being the leader of all abused women, and she has a high opinion of herself. If she weren’t so militant and prickly, maybe she’d succeed. I tend to run the other way. Although she says she feels sorry for women who are abused, it doesn’t have a ring of sincerity to it. The book seems all about her and a quest for power.

The tone is so condescending to the reader, and shows such contempt, it drove me nuts. She actually says “grow up” more than once! Yeah, I really want to read a book that tells me to grow up! Thank you, Rose, I’ll work on that!

But the final straw was at the end when she pushed her new “revolutionary” (seriously, she uses this word) skin-care line. What??? We have this militant feminist fighting against the man and meanwhile she’s trying to sell you something to make your skin feel pretty? Yes, Rose, I’ll be revolutionary and head to the women’s march in my pink hat, but first, let me rub some of your revolutionary skin cream into my face—hell, maybe I should do a full-blown facial. Rub-a-dub-dub.

Oh, and she pushed an album she just made, too. I’m sorry, please help me understand. You used to be an actor and now you are a director. But you are also a revolutionary, a skin-care specialist, a marketer, and an indie rocker. Hm…somehow all those things don’t go together. (btw, I checked out her album. Sorry, it didn’t work for me. Understatement.)

I Googled some of her interviews, and my opinion of them matched my opinion of the book. It was hard to watch her early interviews, like one with Howard Stern, where she was a smiley sex pot. In recent interviews, McGowan is intense and the opposite of frivolous. She criticized her compadres who wore black to the Golden Globes as a protest against sexual harassment. She had her reasons, but they didn’t convince me. Sorry, but I liked the black-gown wearers. If she is putting down my Meryl Streep, well, that is not okay, lol. In one interview she said maybe she’d run for governor of California someday. Seriously. I am not kidding.

This book may be a trigger for sexual-abuse survivors because the details of her assault are vivid. Obviously, the book was some sort of trigger for me, because I hated her hate! But if the book helps empower any woman who is a sexual abuse victim, that’s really important. The book just did not work for me. Bigtime.

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw Rose McGowan on an episode of The View recently. I found her edgy, forthcoming, and, well, brave. Hollywood and pop culture are not interests of mine at the moment, but seeing her on The View had me intrigued. When I saw the audiobook available, and that she read it, I figured why not?

Same with this book. Rose is rough around the edges. She does not mince words. All the same, she says and said things that not many others will. She confronted the hard stuff. She put her heart out there for all to see. Sometimes you think a Hollywood actress has an easy life, but whatever “ease” Rose McGowan found, she earned the hard way. Starting her life raised in a cult in Italy with an alcoholic and abusive father and an emotionally absent mother, Rose had good reason to be a little tempestuous.

Rose talked about each of her Hollywood relationships, the movies and TV shows she’s done, as well as her life growing up, the incident with “the monster,” and other experiences she had in Hollywood as a female actor and director. She also shared her hope and ideas for future endeavors.

I found Brave to be engaging (though, at times, it was difficult due to the content), honest, and entertaining. She may not always be well-liked. She may be hard to “hear” at times because she’s brusque; however, Rose’s message about Hollywood and how it shapes women is an important one.

🎧 Review of the audio read by Rose McGowan. I think hearing her read her own words added to the authenticity and poignancy.

[Feyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Whatever is different about you is what makes you amazing. Others will try to homogenize you for their own comfort level, because God forbid discomfort. Fuck that. Do not bend yourself to make others feel taller.”
― Rose McGowan, Brave



Rose McGowan offers a revealing self-portrait which focuses on the trauma of sexual assault and the experience of being a female actress in Hollywood. This was Honest, Fearless, Powerful and filled with that which makes you fall in love with the author through her struggles, root for her and most of all, want to turn the pages until you're done.

[Glitterbomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off, "feminist" is not a dirty word, and fuck you if you think it is. You're exactly the kind of person who should read this.

I know a lot of men and women (yes, women too) who are going to hate this book. They are going to palm it off as feminist bullshit, roll their eyes, and then bask in their own egotism. They're going to say "That doesn't happen anymore, this is all over sensationalised!". Sorry sweetheart, hate to break it to you, but it does still happen. Every day. Everywhere. Its probably happening to you and you don't even realise it.

My son once brought a friend home. This friend was telling me about a girl in his class, and he kept referring to her as a slut. They were 14 at the time. Fourteen. I said to this boy that I don't appreciate that kind of talk in my house, and instead of taking the hint and shutting up, he kept saying it. He tried to get around me by spelling it out "S.L.U.T" as if that somehow justified it. I eventually asked him to leave, sat my son down, explained how I have a zero tolerance policy on shaming women in any way and told him this boy was no longer welcome in our home.

I later found out that this boy was going around their school calling me a feminist (in a derogatory way - I'm actually very proud of my feminism). He was blatantly slandering me and using my status as a single parent to shame me. I was furious. I called up this boys mum, who at the time was a friend, and told her what he was doing. I did this so she was aware of his attitude and perhaps prevent other girls being shamed and degraded in the future. I did it out of concern. Do you know what she said to me?

"Hes a boy, he doesn't know what hes saying, he will probably grow out of it. I'm not worried about it.

WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK. ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME?!

No - "You're right, that's unacceptable, Ill talk to him about it".
Not even a simple - "I'm Sorry."

She basically said "boys will be boys" and let him get away with it, which is SUCH a fucked up thing. I don't nit pick other peoples parenting techniques, but this pissed me off so much, I cant even... It's wrong.

Needless to say this woman is no longer a friend. She stood by and let her son demean not only a 14 year old girl, but also a grown woman, an adult, and one that she knew had been through hell at the hands of a misogynistic asshole. Those are the only two instances that I was aware of, but I'm sure there were many, many other girls at that school who were regularly being degraded, not only by that boy, but by countless others. And it scared the shit out of me.

This book stands up and says "FUCK THAT! FUCK YOU!" to degradation of any kind. This is the ultimate book on feminism, and Rose, I fucking love you for telling your story. You are going to be an inspiration to thousands and thousands of women who have ever been treated as less than they are. You gave us a voice, and you are it screaming it from the rooftops.

This isn't just a book about men, and what men do, and how men oppress women. Its also about women who let it happen, its about the people who turn a blind eye and brush it all under the rug. It's about how both sexes are equally culpable for their actions. Ladies, you are also put in the spotlight here for standing by and letting this happen.

This is a call to arms, and I am deeply grateful to Rose for it.

5 stars doesn't even come close. I want to give this a million stars. I want to buy every copy in existence and hand them out to everyone I encounter. I want to shake people and say READ THIS NOW, AND START PAYING ATTENTION!

Feminism is not a dirty word. Be proud and stand up for yourself and your sex. Empower yourself and every other woman out there. Don't ever let a man, or anyone else categorise you, or put you in a box, or place a label on your forehead. Say "fuck you" to them and embrace yourself for who and what you are.

BE BRAVE

[Andrew Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was certainly aware of Rose McGowan as a movie and television actress, though I’m struggling to recall ever watching a film or programme in which she appeared. So I wasn’t sure what to expect from this autobiographical account – even if the title and cover picture offered a clue. What I certainly wasn’t prepared for was exactly how tough her early life had been and how she’d fallen prey to a series of men who bullied, sexualised and abused her from a very early age. It’s a bleak tale indeed, but one with a very clear message.

Rose was born in Italy and raised in a cult in which the leaders were men and women were expected to listen to, obey and even fawn over the males in the group. Her father was a magnetic figure and it seems he took his pleasures from the women without compunction. However, he did draw the line at paedophilia and when he sensed his children were at risk he organised their escape (leaving her mother behind), moving eventually to America.

In her early years in America she moved around, sometimes living with her father and sometimes not, and eventually even became reunited with her mother – who had by then also escaped the cult. Her mother’s boyfriends (or at least the ones she describes) were predatory and abusive and she once again took off on her own. To earn some money, she took on a role as a film extra and this eventually led her to getting her foot in the Hollywood door. The remainder of the account is centred on the years that followed and predominantly the men she met and had professional and personal relationships with.

It’s here that we come across a movie executive who, she says, invited her to a meeting at a hotel only to sexually abuse her. The man is not named but it’s very clear that she’s talking about Harvey Weinstein. I listed to an audio version of the book – read by the author – and this section was very harrowing. The incident clearly affected her a good deal and she was keen to take the matter further but her agent advised her to sweep it under he carpet.

Later she met a film director – again not named, but identifiable as Robert Rodriguez – with whom she began a five-year relationship. RR turned out to be a jealous bully who eventually pushed McGowan to the point she became ill. From here on she talks a little about how her career progressed but a good deal about her contempt for the male species in general. In fact, the last third of the book is effectively a lecture, explaining how men are power driven, born with perceived entitlement and with a need to control, sexualise and abuse women.

Ok, I’ve no doubt that Rose had come across more than her fair share of bad men, in fact her upbringing and subsequent career path would pretty much ensure that this was the case, but this book really does feel one-sided. There’s not a single male (other that a couple of casual references to peripheral characters) who behaves well here. Is this just bad luck or, dare I say it, careful editing. I'm tempted to suggest that RM might have a touch of the misandrist about her.

There’s clearly a good point to be made about the need for female equality but RM’s rant feels like a dreadful over-egging of the pudding. She's extrapolated her own experiences to make more general and wider reaching observations and suggestions. Yes, maybe there are very few female movie directors but – and I can only speak from personal experience – in the area I worked for 40 years, women are starting to get much closer to workplace equality. In fact, in the last ten years of my working life (a period I held my most senior positions) I had more female bosses than male. And male abuse directed towards women was, I strongly believe, nothing like as prevalent as that experienced by the author.

Towards the end of the book there’s a good deal of self promotion about an album she has coming out and some skin care products she’s working on, but I’d rather switched off by this point. It was a case of a good book gone bad.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here lies a BRAVE female opening up an intelligent discussion and also a complete up yours to every male who ever took a piece of Rose McGowan. She lays it all on the line and leaves nothing in the tank. She exposes the dirty and mysogynist mentality that dominates the Hollywood industry since inception and lays it all bare. She takes our collective voices and shouts for us, in this book she gives all women a shove to speak up and do it LOUDLY. I’ve gotta respect the girl. She’s got real guts and isn’t afraid of the repercussions. I loved this book, yes I even loved all the anger, rage and hate that spewed forth so freely. There’s no sugar coating or mincing words it’s all blunt and in your face, for far too long woman have had no voice so it’s great to see someone delivering the message loud and clear. Times up! Let us all unite to raise each other and praise the voices leading the charge. Good on you Rose McGowan keep doing you and allowing woman to be heard everywhere. Like Rose we can all be brave. Read this book get inspired and reach out and support our sisterhood. It’s time to change things up once and for all.

[Luca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this is one of the most difficult books I have ever reviewed. Memoirs and biographies are always difficult but Brave is filled with so many emotions that it becomes even harder to review.

First of all, I want to make it clear that I feel that I am no person to judge Rose for what she wrote down about her life. She was born in a cult in Italy and had one hell of a ride for life to her next destination; Hollywood. Except, Hollywood was not so different from her experiences in the cult. She experienced abuse by various people in different ways, and this obviously had an extreme impact on her.

In Brave, Rose speaks about this in an incredibly powerful way. You can feel her anger and her sadness come to life on these pages. Whilst reading there were so many things going through my mind. Things I would think if I heard this kind of experiences from people close to me or people I barely know... How would other people react? I think it is safe to say that many would be quick to judge (perhaps even me) because that mechanism is deeply embedded in our system.

But, from reading this book I got one strong lesson. Namely, try not to judge. When you are judging someone, whether it is their experience with sexual abuse or something entirely different, you make a small invasion of their lives. Just listen to their stories, and try to stand up when you recognize wrongdoings.

Now, back to the book. If I would have to say something about the writing style in this book, I could tell you that there are better-written books out there. Books that are written a lot better. Yet, this is not the thing that weighs most heavy for me with memoirs. Somehow it actually worked out for me when combined with its content.

I read a review where it was argued that this book should not have been written because Rose McGowan is mentally ill and needed help rather than this book out in the wide world. That I think is not true. In the case she would be mentally ill, she still would have to right to tell her story, and I think that is actually something that can be of help in your healing process. The world should know what the impact of (sexual) abuse is/ can be. Given that not every person has the same experiences I value this book as an honest account of Rose her experience. Not yours, not mine, not the abuser’s, just hers.

I rated this book 4 out of 5 stars, because Rose, Brave you are.

[lov2laf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite frankly, this was fantastic.

Whatever image of Rose McGowan you've had previously, scrap it. Whatever box/label/crazy filter/gas lighting/perception of her you have or see currently in the media, set that aside, too.

Instead, take some time and just listen. Hear this story. Because, for me, it was my story, too, and I'm guessing it's many of yours. The book is, in fact, brave and, dare I say it, trailblazing.

And also at its most fundamental level, the book is incredibly well-written and intelligent. It makes one think and feel. Rose McGowan reading her own words in audiobook form is completely engaging and offers additional impact, as well.

To men, this is not a male bashing book but an eye-opening one that hopefully enhances your perception and empathy for the female experience and even your own. I would urge anyone to read this.

In my own experience, I know "Rose McGowan" as a name, as an actress that's been around for awhile but I don't think I've seen one single movie or tv show she's been on. She caught my attention when I learned she is the impetus behind the #metoo movement, the actress that brought down the elite and ignited a tidal wave of voices.

This book starts with McGowan's early years, detailing her experiences in a spiritual cult as a child, the gender discrimination she encountered and was aware of as she became older, and moves through her years in Hollywood where she reveals the abuse of women she saw and endured.

The book is not a gossip tell-all or a "poor me" diary. This is McGowan illustrating a much bigger picture about the abuses of women in Hollywood and society at large. And, it is absolutely true.

For me personally, I have never heard anyone's experience in childhood that paralleled so closely to my own in the realms of trauma or gender and its life-long lasting effects. It makes the book resonate and lets me know McGowan's voice is completely authentic and without exaggeration.

Do know, because the book is about misogyny and abuse and often is in explicit detail, it can be triggering to a reader.

On the whole, I found the book to be empowering, eye-opening, validating, and hopeful.

Absolutely recommend.

[Nancy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can’t finish this book. The author has a story to tell but she lacks perspective and introspection as well as a good editor and writing coach. I really don’t mean to demean her memoir. It is very real and her childhood was nothing short of bizarre. Yet in the same paragraph she would often paint herself as a victim then tell the reader that she was insulated because she was intelligent and pragmatic.

I’m halfway through the book and haven’t seen her courage. I’m sure it comes but the overwhelming message is Rage with a capital R and denial. Her rage is directed at any and all white males. They victimized her, trapped her, took away her voice. The Rage is overstated and globalized. Yet from the snippets I gathered and the way presented her mother, father, and the holes in her grandparents’ stories, I’m leaning toward a more Freudian take on her Rage. It was easy to hate her father. It was easy to hate the men in the cult. It is easy to blame all the men that kept women oppressed and my mind keeps wandering back to her mother. I can’t help but wonder that, if Rose pushed aside the Rage she expresses over the obvious culprits, that she might find the child Rosa who is actually very confused and angry that her mother didn’t save her.

I am not discounting the author’s anger and at whom she is directing it. I am pointing out that she doth protest too much which is a strong indicator that she needs to dig deeper, move the Rage against white, powerful men aside for a moment and see what is behind it. The Rage has served its purpose well in protecting her but there is something else she needs to find; a vulnerable, scared child? I don’t know but until she accepts that piece of her, she will continue to be angry.

** UPDATE **

I did finish the book. My opinion above stands but with a very conflicted addendum. Actually, I’m not conflicted, I’m deeply disturbed that this book went to publication. The Rage the author portrayed in the first half turned to RAGE where she seemed to believe that respect and dignity are not a two way street. The author seemed to have a superiority complex to nearly everybody she crossed paths with. And she covers herself in her role as a victim, glossing over that, in many instances, she has far more power and choice than she believed. Which might also account for her RAGE. She had choices but didn’t like the alternative so she pretended that she was victimized by other people. “They” boxed her in. “They” hurt her. “They” caused her to do this or that.

I’m struggling with which examples to use, there are so many. One is early in the book when she is homeless and hungry which inflicts her with a deep fear of ever being homeless and hungry again, driving her to take work that was beneath her. This is a great argument except that her street days were her choice. Not that she had a loving home to return to, but she had options. She just didn’t like them. She ran away from a drug rehab. She chose the street over returning to rehab which she treated like a joke.

The author whines about the hardship of being a bombshell in Hollywood. She’s treated like a sexualized object but she has a brain, she laments. She then shows up for an awards show with her boyfriend, Marilyn Manson, in what she called a “nude dress.” I looked it up. Oh. My. Gosh. Naturally, media were upset. People were offended. She explains in her book that Americans are too Puritanical about bodies to understand the irony. We are not enlightened like she is. 1) It is not socially acceptable in any first world country to walk around naked in public, 2) our roots are Puritanical. Welcome to America! 3) yes, she did just insult the reader. She is victimized by us, Her neighbors and fans, because we didn’t understand her self absorbed ways. I admit that I did not understand her irony, 4) she continues to bash Hollywood for selling sex.

She has a relationship with the singer, Marilyn Manson, who she describes as shy, deep, sensitive, and thoughtful. He is different and respects her for who she really is. In the end, they break up. Much to her disappointment, she hears an interview on the Howard Stern show where her ex boyfriend bashes her. She surmises that Manson ended up being a “typical cisgendered male, that is, harassing the defenseless woman because his man ego is hurt. Waaaaah. Poor wittle baby.” I found that incredibly insensitive and categorically misandrist. Did it occur to her that he lashed out with anger in order to mask his own pain?

Bottom line, I believe MG was raped. I believe she was sexually assaulted. I also believe that she has thinking errors of globalizing and is very self absorbed yet not terribly self aware. Definitely not “other” aware. She was absolutely right to expose the accepted Hollywood norm that is criminal and misogynistic, at best. It is degrading and reflects poorly on society.

That said, being treated poorly does not give one license to disrespect everybody else or subject others to lashing for not being like you. MG is big on encouraging critical and creative thought and being an individual but it is clear from her writing that she only believes this if we are like her. She shames those who lack or have not yet discovered their creative passion. She sneers at those who choose to dress according to our own comforts (jeans, shirt, shoes, underwear). Even if that is our authentic selves. No, really. That is my uniform of choice. Jean shorts in the summer and maybe ditch the shoes.

I found the book had one good, strong message but was riddled with hypocrisy beyond that.

[Krystin | TheF*ckingTwist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Blog | Bookstagram

Rose McGowan is an actress that had a significant presence in my formative years. (Favourite movie of all time: Scream. One of my favourite TV shows of all time: Charmed.) So, going into reading this, after the downfall of Harvey Weinstein, I felt a little bit of a connection to her. In some ways, I grew up with her. Perhaps that affects my opinion of this book as opposed to someone that saw Death Proof once or remembers her from that time she walked the red carpet at the MTV VMAs essentially naked with Marilyn Manson.

Whether you agree with her opinions or not, there is so much in this book that will make you think, make you reconsider an opinion or give you a new perspective you might not have considered.

“Here’s to freedom, yours and mine. Now, go breathe fire.”

There’s a feeling of score-settling throughout a lot of the book. Rose calls out people like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriquez and Perez Hilton, as well as her monster, Weinstein. She takes personal shots – shots that felt antithetical to the message she espouses about women (we’re more than just our looks). A great deal of time is spent on name-calling and mocking personal appearances out of anger. That red hot anger inside Rose bled through everything. I could feel it, I could hear it. I don’t blame her, but for me, it diminished the point.

What matters now is that Rose stood up and exposed the truth and refuses to stop. In doing so, she’s empowered so many to do the same.

“I’m immeasurably proud of having had a hand in the cataclysmic global reckoning.”

...as she should be.

Rose McGowan is a Pheonix.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 4 stars

[Jenna ❤ ❀ ❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You may think that what happens in Hollywood doesn’t affect you. You’re wrong. My darlings, who do you think is curating your reality? Who is showing you who and what you want to be?”

I hadn't heard of Rose McGowan before reading this memoir (I rarely watch TV and don't listen to/read entertainment news). I'm so glad the synopsis grabbed my attention; otherwise I probably would never have read this.

Rose McGowan's life has been anything but easy. Born into the Children of God sex cult where she was raised for the first few years of her life, Rose's childhood was not a childhood at all, rife with emotional, sexual, and physical and abuse. Her life didn't get any easier when she was discovered in Hollywood and became a famous actress. In place of her abusive father, she found herself being controlled and hurt by powerful men.

The first couple chapters of this book felt very spastic, Rose jumping all over the place. It made me a bit anxious because one sentence she'd be talking about her childhood, the next going on about something that happened to her as an adult, then on to her teenage years in the next sentence. I almost stopped reading but glad I kept with it. After those couple chapters, the book is written in a calmer voice and in chronological order. Perhaps the first chapters were intentionally written that way, to give the feel for her roller coaster life.

Rose recounts the sexism and sexual abuse of women that is systemic in Hollywood. It's absolutely deplorable and makes me never want to watch another movie again, at least not any that are directed by men. Not that all men in Hollywood are bad, but so many of the top ones are, and the others? Well, they're at the very least complicit, as are many of the women in the industry, going along with the patriarchy and never speaking out against it. Possibly this is because they believe that's how things should be, possibly because they're too afraid to speak out, and understandably so. The first time Ms. McGowan spoke out about being sexually assaulted, she was blacklisted and unable to find an acting job for years. In recent years, Rose has become an activist, exposing the truth of Hollywood's treatment of women. I applaud her for her bravery, for surviving all she has been through and turning into a courageous woman willing to speak up when others are afraid to, willing to fight for all women and girls, for equality and respect. I hope that one day we'll live in a world where all people are treated equally, where neither gender nor colour, neither religion nor sexuality, causes a person to be treated with less respect, dignity, and opportunities. If we ever reach that day, it will be thanks to people like Rose McGowan who is no longer afraid to use her voice to speak up for what is right.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Girl, I know. I think the majority of us do know exactly how this goes down. If things have changed or people are aware and trying to make change that is great.
However, my responses to this subject have been along the lines of
stop talking about it
nothing even happened
and my favorite since I'm in Florida and it's typically 100 degrees: wear big sweaters

I hope you have a better outcome Rose, I'm behind you 100%

[Trina Gloury · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible, unforgettable, and life altering. Wow, this book was truly amazing. I am at a loss of words currently when it comes to describing just how profound I found this. Rose McGowan, I want to applaud you for your bravery and this masterful piece of writing. Just wow. This piece of nonfiction writing is raw, gritty and emotionally intense. There is no sugar coating, Rose says it like it is. The tone is angry, frustrated and intense, and so it should be and needs to be.

In a nutshell, this is Rose's life story as a woman. On a larger scale, this is the story of womankind and the issues that come with gender ideals and stereotypes. It is also about the power and importance of not just finding our voices, but in our using of them. As a woman, I resonated with her words and ideas so strongly. This novel shook the earth I stood upon, and really made me look at the world surrounding me as well as myself as an individual. As I was reading the numerous and incredibly traumatic instances of sexual harassment and abuse Rose has endured throughout her life, I felt saddened and caught myself thinking how blessed I am to have not endured such experiences. Then I stopped and caught myself when I thought this. This isn't something I should feel 'blessed' to have not experienced, as it shouldn't be a very real reality I could experience as a woman. I shouldn't be blessed to have not experienced sexual harassment or abuse, because it isn't something I should have to worry about. And yet it is.

I'm afraid of the dark. Want to know why? Because from a young age I was warned of the dangers that could lurch in the dark for me as a girl. Rape was a very real reality I was protected against by my parents who didn't allow me to go out by myself. They couldn't control the actions of others, so they controlled my environment as best they could. My brother was allowed to go outside unattended however, but I wasn't. Now I realise why, because I was a girl and he was a boy. The fact that I have to be concerned for my safety whenever I leave my house unattended say a lot about the gender issues that still prevail today in our society. This isn't to say all men are dangerous of course, but that the ones that are and the way that society is structured makes for a frightening reality.

This is just one of the many ideas and issues Rose evokes in her novel about gender problems that still exist and have for quite sometime. Although there are some topics she raises that I am not altogether in agreement with, I can see the importance and validity in her raising them in her conversational style of writing. This novel is a sequence of her life's journey and they all flow and blend together to add to an overall argument which is incredibly powerful and necessary to discuss in our modern age. I strongly encourage not just all women, but too all men to read this. You do not have to completely agree with all of Rose's sentiments to take away something from this novel. Her ideas are incredibly insightful and will challenge the way you think and how you see society. A wonderfully power novel that has changed me. I could go on and on about all the ideas, but will let you explore them for yourself. A five thumbs up!

[a.]

So, let me start by saying that I have given this a one star review, because I think this book should not have been published. I think the publisher is exploiting a very sick woman, who is losing her grasp on reality, and herself. I do not doubt McGowan's life has been hard. I'm certain there are truths in her stories. I do not doubt it at all. However, the ramblings in this book, and in her recent television appearances show a woman who is mentally ill. Characterizing herself as the catalyst is incredibly vain, and shows a deeply seeded level of narcissism. Her recent quotes regarding the transgendered community are also deeply unsettling, and show someone, who though she may have suffered, has no empathy. It's a sociopathic and egocentric view of the world that I have only encountered working in mental health institutions for several years. A glance at her twitter page reveals more of the same. Blaming everyone she can think of as a cult of complicity. Claiming people are planting drugs on her-- likely paranoia. I believe she's been raped and had terrible life experiences, I do not doubt these things. But, I also believe she's mentally ill, and this book exploits
her mental illness and all of the publicity- we're watching her come unhinged and it's wrong. She needs help, and I hope that she'll get it. If you feel the need to comment on my review to tell me I'm wrong, or make some other nasty comment because you're from Rose's Army, save yourself the time. I don't care and I won't respond. My reviews are my personal opinions, and your personal opinion of my personal opinions won't change what I think. If you want to respectfully disagree with me, that's fine, please do, but know after this I likely won't think about this book any further, it made me feel sad and not for the reasons the author intended, but for those stated above.

I will delete rude comments, guys. I'm just not okay with it. I'd turn off comments if it were an option, but it's not.

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was another book I actively avoided when it was originally released due to (a) me not much enjoying celebrity memoirs that aren’t comedic and (b) for fear of backlash should I be a wrongreader and not fall in line with the rave reviews/ratings. But then over seven years later false Fall fell upon us and as I was getting some audiobooks lined up for my walks I figured what better follow up to Rowan Farrow’s Catch and Kill than this?

So let’s get things REAL straight before anyone attempts to come at me for my lackluster rating. There is absolutely zero reason why I wouldn’t believe McGowan was a victim of Harvey Weinstein (or, “the monster” as she calls him in this book. I will briefly touch on that being a smart decision whether it was not to give him more power over her or simply so she wouldn’t get sued for defamation while still getting her story out. Either way? Good on her.). I’m not even going to address the rape topic because his history alone should be enough to prove it’s so obviously true.

I thought about just popping a rating up and leaving things at that, but the reason I’m a billion reviews behind is I do like to jot down a thought or two instead of just moving on and explain a bit of why things did/didn’t work for me. McGowan’s story is a fascinating one – even before celebrity she was raised in a cult and that, my friends, was a page turner (or mile stomper, if you too are an audiobook listener). Obviously the Weinstein stuff was like WTF and OMG and all the other fitting abbreviations. But then there were some question-marky subjects. Like is Marilyn Manson really this lovely midwestern boy? Was Rose just lucky enough to not experience his abuse or have other women lied about him? And speaking of Manson – again while I don’t doubt Weinstein was blacklisting any woman he so chose in the industry, was that the reason behind McGowan’s three year break in the industry or was it because she was admittedly on tour with Manson during that time? While two things can be true at once, it doesn’t come off super authentic to talk about depising being a celebrity and hiding out in the back of a tour van for ages, but also literally appearing real “badass” and nude on the red carpet to get all eyes on you as a famous person. Also, was Rose actually a victim of Robert Rodriguez? At some point when you are a full adult actively engaging in a years long affair with a known married man, the “aww shucks I’m so naïve” card isn’t one that can be played (in my opinion as a married woman). Same goes for Grindhouse. Do I think Tarantino is another uggo? Yep. Do I think McGowan completely missed the mark regarding understanding the girl power offered in that B-movie double feature? Yep. I’m also of the opinion of do whatever you want when it comes to personal aesthetics and don’t even talk about the elephant in the room if you choose not to, but even if there was a so-called necessary surgery that went bad causing some eye work, clearly there has been EXTENSIVE tweaking going on for years and that was not simply a one-off. And maybe don’t then go full on into an informercial shilling your new skincare line right after preaching about how gross beauty standards are for women (especially when guys like Weinstein become gazillionaires while looking like a full on skin tag), or maybe that’s just me. Most of all, though, the undiluted hatred of ALL men does nothing when it comes to equality for women. While McGowan’s rage toward CERTAIN men is completely understandable, she offered more grace toward her culty dad then she did for the general male populous which I just can’t get on board with.

This was an interesting listen and I hope it was cathartic for the author, but it was very ranty and often all over the place.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Personally, I always find it a bit difficult to rate memoirs. Not only are you basing your rating off of the book's text, but (inevitably) it's hard not to take into consideration the author's personal life/beliefs, since the memoir is all about said person of course. I wouldn't call myself a fan of McGowan; in fact the only recollection I had of her was when she appeared on Nip/Tuck & I spent a week worried about carbon monoxide poisoning. When reviews started surfacing, I grew curious & decided to give it a chance.

Early on, Rose explains how she went from one cult (Children of God) to another (Hollywood). Like the majority of celebrity memoirs, it follows the simplistic formula of childhood, rise to fame, past projects/romances/relationships & their current endeavors. After a while they more or less become the same in a sense & sometimes it's just a stack of paper that is filled with absolutely nothing substantial (aka Anna Kendrick's SCRAPPY LITTLE NOBODY). In this aspect, I really appreciated the fact that Rose didn't hold anything back, that she isn't afraid to tell it how it is. Her frankness & courage to expose painful memories, especially when she could have sugar-coated them, is admirable & she deserves credit for that. You can literally feel the pain oozing off the pages.

BRAVE is well-paced; it's a minor pet-peeve of mine when authors jump around & blends years together. Mainly discussing the trauma she endured & how that would, later on, pave the way for future relationships & coincide with staying silent in an industry that treated her like shit for decades. Her take on Hollywood is utterly disturbing & eye-opening. If you truly don't believe that everything you consume (not just your food!!) doesn't affect you, doesn't play any part in how society functions, you need to read this. The last few months I have really started to take into account what I am bringing into my home, the energy that the artist intended with their work. I've decided to be more selective with what I choose to reveal my eyes, ears & heart to. All it takes is one episode of the modern American twenty-minute sitcom to witness heavy-handed sexism (among other isms) to know what Rose is referring to. Really makes you stop & think, doesn't it?

While this book is powerful, BRAVE is not without faults. There are several instances where Rose inflates her self-worth (narcissistic POV) & also shows signs of paranoia. This leads me to my personal qualms of Rose herself. I won't speculate whether she is mentally ill (though she does specify that she is taking medication for depression), but the way she references some things makes me genuinely concerned for her welfare. (Not to mention the book tour & Jill incident.) I hope someone close to her is able to get her to recognize her behavior & get her the help she deserves. I will also not excuse her transphobic comments, but I believe she needs to be in a better headspace for it, because she needs to be allowed the opportunity to learn & grow from her mistake.

Overall, I most likely will never pick this book up again but I am grateful to Rose for sharing her story & attempting to shed some light on Hollywood's dirty secret. If you're looking for a "tell-all", this may work for you. I just hope Rose is able to get a handle on things before it's too late.

[Edgarr Alien Pooh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aside from a few episodes of Charmed, I have never seen Rose Mcgowan in any of her work. I wanted to read this book to see what got her to the point of starting the movement that has exploded today into the #MeToo movement and various others.

I understand that anyone reading this will have to decide where they sit. Does Rose exaggerate, does she seek attention, does she take credit for more than she has done. Is this a memoir to try and keep herself relevant? OR is it all relevant, a story needing to be told and one that is both damning and sad. Some parts of this memoir will make you angry (or should) and some parts are plain disgusting.

I have no intention of helping you to decide what your view of Brave should be. Read this and decide for yourself as you do with all books.

For my part, I concede I am part of the majority. I am a straight, white male. I understand that Rose is not generalising and saying we are all part of the problem BUT I would like to stand up and say that the shit she dealt with is disgraceful. This is an important book because we all need to make changes. Important for girls to not be afraid to stand up for themselves and demand their rites but far more important for males to understand that the crap needs to end. The objectifying, shaming, and discrimination needs to end. Women are our Mothers, Sisters, Daughters, friends, and colleagues but above all, they are human just as we are and therefore deserve to be treated equally.

Well done Rose!

[britt_brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

“I felt like I was in a fun house and all the mirrors were reflecting my horrors.”

McGowan has undoubtedly had a strange and difficult life. Some very valid points are made here, but they’re often shrouded in grandiosity. I (mostly) appreciate her candor, but she certainly thinks she smarter than most people. That’s annoying. She has somewhat altered my view on Hollywood, so I applaud her for standing her ground, but this book was just okay.

[Meike · Rating 3 out of 5]

While one of the biggest publishing houses in the world, Springer, is currently trembling because German star author Benjamin von Stuckrad-Barre has announced a #metoo novel about his former buddy, Springer CEO Döpfner (the New York Times actually broke the scandal: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/17/bu...), I'm preparing by reading McGowan's "Brave" - according to the marketing, she will play a role in Stucki's book as well (since his memoir Panikherz, we know that L.A. is basically his second home). And granted, the critical voices that attest McGowan a certain grandiosity (an allegation NEVER made about Stucki *cough cough*) are right, and her rants are kind of superfluous, this is a strangely captivating and politically highly relevant book.

McGowan is of course spot-on about the objectification of women and the commodification of actresses, the very detailed chapter about her being raped by Weinstein is absolutely horrifying and what I learnt about Tarantino (whose work I love) shocked me quite a bit. And sure, such systems are kept alive by willing bystanders and enablers, I was aware of that, but this book once again makes it very clear.

So all in all, the memoir parts are very enlightening, the political activism is not all too effectively rendered though. Then again, it's obscene to judge a person's anger who was assaulted while everyone knew and watched and kept on doing business with the criminal while profiting off of her.

I can't wait to learn about McGowan's role in Stuckrad-Barre's Noch wach?.

[Lynx · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose McGowan doesn't hold back in this brutally honest and fascinating look into her life and the Hollywood cult machine. What made this book so special was how relatable it was. The setting may be different, but this is a universal story that unfortunately ALL women can relate to.

As you can imagine the content is not always easy to read but Rose's bravery and determination to speak up and try to change things is always present and incredibly contagious. This is no mere memoir, this is a call to action. I read this book in one sitting and by the end felt an energy in me that I hope never leaves. Her honesty and courage to fight back is inspiring and I'm so happy she's shared her story and continues to fight.

RoseArmy? Enlist Me!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the writing style is sometimes off, at its core this is an heart-wrenching, brutal and important story.

[Mariah Roze · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because I love learning about cults. I had no idea who this lady was and why she was famous. I was pleasantly surprised by the book.


"Rose McGowan was born in one cult and came of age in another, more visible cult: Hollywood.
In a strange world where she was continually on display, stardom soon became a personal nightmare of constant exposure and sexualization. Rose escaped into the world of her mind, something she had done as a child, and into high-profile relationships. Every detail of her personal life became public, and the realities of an inherently sexist industry emerged with every script, role, public appearance, and magazine cover. The Hollywood machine packaged her as a sexualized bombshell, hijacking her image and identity and marketing them for profit.
Hollywood expected Rose to be silent and cooperative and to stay the path. Instead, she rebelled and asserted her true identity and voice. She reemerged unscripted, courageous, victorious, angry, smart, fierce, unapologetic, controversial and..."

[Laurel · Rating 1 out of 5]

First, I need to say this is one of the most poorly written books I have read in a long time and that, perhaps, has something to do with my reaction to it. If you’re picking up “Brave” for help in your own journey towards emancipation from a male, primarily-white, society holding you back as a woman, I advise you to look elsewhere or flip to the back of the book and read the last few pages. Those will perhaps be helpful. If you are interested in reading about Rose McGowan’s personal and very painful account of her life, its cult beginnings, unstable home life, street time, and Hollywood travails, go for it. Occasionally, she throws out a bone or two of how, you, too, can be empowered. I’ve seen her on talk shows. I don’t doubt her message is true. But I have to believe there are better books out there that lend good advice and coherent support. I wish I could suggest one.

[Tara · Rating 1 out of 5]

The exact moment this went down to 1 star for me:

“Looking back, if there were one thing I could change, it’s this: I wish I had known I was an artist a lot sooner. I would have started directing a lot sooner. I would have started singing and writing a lot sooner. I wish someone had just said one thing to me that made it click, but, you see, there were really no examples to look to. I didn’t see where I could become what I could be, because it didn’t exist.”

What century/country does she think this is?? I absolutely cannot make any kind of sense of this. And believe me, this was not the only time she made this type of painfully nonsensical assertion. Very disappointing read.

[Myrn🩶 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know much about Rose McGowan except that she helped take down Hollywood’s big monster. For some reason, I’ve never seen any of her movies or tv shows. I know much more about her now. (: In this memoir, the actress details her tough upbringing and past traumatic experiences. I’m glad she spoke out, stood up and enabled/will enable others to do the same. Glad she wrote her memoir and hope young women and girls read it.

BE BRAVE

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This memoir is blatantly honest. Rose was literally born into a cult. She brings to light many things in culture that people probably don't think too deeply about. Even though exposing negative things, her message is very positive.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't, horribly written and completely and continuously blaming anyone and everyone for your problems. Very misandristic. DNF

[Lalo Dagach]

It's difficult to write a review of a book written by a sexual abuse surviver. I have a great deal of sympathy for the pain Rose McGowan has had to endure (one of the reasons I read the book), and to add to that pain with criticism of her lived experiences seems unnecessary. However, she is a public figure who deems herself the leader of a movement and ultimately it would be illogical to consider any person with the desire to be a politically controversial figure, to be 'beyond criticism.'

The book can be summarized into two parts, Rose McGown's life before Hollywood and her life in Hollywood. It was interesting to learn that Rose grew up in a religious cult, the Italian chapter of a group called "The Children of God." Equally, it was interesting, though unsettling, to get an insight into the life of a female Hollywood celebrity and hear in more depth the problems that have come into the spotlight since the # MeToo movement has started. Rose McGown has faced abuse throughout her entirely life, nonstop. One can only imagine the emotional and psychological turmoil that such repeated experiences can cause.

However, I believe Rose often makes erroneous conclusions when she speaks in generalizations. Generalizations that seem to be asserted based on personal life experience alone. My point by this is absolutely not to say that abuse and sexual harrassment cannot be found everywhere, in every corner of the earth. They definitely can. Yet, one cannot say that someone who grew up in a religious cult, and then living on the streets as a homeless teenager, and then became a Hollywood actress and internal superstar, is "commonplace" or "relatable." Her life has been extremely abnormal, and Hollywood itself is a unique place. Which is one of the reasons it is so fascinating and one of the reasons I would recommend her book. But when Rose says, "Girls are brought up to believe X, and boys are brought up to believe Y." I believe Rose's life was far too atypical to make general characterizations as to what girls and boys are taught or not taught. Though, I'm sure many women, and probably some men, will find commonalities in her stories and see parallels with their own life.

That being said, I do find testimonials by women who discuss the power dynamics between the genders in work environments indispensable. Lately, I'm constantly shocked by what women are saying about their treatment in the workplace, like the women who came out about Bill Cosby or the girls who were abused by gymnastics national team doctor Larry Nassar. It is not something boys or men generally have to face (though it does happen, such as the Catholic Church child abuses), and therefore difficult to imagine for many. It is definitely not something I understand, and therefore feel the need to educate myself on through books such as 'Brave.'

The book gave me a new found respect for Rose McGowan and the tribulations she's confronted, and I will now see her cries of outrage under a new light.

I would only recommend this book to people who have a specialized interest in this subject, but I would not suggest it for just the average reader who wants to simply read an autobiography. Especially since the detailed descriptions of abuse are the dominating bulk of the book.

*For people who were victims of abuse, I would suggest approaching the book with caution as Rose describes multiple situations in disturbing detail.

[Toni Wulfekuhl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Brave ? I don't see Rose McGowan as Brave. Yes she had a rough childhood and yes Hollywood has always been a man's world and THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. Rose McGowan portrays herself as a victim in EVERY situation.
- She was forced into drug rehab because she mistakenly took 1 hit of acid, yet she skims over all of her other drug references.
- She lived with some abusive rich guy for 5 yrs because she had no where else to go, yet she talks about going to various clubs all the time without the abusive boyfriend. If you can afford to go clubbing you can afford to find a JOB. Or she went to the clubs expecting guys to buy her drinks ? She didn't specify this. it doesn't play into her cause.
- Every "sexual assault" she professes including "the monster" her mind leaves her body and she cries and LETS them proceed. Never did she state she said No !!! I am sure "the monster" truly is a monster however if she didn't state she didn't want this and later cries sexual assault, IN THIS CASE I can't really blame the guy for blacklisting her.
-She wore a "nude dress" to the MTV awards as a way of protesting the objectivity of woman ???? Wouldn't jeans and a t-shirt been more of a statement ? But a Nude Dress is going to put her in the spotlight.
- She complained about the writing of Charmed, that all of the scripts were basically the same thing over and over again and compared it to (paraphrasing) working in a factory. Lots of people work in factories, apparently she is above that.
-She complains of not having money, living on the streets, forced to steal and never states she actually attempted to get a REAL job.
Rose McGowan is NOT brave, I see her as a woman who justifies all of her bad decisions by blaming a man, granted there were a lot of bad men in her life but not all men are bad. She makes it sound like she is a one woman crusade to change the injustices in Hollywood. I see it as she jumped on a bandwagon and TWISTED her facts to meet these circumstances, to put herself back in the spotlight and capitalize on it. She states several times how smart she is and that Hollywood overlooks that because she is beautiful. (No ego there) She is condescending. She blames the audiences who go to these movies created by bad guys as part of the problem. They are supporting the behavior. SHE WAS IN SEVERAL OF THESE MOVIES !!!!! Those audiences paid her salary and bought her book !!!