HRH Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle have been sparking controversy in the royal family ever since they confirmed their relationship in 2016, and this book is another item to add to the list.

Coinciding with the Netflix series “Harry and Meghan” that released on Dec. 8 of last year, Prince Harry’s memoir titled “Spare” is Harry’s tell-all story that was released on Jan. 10. This book has been highly sought after, as it gives a glimpse into the life of man of many rumors and tabloids.

The book starts off grim, as Prince Harry has returned to England to witness the funeral of his grandpa, otherwise known as Prince Philip. Out alone in a garden, Harry reflects on his memories of Philip and his wicked humor, the other royals who happened to be buried in the Garden and eventually to his beloved mother, Lady Diana Spencer. His pondering is later interrupted by the entrance of his Father, King Charles III, and Prince William, or Willy for short. He contemplates how they stay so statuesque even though they are about to enter a funeral. Harry gets angry, then remembers he’s supposed to clear the turbulence in the family, caused by him leaving for America with his wife. He owes them an explanation but thinks to himself, does he even know why he left? To clear the air, he decides to write this book and let the world know his reasons, only his, for leaving the monarchy.

The book takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions, dealing with topics that I found sad, such as Harry’s lackluster coping mechanism for dealing with his mothers unexpected death as a 12 year old and his substance addictions. Yet, I also found some topics to be relatable, like his relationship with his brother Willy. There were also a few stories that I found humorous; who knew King Charles could do a handstand.

Reading about Prince Harry’s life has been interesting. I got to learn more about a person I’ve been fascinated with for a while. I liked learning about all the places he’s visited in Africa and the work he does there in order to carry on his mother’s legacy. I also liked learning about his deployments and how he had to adapt to the war environment, especially since he came from a “silver spoon” life. The aspect of this book that I liked the most, though, is just seeing his love and admiration for his mother. I, like many other people, love Princess Diana. She is one of my biggest role models and learning a little bit more about her from a person who actually knew her just makes me happy.

My main critique of the book is Harry’s over-the-top attention to detail. He says in the book that at any event that he has been to, he won’t remember what took place but rather the setting of the event. Sometimes this is handy, as I want to know more about the place he’s talking about. But most of the time, the unnecessary description is a bore and hard to read through.

This book was also ghostwritten, which makes me feel a little uncertain about how truthful his memoir could be, but who knows.

All in all, the book was an interesting read and definitely a contender for being one of the most popular books of the year. It does have its frosty moments but it will certainly bite you with intrigue.