Book Review | The Half Of It: A Memoir by Madison Beer

American singer-songwriter, Madison Beer, shares how having a life in the spotlight from a young age has affected her in her debut memoir.

About The Half Of It

The Half Of It is a memoir that details American singer-songwriter Madison Beer’s life. Coming into fame at the innocent age of 12, the majority of her life was spent in the spotlight for everyone to criticise.

From having her nudes leaked to dealing with substance abuse and suicidal thoughts, Beer writes in her memoir the backstory behind these experiences, showing us the other half of it. She explains how having her life documented online for over a decade has affected her childhood, teenage years and how she has grown from these experiences as a 23-year-old woman.

The Half Of It Review

Let’s start with the most jarring part of the book which is the journal prompts. While I do understand Beer’s interest in psychology and mental health, these journal prompts felt random and were unnecessary in telling her story. This is a biography, not a journal. If I wanted to talk about my feelings, I would go see a therapist.

The Half Of It showed me a different view of Madison Beer. I practically grew up with her. I was there when she announced her third single, Something Sweet, and I adored this girl for a long time to come. Even though I was disheartened to know that the songs that held such a special place in my heart were despised by Beer herself, I’m glad she was brave enough to admit it. When talking about her struggles early on in life, I sympathised with her.

That being said, I wished she had gone deeper into the scandals that she’d been through. She talks about opening up and sharing her story but when she talks about the drama, she only discusses it on a surface level. There’s not much that I don’t already know from reading articles on the Internet, especially since I was one of the few who grew up around these events. As Beer mentions in her introductory chapter, I get wanting to have privacy, especially after going through traumatic events on the Internet, but her memoir still feels lacklustre.

The Half Of It is highly repetitive. As much as I empathise with her and understand that what she went through took a toll on her, it felt draining reading the same things over and over again.

Three-quarters of the memoir is written in a distinctly pessimistic manner that could feel quite exhausting to read if you aren’t in the right headspace. Beer discusses her suicide attempts, drug addiction as well as other sensitive and triggering topics. While the book still ends on a somewhat happy ending, the majority of it was gloomy.

For fans of Madison Beer, this memoir will give you some insight into her life but it's nothing that you can't already find on the Internet. And if you haven't heard of Beer, the Half Of It is a good introduction to the singer-songwriter's life.

If you decide to read this book, I'd highly recommend listening to the audio book at the same time. It's narrated by Beer herself.

★★★☆☆ (3/5)

About Madison Beer

After going viral at just 12 years old, Madison Beer publicly navigated the transition from childhood star to global entertainer, undergoing a record-breaking run as an independent artist before signing with Epic Records and releasing her long-awaited debut album, Life Support, in 2021. Known for her vulnerability and authenticity both inside and outside of the music industry, Beer has built her platform on speaking openly about her experiences with being in the public eye at such a young age. Through sharing the highs and lows of her journey, Beer resonates deeply with an audience that looks to her as more of a friend than as an untouchable celebrity.

Beer is now the master of her own creative domain, from inception to realisation, including writing and producing her own music to conceptualising and directing her music videos. In addition to her art, Beer also provides her work as a mental health advocate and philanthropist, with hopes of returning to school to study psychology. She currently resides in Los Angeles.