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The Great Peace: A Memoir
A memoir by award-winning actor Mena Suvari, best-known for her iconic roles in American Beauty, American Pie, and Six Feet Under.
The Great Peace is a harrowing, heartbreaking coming-of-age story set in Hollywood, in which young teenage model-turned-actor Mena Suvari lost herself to sex, drugs and bad, often abusive relationships even as blockbuster movies made her famous. It's about growing up in the 90s, with a soundtrack ranging from The Doors to Deee-Lite, fashion from denim to day-glo, and a woman dealing with the lasting psychological scars of abuse, yet knowing deep inside she desires so much more from life. Within these vulnerable pages, Mena not only reveals her own mistakes, but also the lessons she learned and her efforts to understand and grow rather than casting blame. As such, she makes this a timeless story of girl empowerment and redemption, of somebody using their voice to rediscover their past, seek redemption, and to understand their mistakes, and ultimately come to terms with their power as an individual to find a way and a will to live—and thrive. Poignant, intimate, and powerful, this book will resonate with anyone who has found themselves lost in the darkness, thinking there's no way out. Ultimately, Mena's story proves that, no matter how hopeless it may seem, there's always a light at the end.
The Great Peace is a harrowing, heartbreaking coming-of-age story set in Hollywood, in which young teenage model-turned-actor Mena Suvari lost herself to sex, drugs and bad, often abusive relationships even as blockbuster movies made her famous. It's about growing up in the 90s, with a soundtrack ranging from The Doors to Deee-Lite, fashion from denim to day-glo, and a woman dealing with the lasting psychological scars of abuse, yet knowing deep inside she desires so much more from life. Within these vulnerable pages, Mena not only reveals her own mistakes, but also the lessons she learned and her efforts to understand and grow rather than casting blame. As such, she makes this a timeless story of girl empowerment and redemption, of somebody using their voice to rediscover their past, seek redemption, and to understand their mistakes, and ultimately come to terms with their power as an individual to find a way and a will to live—and thrive. Poignant, intimate, and powerful, this book will resonate with anyone who has found themselves lost in the darkness, thinking there's no way out. Ultimately, Mena's story proves that, no matter how hopeless it may seem, there's always a light at the end.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published July 27, 2021
71 people are currently reading
1532 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
September 3, 2021
ehhhhh i have real mixed feelings on this. on one hand, holy shit, this girl has had some truly terrible things happen to her and i just want to give her a hug. on the other hand, “this man was horrible to me and i got away from him and then i met THIS man” got real exhausting and eye-rolling after awhile.
November 13, 2021
I had a real hard time connecting with the author in this book. She did overcome some horrific events in her life and hearing she had no stable family members or friends to help her is very heart breaking. Reading her thoughts and words just come across very cold which is where the disconnection comes. Maybe that is because she is still working on her thoughts and who she is, whatever it is I didn't feel it.
Again, it could be just her style of writing, over all I am so glad she was able to overcome all the horrible things she had to deal with and continues to work on herself mentally.
Again, it could be just her style of writing, over all I am so glad she was able to overcome all the horrible things she had to deal with and continues to work on herself mentally.
August 16, 2021
WOW. This is an incredibly brave, powerful, raw and vulnerable memoir of a lifetime of sexual and emotional abuse. I had no idea the trauma Mena Suvari endured from such a young age and the way it shaped the rest of her life through a series of abusive relationships, drug use in attempts to cope and unhealthy body image issues. Listening to her tell her story was so moving. I loved that she finally found some healing through therapy, healthy relationships and the power of sharing her story. A must read, especially for fans of Know my name. Read with care though as this book may be triggering for anyone who has experienced similar trauma.
CW: rape, sexual and emotional abuse, drug use
Favorite quote:
"I want this book to provide companionship to those who are isolated and alone. I hope it can be a light showing there is a way out. I never want anyone to look at me or anyone else who has gone through similar experiences and ask 'How could you let that happen to you? And not just once but repeatedly.' It's not our fault. I spent a lifetime hiding from the truth then I discovered that truth was my power. Truth is our power."
CW: rape, sexual and emotional abuse, drug use
Favorite quote:
"I want this book to provide companionship to those who are isolated and alone. I hope it can be a light showing there is a way out. I never want anyone to look at me or anyone else who has gone through similar experiences and ask 'How could you let that happen to you? And not just once but repeatedly.' It's not our fault. I spent a lifetime hiding from the truth then I discovered that truth was my power. Truth is our power."
August 18, 2021
I don’t know exactly what to say about this book. I got 1/2 way through and just could not take another minute of it. While the author was brutally honest about her continuous drug use and explicit sexual activity (over and over and over and over and over) there was some contradictory excuses she gave for always being the victim. It was super frustrating and sadly I just could not read another page.
August 21, 2023
Love her.
Some of what she has been through - wow :(
Some of what she has been through - wow :(
September 22, 2021
I don't particularly like writing reviews of memoirs but the writing was not great in this. She jumped around quite a bit to the point where it was clear that chapters overlapped but the reader isn't clear on exactly which parts overlap. in addition, hardly any dates were included so clear chronology was also missing.
The part that I didn't love, was the choice to make almost every chapter about the men in her life rather than herself. This was a very strange choice for a memoir. Especially near the end of the book, she defines herself in terms of the relationships she's in and not about who she is as herself. As a result, I really don't know who she is or what she stands for. I only know what she has been through. I hope she's in a much better place now.
The part that I didn't love, was the choice to make almost every chapter about the men in her life rather than herself. This was a very strange choice for a memoir. Especially near the end of the book, she defines herself in terms of the relationships she's in and not about who she is as herself. As a result, I really don't know who she is or what she stands for. I only know what she has been through. I hope she's in a much better place now.
September 28, 2021
Sadly, I had to DNF this. It was all about Mena's rather insipid - and in one case downright repugnant - boyfriends and not her acting career, as I'd assumed it would be. I think (maybe?) the point of the book was that (eventually) Mena learns she doesn't need a man to survive but I couldn't get far enough to ascertain if that is factual. Why she preferred to write a book about her unimpressive boyfriends rather than her impressive professional accomplishments, I couldn't tell you. If you get successful enough in life that you manage to get a deal to write a memoir, people probably want to hear about you, not the various losers you've dated.
October 22, 2021
Get this woman some help. This is one of the least peaceful books you'll ever read, quite the opposite if it's title. Suvari goes through her bad life choices and blames most of her problems on other people. There certainly should be empathy for what she says was childhood sexual abuse from a three-year-older boy when she was around 12, but that doesn't account for all the horrible decisions she made the rest of her life and how she wrecked her relationships.
The book is depressing and uninspiring. There is very little about the movies or TV shows she has made. Instead it's her attempt to make sense of her life. She thinks "The Universe" controls her destiny and what happens to her. In truth she has had addictions and mental health issues for decades. Her cavalier attitude toward doing drugs or bedding men before pushing them away belies an insecurity and immaturity that doesn't appear to be resolved.
The last eight years of her life are wrapped up in a few pages where she tries to spin everything positive by "reclaiming my power" (having her breast implants removed?) and in a few sentences stating her new-found "truth" of admitting to doing drugs in order to numb her pain due to the "emotional abuse" of others. The real truth, after reading her book, is that she was abusive and often the one hurting others. But her pages are not filled with apologies. Instead she ends by thanking "The Universe for continuing to guide me." Mena Suvari, all that means is that you're still guiding yourself and that you still haven't accepted objective truth.
instead of writing a book that rehashes all the terrible moments of her life so that she can blame-shift, she should spend more time in therapy to admit causing her own problems, find true spirituality, and end up with a great peace.
The book is depressing and uninspiring. There is very little about the movies or TV shows she has made. Instead it's her attempt to make sense of her life. She thinks "The Universe" controls her destiny and what happens to her. In truth she has had addictions and mental health issues for decades. Her cavalier attitude toward doing drugs or bedding men before pushing them away belies an insecurity and immaturity that doesn't appear to be resolved.
The last eight years of her life are wrapped up in a few pages where she tries to spin everything positive by "reclaiming my power" (having her breast implants removed?) and in a few sentences stating her new-found "truth" of admitting to doing drugs in order to numb her pain due to the "emotional abuse" of others. The real truth, after reading her book, is that she was abusive and often the one hurting others. But her pages are not filled with apologies. Instead she ends by thanking "The Universe for continuing to guide me." Mena Suvari, all that means is that you're still guiding yourself and that you still haven't accepted objective truth.
instead of writing a book that rehashes all the terrible moments of her life so that she can blame-shift, she should spend more time in therapy to admit causing her own problems, find true spirituality, and end up with a great peace.
December 10, 2022
I'm not sure where to begin with this, but I think it will be better to start with the positives. If you're familiar with Mena's work you may have assumed wrongly (so wrongly) that she was similar to her choir girl character in American Pie. Well, Mena was anything but that and her actual story is deeply surprising, which makes her memoir extremely interesting. To her credit, Mena pulls back every single layer and allows her readers to know her on the rawest level possible. The girl has guts. Much of what she went through was absolutely sickening, especially those situations with much older men and it affirms the belief that there is a lot of sexual assault that is overlooked in Hollywood. I am impressed that she was willing to share so much and I was admittingly intrigued by the shock value of everything she shared. I am sorry for the ways she was taken advantage of by men who should've known better and will likely never be punished for what they did.
Now, it is extremely hard to read a memoir and not develop feelings positive or negative toward the person sharing their story. This is where Mena's memoir loses me. While I am empathetic to many of her situations, I didn't come out of this one thinking about how much she's learned or grown. I couldn't help but notice that every end of a relationship was immediately followed by a new one, and sometimes the new one had even started before the end of the old one. By the end, it was clear to me that although Mena has perhaps identified her issues with going from one horrible relationship to another, she doesn't seem capable of being alone. At times she seems to recognize that she hasn't allowed herself time alone to figure out her true self but she just as quickly moves right on to talking about the next guy. Sadly, her memoir makes it clear that she defines herself by the relationships she has instead of truly taking the time to know who she is without a man. It's also harder to be sympathetic to someone who seems to have done her fair share of crappy things to people as well. Outside of my issue with her dependency on relationships, I really took issue with how superficial she was at times. I got tired of her constant mention of designer names - it would've been fine if it was just to support stories she shared, but I felt like there were constant unnecessary name drops throughout the book. Additionally, when she is on vacation and injured, her potrayal of herself at the hospital is that of a spoiled brat. So in a nutshell, while I felt sympathy for a lot of what Mena went through, I came out of this one liking her a lot less not because of the story she shared, but because of what it revealed about her true self. I think Mena has the potential for growth and change, but she's got a long way to go.
Now, it is extremely hard to read a memoir and not develop feelings positive or negative toward the person sharing their story. This is where Mena's memoir loses me. While I am empathetic to many of her situations, I didn't come out of this one thinking about how much she's learned or grown. I couldn't help but notice that every end of a relationship was immediately followed by a new one, and sometimes the new one had even started before the end of the old one. By the end, it was clear to me that although Mena has perhaps identified her issues with going from one horrible relationship to another, she doesn't seem capable of being alone. At times she seems to recognize that she hasn't allowed herself time alone to figure out her true self but she just as quickly moves right on to talking about the next guy. Sadly, her memoir makes it clear that she defines herself by the relationships she has instead of truly taking the time to know who she is without a man. It's also harder to be sympathetic to someone who seems to have done her fair share of crappy things to people as well. Outside of my issue with her dependency on relationships, I really took issue with how superficial she was at times. I got tired of her constant mention of designer names - it would've been fine if it was just to support stories she shared, but I felt like there were constant unnecessary name drops throughout the book. Additionally, when she is on vacation and injured, her potrayal of herself at the hospital is that of a spoiled brat. So in a nutshell, while I felt sympathy for a lot of what Mena went through, I came out of this one liking her a lot less not because of the story she shared, but because of what it revealed about her true self. I think Mena has the potential for growth and change, but she's got a long way to go.
March 23, 2022
This author spends an entire book blaming others for her own inability to have self-introspection. While I feel for her past of abuse that nobody should have to go through, she still very much comes across as a privileged white woman complaining about how hard her life is and how no one is around to support her. It was maddening listening to chapter after chapter of her making the same stupid mistakes: cheating, jumping from one guy to the next, and being financially frivolous.
The most disgusting part was where she foolishly rode a horse to a gallop despite not having any experience, and then of course made the horse and herself suffer an injury. She briefly touched on how she was getting better care as a white woman than anyone in the small village she was in Costa Rica. I thought it was going to be a come to Jesus moment for her where she finally realized these poor people have it so much worse, that women die on the way the hospital while in labor because they’re hitching a ride in the back of a flatbed for hours, how no one has money to make it to the hospital in time for help…but no, instead she complained about how she didn’t feel like she was treated well enough at the hospital and had nothing but derision for them. She’s spoiled and sick.
This author and her book honestly make me sick. She truly seems like an awful person.
The most disgusting part was where she foolishly rode a horse to a gallop despite not having any experience, and then of course made the horse and herself suffer an injury. She briefly touched on how she was getting better care as a white woman than anyone in the small village she was in Costa Rica. I thought it was going to be a come to Jesus moment for her where she finally realized these poor people have it so much worse, that women die on the way the hospital while in labor because they’re hitching a ride in the back of a flatbed for hours, how no one has money to make it to the hospital in time for help…but no, instead she complained about how she didn’t feel like she was treated well enough at the hospital and had nothing but derision for them. She’s spoiled and sick.
This author and her book honestly make me sick. She truly seems like an awful person.
January 4, 2022
How is it even possible to rate someone’s memoir? I would think you really need to separate the writing style from the content and message. It is apparent that Mena Suvari wrote this all herself, and for folks who tend to critique writing style more harshly it would be harder to connect with this book. However, I feel like the true value for the reader comes in the form of its message. Suvari’s vulnerability and search for acceptance and love while suffering over a decade of physical and emotional abuse make this a story that sounds too horrible to possibly be true. But it is, and hopefully it resonates with others who may have gone through a similar experience. I really enjoy reading memoirs as a reminder of our common humanity.
September 5, 2021
All I can say about this book is that it is terribly written. It is disjointed, more like a rambling of her memories. Looking forward to reading about a troubled girl who rose above her trials and tribulations, I was disappointed by the way she conveyed her emergence from her difficult past. My advice is not to waste your time. I’m glad that I read this for free on my library app as it would have been a complete waste of money. I’m only sorry that I didn’t abandon it after several chapters; I remained optimistic that it would redeem itself with the progression of her memoir. Alas, it was not meant to be.
December 4, 2021
Just one relationship story after the other, what a boring woman.
The first half was incredibly strong, and I was astonished that she's still standing after what she's been through. I thought this was going to be an empowering memoir about a woman finding herself. Suvari has worked, traveled and presumably has women/friends in her life, but you wouldn't know it from reading this.
Someone needs to tell her there's a whole world out there. Men are a very small fraction of it.
The first half was incredibly strong, and I was astonished that she's still standing after what she's been through. I thought this was going to be an empowering memoir about a woman finding herself. Suvari has worked, traveled and presumably has women/friends in her life, but you wouldn't know it from reading this.
Someone needs to tell her there's a whole world out there. Men are a very small fraction of it.
November 20, 2023
4.5 - This is a highly readable and deeply personal memoir. I so admire her writing about the truth of her experiences with clarity and insight, and this book should be helpful to other women who may find themselves in abusive, manipulative relationships. She has done a good service for women with her honesty, and one would be hard-pressed not to feel empathy with her struggles. I read this practically in one sitting, as it was so compelling.
August 23, 2021
Heavily focused on her many toxic relationships, sexual abuse, her drug use and trauma she endured throughout her life. I applaud her for her openness, often in graphic detail which at times was a bit much. I mostly liked this book, but at times it was frustrating that she kept getting into so many toxic relationships and staying in them for years. But I realize that's part of the cycle from trauma, and not seeking help and healing from it for many years.
November 19, 2021
My gosh I could not finish this book. What an entitled victim. White spoilt attention seeking brat who plays the victim and is rude and hurtful to so many people she encounters. Your ‘pain’ and ‘trauma’ seem to be an excuse for all of your abhorrent behaviour. F off and read Yenomi Parks book. A lesson in humanity you clearly need!
August 29, 2021
This is a beautiful memoir that is very personal and heartbreaking because the author truly bares her soul. She talks about how she lost herself in Hollywood as a teen to sex, drugs, and abusive relationships. Meanwhile, she became famous in the 90s for her blockbuster movies. The author shares stories that reveal mistakes and includes all the lessons she learned about herself along the way. She made a decision to grow from those experiences rather than casting blame.
I thought it was interesting how the author wrote about fame and how it happened to her all of a sudden. She was easily recognized for her work, yet no one knew what was going on behind the curtain. I loved this very powerful quote, "That's how it was. Deep down in the marrow of my bones where no one could get, no matter how they ripped into my flesh, I held onto my dreams and the hope I had for myself. I looked for the beauty that was all around me, compelled to see it no matter how hard it was to find. I knew there was a glimmer of light that I could follow through the darkness. I never got the apologies I wanted from the people who hurt me, but I came to understand they were necessary for my well-being. I needed only one person's forgiveness. This is her story."
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/men...
I thought it was interesting how the author wrote about fame and how it happened to her all of a sudden. She was easily recognized for her work, yet no one knew what was going on behind the curtain. I loved this very powerful quote, "That's how it was. Deep down in the marrow of my bones where no one could get, no matter how they ripped into my flesh, I held onto my dreams and the hope I had for myself. I looked for the beauty that was all around me, compelled to see it no matter how hard it was to find. I knew there was a glimmer of light that I could follow through the darkness. I never got the apologies I wanted from the people who hurt me, but I came to understand they were necessary for my well-being. I needed only one person's forgiveness. This is her story."
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://zibbyowens.com/transcript/men...
March 19, 2022
some awful things were dealt with but at the same time, this was written from a place of privilege and i feel it would have been better as a long article.. i think there is too much ego involved to have thought this was needed as a full book.
i also felt the way she described one of her boyfriends was off putting, describing her whiteness and him being latino multiple times weirded me out
i also felt the way she described one of her boyfriends was off putting, describing her whiteness and him being latino multiple times weirded me out
January 6, 2022
This is the story of a rich white girl who thinks that she's had a hard life. It is an endless tirade of whining and trading in one relationship for another. Please don't read this. It took a few hours from my life.
March 15, 2022
Dear diary: I had a bunch of boyfriends. They were mostly dickheads. The end.
July 31, 2021
HIGH 3
trigger warnings: sexual assaults, drug use, some graphic sex scenes, emotional manipulation/abuse
a true fighter with a great story of hope. not at all what I expected because mostly I had no idea what she's had to survive.
didn’t like: the heavy narration and very little dialogue, the ending wasn’t as much of a gut punch as I hoped for, the backstory parts that were threaded in which interrupted the pacing/flow, for me, and sent the reader backwards in time when it could have been covered within that time period instead, also it might have been helpful since she did her own narration to have had her work with a vocal coach/narration expert (maybe she did?) to bring out a more dramatic vocal telling of her own story as opposed to it just being a story that was read outloud.
liked: her poetry wish she had included so much more than she did, the honest and bare vulnerability, the story flowed, good pacing, some really great dramatic scenes in there that had me so rooting for her (when she jumped on that dude, like wow), there’s clearly an arc going on.
trigger warnings: sexual assaults, drug use, some graphic sex scenes, emotional manipulation/abuse
a true fighter with a great story of hope. not at all what I expected because mostly I had no idea what she's had to survive.
didn’t like: the heavy narration and very little dialogue, the ending wasn’t as much of a gut punch as I hoped for, the backstory parts that were threaded in which interrupted the pacing/flow, for me, and sent the reader backwards in time when it could have been covered within that time period instead, also it might have been helpful since she did her own narration to have had her work with a vocal coach/narration expert (maybe she did?) to bring out a more dramatic vocal telling of her own story as opposed to it just being a story that was read outloud.
liked: her poetry wish she had included so much more than she did, the honest and bare vulnerability, the story flowed, good pacing, some really great dramatic scenes in there that had me so rooting for her (when she jumped on that dude, like wow), there’s clearly an arc going on.
November 29, 2021
What immediately comes to mind when a celebrity publishes a memoir?
Is it a tell all? Trite. Does the celebrity have a new project to push? Cliche.
Why now?
The enigma that is Mena Suvari published her memoir The Great Peace (the title of a book of poetry and stories she wrote in her late teens) in July.
Mena’s mission is two-fold: that she is still that chick (whom Lester Burnham and I fell in love with in American Beauty), but more importantly, to help others realize there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The tunnel included sex, drugs and abuse.
In several short chapters interspersed with her own poetry, Suvari guides us from a little girl who never doubted her ability, through large sweeps of inner turmoil and harrowing relationships (stay away from guys named Tyler and Simone).
It was anything but a great peace she sought, and realizes the irony.
The reader does as well. And in Suvari’s own words, she often felt disgusted, ashamed, and in denial about what happened to her and what she allowed herself to do and be a part of.
Born in a wealthy family whose wealth disappeared as Suvari came of age, Suvari often felt an outsider; someone oblivious, if not in fact, allergic to fame, and with two hit movies within months of each other, her star catapulted.
Do I consider myself great?
Do I think I'm kind?
Do I see myself as lovely?
Although with every evaluation I just can't find
A way to determine what's true in my mind
Time may hold the answer for me
I don't know.
I can't give up.
I can't.
... and she hasn't.
Is it a tell all? Trite. Does the celebrity have a new project to push? Cliche.
Why now?
The enigma that is Mena Suvari published her memoir The Great Peace (the title of a book of poetry and stories she wrote in her late teens) in July.
Mena’s mission is two-fold: that she is still that chick (whom Lester Burnham and I fell in love with in American Beauty), but more importantly, to help others realize there is light at the end of the tunnel.
The tunnel included sex, drugs and abuse.
In several short chapters interspersed with her own poetry, Suvari guides us from a little girl who never doubted her ability, through large sweeps of inner turmoil and harrowing relationships (stay away from guys named Tyler and Simone).
It was anything but a great peace she sought, and realizes the irony.
The reader does as well. And in Suvari’s own words, she often felt disgusted, ashamed, and in denial about what happened to her and what she allowed herself to do and be a part of.
Born in a wealthy family whose wealth disappeared as Suvari came of age, Suvari often felt an outsider; someone oblivious, if not in fact, allergic to fame, and with two hit movies within months of each other, her star catapulted.
Do I consider myself great?
Do I think I'm kind?
Do I see myself as lovely?
Although with every evaluation I just can't find
A way to determine what's true in my mind
Time may hold the answer for me
I don't know.
I can't give up.
I can't.
... and she hasn't.
August 30, 2023
This book made me very uncomfortable. It might be because I listened to the audio book (read by Mena) rather than listening to the book in my own voice via paperback reading.
It could just be because of the genuinely uncomfortable story matter ( of which I was not expecting so much of) but this book wasn't for me in the end.
I was super shocked at the promiscuity and overall disfunction of her life. With it being such a chaotic and unflattering (I want to say wreck but I don't mean it in a cruel way) - I commend her for the bravery in telling her story.
In saying that, it was a very, very long, drawn out, depressing, trauma inducing experience that I cant particularly recommend. (though I appreciated the tid bids of her life during some of her more well known roles, as she was a well known actress of the late 90's/early 00's)
It could just be because of the genuinely uncomfortable story matter ( of which I was not expecting so much of) but this book wasn't for me in the end.
I was super shocked at the promiscuity and overall disfunction of her life. With it being such a chaotic and unflattering (I want to say wreck but I don't mean it in a cruel way) - I commend her for the bravery in telling her story.
In saying that, it was a very, very long, drawn out, depressing, trauma inducing experience that I cant particularly recommend. (though I appreciated the tid bids of her life during some of her more well known roles, as she was a well known actress of the late 90's/early 00's)
August 2, 2021
Mena is truly brave brutally honest about herself in this book and shares things I know that I would never share. I couldn't put the book down as she careened from one disastrous relationship to the next. She has had and lived an interesting life so far and I hope things continue on a positive path for her.
May 22, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up.
October 20, 2021
Not as bad as Sinead O’Connor “Rememberings” , but close. The first 2/3 of the book had me interested in hearing Mena’s very vulnerable stories of her abuse and toxic life as a young actress. But when it became story after story about her jumping from one bad relationship into another it was hard to keep viewing her as victim. How she could go through all 270 pages without speaking of seeking out some serious mental health counseling to identify her co-dependency is shocking. And the book was frustrating at bouncing between full disclosure (all the sex toys and partners) on some subjects and then sweeping over others with an obvious avoidance of key points in her life. Example: how can she speak about “American Beauty” without mentioning at all anything about the accusations and downfall of actor Kevin Spacey. Best example- she is in this long romance and marriage to an Italian named Simone with some mystery behind the $250,000 engagement ring he buys her and that mystery is never revealed. And then she breaks up with Simone after -“he finally confessed what he had been up to”- but the reader is never told what “he was up to”. WTF!? I am not demanding she tell all, but you can’t bring this up if you are not going to tell the reader. I am sure writing this confessional did her good but glad this one was a lend from the library and I didn’t contribute my $$ to Mena Suvari- who leaves us not really knowing anything about her current life other than that she had her breast enhancement reversed!?
November 1, 2021
This is the shallowest book I've ever read, with the possible exception of Farmer Small, which my dad read to me on his lap when I was a toddler.
A few days later, and upon further reflection, I think the author of this book suffered so much sexual abuse that she hardly had any concept of herself and her rights as a person. I guess my initial impression was that the book was just a catalog of what her experiences were, and I never knew what she wanted her life to be, just that she had to suffer in the life she was in. I still don't know what she wants or wanted her life to be, but this book describes how she was so abused sexually that I don't think she ever really developed a sense of herself, much less hopes and dreams for herself. It was a very sad book for me. I have profound empathy for the suffering she's been through.
A few days later, and upon further reflection, I think the author of this book suffered so much sexual abuse that she hardly had any concept of herself and her rights as a person. I guess my initial impression was that the book was just a catalog of what her experiences were, and I never knew what she wanted her life to be, just that she had to suffer in the life she was in. I still don't know what she wants or wanted her life to be, but this book describes how she was so abused sexually that I don't think she ever really developed a sense of herself, much less hopes and dreams for herself. It was a very sad book for me. I have profound empathy for the suffering she's been through.
August 30, 2021
I found her book to be interesting but in a way that makes most people watch a train wreck. She claims to be a Mensa but continues on about how she was abused for years and couldn’t hold her drugs, alcohol or money. She plays the victim throughout the book essentially blaming everyone but herself. Lots of the book just seemed unbelievable and overly dramatized. I tried hard to like the book but she came across as a Karen, entitled, unlikeable and insincere. It would have been better if it were fictional. I listened to the book on tape, and because Mena read it, she seemed just like a difficult and unlikeable person. I guess if you don’t like the Hollywood types, this will resonate with you.
August 21, 2021
Thank you for allowing yourself to be so vulnerable. No one should ever have to endure that trauma, let alone at such a young age. Thank you for sharing your story and communicating that we are all a work in progress. Your courage and strength will certainly give others in similar situations hope that there is a better life that lies ahead.
July 22, 2022
I enjoyed reading this mess of a book, but I think I'll keep my views on the content to myself. I'm sort of burned out on people who see themselves as the cliche victim-turned-survivor, when, really, their lives are a mess because they make bad choices -- repeatedly.
Also, the editor on this book must've been half asleep. Damn.
Also, the editor on this book must've been half asleep. Damn.
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