A Mother's Gift: Your views

Will writing be another string to Britney's bow?

A British publisher has paid £500,000 for the rights to the manuscript of a novel written by US pop star Britney Spears and her mother Lynne.

The book, which has hit the shelves in the US, mirrors Britney's own life, a tale of a teenage girl who wants to be a singing star.

"It is simplistically written, with one-dimensional characters and flimsy turns of plot," thought our reviewer.

But what do you think? Should Britney start writing a sequel or stick to pop?

I find it hard to believe that an American musical celebrity is literate, let alone capable of writing a novel of any value. Nevertheless, I wish Miss Spears all the very best with her new brand of firelighter.
Alex Lee, United Kingdom

Absolutely dreadful. Completely devoid of redeeming features. Bound to sell well with Ms. Spears's fanbase.
Paul Ware, USA

It is doubtless pap - certainly from the closing paragraphs quoted in the papers.

If people are willing to buy literary pap, then she will write it. If they don't, she'll have to stick to musical pap instead.
Jon Fletcher, United Kingdom

She should keep writing... I think her singing sucks!
Clive Hill, USA

Nothing from that girl could be good! I work with children in the school system. Young girls here have enough problems dealing with issues without the help of "pop" culture!
Joshua Hess, USA

Her music is bad enough, why not just stand on the stage and look pretty instead of boring us with your terrible writing?
Mark R, USA

It's a sad state of affairs when teen popstars are offered huge book deals while legitimate, dedicated writers hone their choosen craft in obscurity for years, and even lifetimes, composing masterpieces we'll never read.
W. Martin, USA

Stick to pop!
Helen, Canada

Unfortunately, Britney is one of those superbly manufactured pop stars with limited talent. What she lacks in vocal chords she makes up for when flashing the flesh.

Sell what you can while the mugs are still buying. In five years time it will be "Britney who?"

Freeman Payne, USA

The book is extremely predictable and very "American" with over-the-top accounts of becoming a star-studded wannabe.

The book is definitely not for the more disconcerting reader but will make good reading for the 7 - 14 year old range, which I am sure will make it a hit. Because it's another Britney collectable!
S Sarre, Uk

It is interesting that if someone shows minor talent in one arena, people seem so eager to have them perform in all arenas. I am sure there are many people out there who dedicate their lives to singing, writing and acting who are horrified by the idea of paying so much money to someone who shows little ability in those fields.
Doug, USA

Sell what you can while the mugs are still buying. In five years time it will be "Britney who?"
Freeman Payne, USA

I was amazed simply to learn that Britney Spears writes anything more complex than a shopping list for boutique clothing.

The book, in the finest traditon of content-free drivel written by bubble-gum popstars, is destined to be a rousing success.

Given the simplicity of Ms. Spears's art, my guess is that a large number of the fans will forego reading the book, waiting instead forthe video version.

The bright side is that the book may be the first ever read for many fans, who are likely never to have read anything more complex than a People magazine.
Jeff Granger, USA

It's garbage and not worth the paper it's printed on. What a waste of money. Who does she think she is?
Susan Jarvis, USA

Go Britney! You are great. Yet another talent to add to the list. Can't wait to read it. You rock!

Philip Rabouhans, UK

I have great respect for writers, whoever they are, and if Britney is good, then good luck to her. If you or I had the chance of being as successful as that one girl, wouldn't we want the same for ourselves?
Karl, United Kingdom

I'd say that Britney needs to quit writing.....her music isn't any good either. I'll bet she doesn't write her own songs even. She could become a model or something, something that needs very little talent.

It's all about image, not talent.
Kyle, USA

As one of your correspondent's points out, the book is actually aimed at 8 -12 year olds. What is disturbing, however, is the number of the posts from angry, presumably adult readers, who seem to care about the issue a lot more than it deserves to be cared about.
Denis , Russia

I think that before starting a writing career, Britney has to decide whether she is the pure and innocent child she claims to be, or the show-biz, show-off, and show-it-all Britney that she is.
Ed K, Canada

Well...what can I say, I guess it would be interesting to know a little bit more about this pop mega star, but I guess she should keep up the music and not let the fame go to her head...not that she has in my eyes.
Steven Beerh, United Kingdom

"It is simplistically written, with one-dimensional characters and flimsy turns of plot." This makes sense. Why should her book be any different from her simplistic, one-dimensional pop music?
James Culbertson, USA

Go Britney! You are great. Yet another talent to add to the list. Can't wait to read it. You rock!
Philip Rabouhans, United Kingdom

Britney's novel is nothing short of genius. It is a work of supreme scholastic skill. She has a distinctly Joycian prose, yet she emotes like a young Turgenev. If she was English, this would have to be on the Booker Shortlist. I hope that it will become a National Curriculum staple. Five stars.
Roobenzian, UK

Britney, worry about learning to sing first and then start writing novels!

Jim, Singapore

Perhaps a career in writing will be the only opportunity this woman ever has to display genuine artistic originality in her lifetime, even if this first book doesn't achieve that.

No offence, but Britney Spears exemplifies the US recording industry's desire to have complete control over their pop icons. They won't deal with artists who possess genuine talent any longer, because that forces them to negotiate.
Brendan Gormley, USA

I found, when in a difficult situation whilst travelling on the outskirts of the Amazon in Brazil last week, that it made brilliant toilet paper.
Avis Titus Xavier, Venezuela

Britney Spears and her mom are very smart women: they both know Britney's fanbase is dwindling and efforts to increase their capital has to be their highest priority.

Everyone in the US knows that Britney's persona is the only thing she has to offer - a Madonna-type career, except that Madonna actually had talent.

I've read their book (only because the hospital I volunteer in has some blind children and are fans of her club) and I can tell you that maintaining some focus is difficult for me and for them.

Britney, in my opinion, should write a book only because the money fronted for this next project of hers will bring in some collateral...but as we all know, sometimes the untalented are the wisest business folk.
Martin, USA

Why doesn't she just give up? She's a has-been.
Brandon Zimmerman, Moscow, Russia

Britney, worry about learning to sing first and then start writing novels!
Jim, Singapore

Neither Britney's musical success nor her literary career are in any way related to her talent in these two fields. As far as I am concerned, there is only one reason she has met such popularity, one obvious enough that I don't need to state it here.

I look forward to the return of music as an art, rather than fabricated nonsense fronted by a model rather than an artist.
Theo, USA

It's good that she has a talent for writing as opposed to others who can only sing

Jude, Sri Lanka

Come on, gave us a break!

Britney can hardly sing, now she wants to write as well? Do we, the general public, have to suffer twice? Or will she now realise she can't sing and turn to writing as an alternate employment.

As I listen to music more than I read novels, that'll be great! My sympathy then goes to all novel readers.
John Ly Liu, England

Oh, please, no. For the love of humanity, do not let that girl write a sequel. She is yet another embarrassment to the USA (one of the many) and I apologise.
Fahema Rahman, USA

Well, it's bound to be better than her songs, but then again, she doesn't write those anyway.

This book sounds impossibly cutesy and more likely to induce vomiting than three boxes of alcopops.
David Grant, United Kingdom

It's good that she has a talent for writing as opposed to others who can only sing.
Jude, Sri Lanka

Not only should Britney quit attempting to write novels, but she should seriously rethink her pop career as well. Her book read like a sixth grade writing assignment, and she was so politically and culturally unaware in displaying an American flag during her performance in Rio.

Her career as a writer should be the least of her concerns.
Nathaniel Parker, USA

How many brilliant authors face rejection for years and never even achieve what Britney has managed in her first effort with her mother?

Forbes Cunningham, Netherlands

I thought it was a beautiful and touching book. I laughed, I cried, I even felt like singing.
Steve, USA

Britney Spears is surely Shakepeare's sister!
Jonathan, Denmark

I wouldn't buy it if it was the last book on the shelves. It's hardly surprising that it has a flimsier plot than Hamlet, and characters so flat they belong on a advertising board.

Great manufactured pop she may be, but she will hardly win the Booker prize. I would rather read 'Winnie the Pooh'. He has depth of character!
James, UK

Give us a break! She hasn't got her singing right yet. It's a sad state of affairs when physical attributes can take someone as far as Ms Spears.
Jez B, UK

She is already an embarrassment to the music industry, why does literature have to be her next victim?
Claire New, England

Britney is an all-round entertainer, but writing novels just isn't her scene. Leave it alone Brit & Brit Mom. Do what you do best - looking gorgeous!
Gary, Scotland

Not another pop star writing another book about themselves, it does not surprise me that early reviews reveal how chronic it is!
Patricia Fowler, England

It seems unfair that a fictional rewriting of her career should gain a £500,000 payment for rights. Like so many stars of today, it wouldn't surprise me if in the next few years Britney turns her hand to fashion design, painting or poetry for revenue.

It is perhaps unfair to say this when I haven't read the manuscript but isn't it sad that a name is enough to sell a product? How many brilliant authors face rejection for years and never even achieve what Britney has managed in her first effort with her mother?
Forbes Cunningham, Netherlands

Her first novel may be simplistic and one-dimensional but if it entertains only one person then it was worth writing

James W Robinson, England

I thought that this book was one of the best books I have read in quite some time. I know some people knock her but I think she's the best.

Don't listen to the critics, Britney!
Adrian Gallagher, UK

It's a thrilling first novel from probably the most talented of musical artists around today. The depth to which she probes such delicate and sensitive issues in her book proves that she is not just a pretty face.

Not since Shakespeare has the world had such a talented writer. Britney, we love you!
Nick Leonard, England

That an anagram of "Britney Spears" is "Best PR in Years" should give you a clue as to the reasons for this book's popularity.

There are a million good writers out there who can't get published, while this dire junk gets the star treatment. I can only presume that those who buy it are as vacuous as the person who wrote it.
Steve, UK

If her writing is anything like her singing or 'song writing', then she should give up writing now, in fact, maybe she should give up singing (if it can be called that) as well.
Edd, Wales

She is useless at both!
Al, Germany

My view is that Britney is a top pop singer and she should stick to pop.
Tariq Ali, Pakistan

Britney is the 'queen of pop', but this should not deter her from writing novels if she feels inspired to do so. Her first novel may be simplistic and one-dimensional but if it entertains only one person then it was worth writing.
James W. Robinson, England

I have read the book twice through already and believe it is proof that Britney is not only the greatest singing talent of our time but she also possesses a literary mind that rivals such greats as Virginia Woolf and Ernest Hemmingway.

People will of course put her down because she is an attractive young female, but such cliched cynicism should be rejected.

We have to understand that Britney is possibly the saviour of post-modern culture as she blends both literary and pop culture together in a form accessible to all.
TF, United Kingdom

She makes kids happy, she gives younger girls/boys someone to look up to and I assume she wouldn't have anything negative or abusive to say like Eminem

Justin Hart, UK

Initially, it was more with sadness than disgust that I read of this latest attempt to foist brain-dead pseudo-literature on young children.

However, it could also be argued that any means by which the young can be introduced to reading is to be praised.

We should not be concerned about those who do not move on to better prose - if it were not for Ms Spears, they would not be reading anything anyway.
Elmo, Canada

Shame that a pretty face is now selling books as well as music, which is bad enough.
Tim, UK

Very heated comments, but I know where you are all coming from. Fortunately, here down under we don't get much Britney and the book will be bargain basement.
Paul, New Zealand

Good on you Britney, thing is, I don't like her music, I may not even like her book, but for all the people out there who hold a grudge and don't like her because they think she's just a talentless bimbo, take another look.

She makes kids happy, she gives younger girls/boys someone to look up to, she gives them something to listen to and read and I assume she wouldn't have anything negative or abusive to say like Eminem.

So leave her alone and stop being so jealous, she's doing something good and harmless. She may well have cashed in but if some silly fool is willing to pay her that money, I'd take it if it was offered, would you?
Justin Hart, UK

What I would like to know is, have any of you actually read the book before casting your judgements? From what I can see there are only a handful of people who have posted comments who have bothered to read it before criticising the book and her.
Emma, England

Could it be that there are a lot of comments here from people who simply dislike her image and her music? I'm not a fan either, but give her a chance

Tara, Germany

So, the cheeky little songstress wrote a book. If it's as bad as everyone says it'll fade and she'll move on. If it's good or she genuinely wants to work on this as a career, then good luck to her. Really now, we have more pressing problems than this to consider.
Sparks, UK

I think everyone should be objective regardless of whether you are Britney's fan or foe. We want honest criticism, not petty flames.
Laetitia, UK

If you don't like it, don't read it. And stop moaning.
Josty, England

I say fair play to her. If she has got the talent to write as well as sing then she should use it.
Graham McLaren, Scotland

Could it be that there are a lot of comments here from people who simply dislike her image and her music? I'm not a fan either, but give her a chance.
Tara, Germany

I thought that this book was surprisingly good. Perfect night-time reading.
Simon Purve, England

Empty, flat, shallow. What happened to the days when a writer got a contract based on their talent, and not on their current celebrity status and looks?
Andy, USA

I think it's a good idea for her to write a book because that's the only way to get kids to read.

I myself am a David Beckham fan and I enjoy reading about Beckham no matter what it is!
Amos Beck, USA

What a pathetic band of losers most of you are. Particularly all those from Britain where the book has not even been released yet. Clearly much of the commentary is based on a great well of knowledge.

The book is aimed at 8 -12 year olds. It is probably better than some books published in that genre and worse than others. So what! I say hurrah to Britney and her mother for trying something new.

Who dares wins.
Jake, Canada

Writer, singer/dancer, and actress, what next? Athlete? I guess whatever the untalented Spears can get, before her "Where Are They Now" debut on VH1.
FB, USA