I’m telling you upfront don’t come here looking for anything messy. Although I could see a few shady digs here and there. She details Matthew’s constant infidelity from day one, but takes the high road. This is a classy memoir. 

In all seriousness, this was very engaging. It’s so easy to see how the experiences of Knowles’ childhood informed her adult life and parenting. 

Knowles’ childhood was loving but filled with strict, abusive nuns, poverty, and an emotionally repressed parent. Her youth was similar to many Black Americans of a certain age dealing with the bludgeoning racism, anti-blackness, segregated schools, and other people’s inferiority complex. It also showed how the communities were much more intact, back when the neighbor would watch and care for a child as their own. I was reminded of so many of my parents’ and grandparents’ stories. 

Family is a core value for her. She paints a picture of each of her immediate family members and even details some of the struggles Beyoncé and Solange had as children. Knowles was very cognizant and never wanted to pit her daughters against each other as rivals (even if others did/do). I wasn’t aware of Uncle Johnny and his impact on the family, but this gives him his flowers. 

Lastly, I enjoyed reading this. It’s truly centered on Tina. If you want the Beyonce, Solange, or the lowdown dirty on Matthew, you need another book. But I felt like I learned about her, and it wasn’t too cookie-cutter. The book is divided into three parts: daughter, mother, and woman. I love that. A mother isn’t all she is, nor a daughter, she’s still an individual. Her own woman.