It's probably going to depend on how big a fan of Swift you are and how long you've followed her to know how you'll react to this book. There's a wealth of information in this book that even I, as a relatively new admirer, knew, but also a great many details of her business and recording sessions that I didn't. To be honest, while I found much of it fascinating, there were also sections where I suddenly realized my attention had drifted and I needed to go back and listen again. I found this more of an issue when various albums/songs and the dates and numbers of release and charting were tossed out in rather rapid sequence than throughout, however. What can I say? I'm not a numbers person. The addition of how family support helped Taylor was a great inclusion.
It was great to hear the breakdown of her songs/album lists, including how hard Taylor Swift works to make her fans feel included. I found the section talking about how, as much as Swift tries, it's impossible for her fans to really know what she's feeling on that stage. It spoke of the isolation entertainers may feel when, quite frankly, their usual view is of only a few rows and then endless rows of probably bouncing light from cell phones during performances. I believe it said it was Jon Bon Jovi who once invited fans (and a music reporter) on stage for a brief set, the reporter noting that overwhelming feeling of realizing how many eyes were watching, even while acknowledging all eyes were surely on Jon, not him or the others. Nice touch by the author to help fans sense of a bit of what it's really like.Although I've never attended a Swift concert in person, I must say her ability to make it seem cozy and like she's speaking directly to you come through well, showing how hard she really does work. Loved the quip about how she handled needing to, gasp, blow her nose during a performance.
I'm not going to try to detail the contents, there's just too much and it's probably about as up-to-date as any publication can be at any point given Swift's, well, swift writing and release of new albums, usually with little advance notice. Narrator Katelyn Levering does an excellent job with a book that is heavy on info that includes lots of dates and numbers (ie numbers sold, competitive album numbers, etc), and comes across as someone who probably admires Swift. Her tone seemed gushy in sections but was probably appropriate given the words she had to speak and fans will have no issue with it. Chapter changes and titles are simply announced and then the narration continues. Do note, however, that this is titled an unauthorized biography. That means the author technically wrote it without Swift's assistance or even permission. While I'd call the book quite positive, it does delve into matters such as her contract issues and things like the Kanya incident and supposed snub of Celine Dion and the negative press they garnered, matters perhaps not best handled in such detailed but brief bits for the youngest of Swifties. For older fans, however, these little revealed aspects may prove fascinating, so it's an "it depends" note, I guess.
Bottom line, although I'm rating this a 4 star based on the sheer amount of info and up-to-date coverage since, as noted, there were moments where I pretty much zoned out. There were also, obviously, more moments where I found it quite informative and thought provoking. I also liked that the author made a point of noting the positive impact of Taylor Swift tours, from simply bringing people into cities for the shows to, say, the financial benefits of bringing in people who'd eat, drink, and shop, not to mention frequently rent hotels rooms for the shows. Like the Swiftie nation, this author also seems to have Swift's back, even while sharing some not quite positives. Thanks #NetGalley and #DreamscapeMedia for allowing me to drop in and give this an early listen. As a late comer to fandom, I appreciated all the new material and the author's attention to detail, a trait she seems to share with Swift.
