⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 stars

Raw, powerful, and deeply moving.

In Free, Amanda Knox shares her story with unflinching honesty and grace. This memoir goes far beyond the headlines, diving into the emotional and psychological journey of a young woman fighting not just for her freedom, but for her humanity.

Knox’s voice is clear and compelling, weaving vulnerability with strength in a way that’s both heartbreaking and empowering. Her reflections on identity, injustice, and healing resonated deeply with me. It’s a book that doesn’t ask for sympathy—it earns your respect.

Highly recommended for readers of memoirs, true crime, and anyone interested in stories of survival, resilience, and reclaiming one’s narrative.

Thank you Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.

I really enjoyed getting to read Amanda Knox's words and that this was a really well done book. The concept was everything that I was looking for and had that reflection element that I was looking for and worked in the genre. Amanda Knox was able to tell the story and was hooked from the first page.

I have followed Amanda Knox ever since she was accused of murder in Italy. I read her first book and was excited to come across the second book. Amanda Knox is one strong and intelligent human. This book felt raw and vulnerable as Amanda learns to navigate society as she is continually looked at as someone who could have committed murder (as some people still believe she is guilty). She talked about things she has to deal with on an every day basis, things I wouldn't have thought about. She is such a brave and courageous person to not only go back to Italy but to talk to the prosecutor who was horrible to her. A great read!

Amanda Knox’s memoir is a candid and often raw reflection on her life after one of the most publicized trials of the century. Free offers a rare look behind the headlines, showing not just how Knox endured years of imprisonment and media frenzy, but how she tried to rebuild herself afterward. The parts about reintegrating into society and revisiting Italy are especially compelling. Still, while her journey is undeniably powerful, the narrative sometimes meanders, and the tone can feel uneven—moving between harrowing and humorous in ways that don’t always land. A brave, reflective read, but it didn’t fully resonate for me.

"Free" by Amanda Knox is an unexpectedly personal and authentic read. Unlike her first memoir, "Free" feels more like a conversation with a friend—messy at times, but real and vulnerable in a way we can all identify with, despite not having been wrongfully convicted of a crime in a foreign country…

Knox's first memoir recounts (and was written during) the immediate aftermath of her release. Twelve years later, "Free" benefits from the separation of time and reflection and helps us understand her life after the salacious headlines.

✨ 3.75/5

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the advance copy in exchange for my review.

Amanda Knox is a much stronger woman than I will ever be. I have heard her story a few times and even listened to the Call Her Daddy episode she was on. But to hear her tell her story herself was remarkable. There were a few portions (particularly discussing pregnancy) where I struggled to get through, but overall I enjoyed this one.

It was interesitng reading Amanda's side of everything and I am not going to say she told the truth or not but it was interesting.

Very interesting read and perspective by Amanda Knox. This book is not about the facts, this is about Amanda talking through the "why" things happened such as systemic and societal issues. Made me think a lot about the impact of the press and gender roles on criminal cases and public figures.

Free by Amanda Knox surprised me in the best way. I went into this book expecting to revisit the infamous case and the years she spent fighting for her freedom—and yes, she covers all of that—but what I didn’t expect was how vulnerable and introspective it would be. This isn’t a rehash of headlines or court transcripts. It’s an intimate, fiercely intelligent exploration of what it means to lose your agency—and how to reclaim it.

Knox digs deep into everything: trauma, shame, public perception, forgiveness, womanhood, rage. She doesn’t flinch away from hard truths—not about the media circus, the injustice of the Italian legal system, or even the ways she coped (or didn’t cope) in the aftermath. Her voice is sharp, clear, and painfully honest. I felt like I was reading the diary of someone still stitching themselves back together—and letting us witness the process.

The structure isn’t strictly chronological, and I actually loved that. It felt more emotional than linear, like we were following the shape of her healing rather than just her history. Some parts hit me right in the gut—especially when she talks about identity and how she struggled to define herself outside of the narrative others forced onto her. There's power in her anger, and even more in her refusal to be consumed by it.

Why 4 stars instead of 5? There were a few sections where the pacing slowed a little or circled around the same ideas one too many times. But honestly, I still devoured this. It’s part memoir, part manifesto, and all heart.

Favorite quote: “I am not the story they told about me. I never was.”
That line stayed with me.

Raw, powerful, and at times emotional. Knox’s story is one that most of us know, and I am in awe of how she has been able to find freedom and peace in the aftermath. It’s truly inspirational.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻! Thank you, NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the eARC!

Everyone knows Amanda's story, but not everyone knows the things she has endured since her release and acquittal. I was so impressed with this book and I was so glad to see Amanda persevering despite all she has been through, but more than that, I was also inspired by her outlook on life. It made me reconsider how I frame the events and difficulties in my own life. I never read Amanda's first book, but I can imagine how much growth and life experience also colored Amanda's perspective between when this first happened in 2007, and now. Clearly, prison being the obvious formative experience that traumatized her and changed her life and her worldview, but since then she has also experienced marriage, a pandemic, childbirth, etc. - all of those events also provide a person with a more expansive perspective on the world. I was appreciative that she included these things because a person can mature SO much in 18 years - I'm so glad this book wasn't all dwelling on the negative. I gave it 4 stars because I sometimes felt certain things she said seemed to contradict themselves later on (crying over a comedian making jokes about her after she met him, but then saying humor is important to her/helps with coping and making jokes herself), but overall the contradictions weren't extremely prevalent, just something that made me scratch my head a bit (also not criticizing - I'm sure it's a complicated feeling).

In this book, Amanda focuses on her experiences in prison, returning to her family home back in Washington after leaving Italy, her daily struggles and attempts at normalcy and relationships, accepting her new circumstances, grieving the loss of the person she was before 2007, how she feels about being a punchline for comedians, meeting her husband, her journey to becoming a mother, and most shocking to me, her endeavor for closure by making amends/extending kindness and forgiveness to the Italian prosecutor through a series of emails before meeting in person. Amanda also shares advice she received on how to accept how things are, how people may perceive you, and being ok with it. I felt that was very important and could be useful in my own life.

If you followed the Amanda Knox case with an open mind in 2007, or even if you heard about it later, I highly recommend this book to hear from Amanda herself. The writing is fantastic and the story is extremely engaging. I sometimes found myself wondering, "I wonder if she will address (insert thing) ..." only to have my question addressed in the next section. This book was a super insightful and inspiring read.

Go, Amanda! <3

My major regret about this book is that I did not read Waiting To Be Heard first. I feel like I would have gotten a lot more out of the story if I had. Knox is a great writer and a very introspective person and I think we can all learn a lot from the way she responded to her situation. I am not sure I would have made many of the same decisions she did, especially with the relationships she chose to cultivate, but certainly everyone is entitled to their own decisions and their own life. Certainly worth the read, but consider Waiting To Be Heard first.

3.5 stars. I started following Amanda Knox’s story because around five years prior to her arrest, I was also a naïve twenty-year-old American exchange student in Europe. I understood why she might have acted strangely while being interrogated in a language she didn’t fully understand in a culture she was not yet used to. There is an unreality involved in being a short term student in a different country. I liked this follow-up to Knox’s original memoir even when it felt wordy at times. Her attempt to make sense of the entire event is natural and for the most part she succeeds. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.

This memoir picks up where Amanda Knox’s court case left off, exploring what it means to rebuild your life in the wake of a wrongful conviction.

One of the most surprising and moving parts of the book was her reconnection with Giuliano Mignini. Watching their relationship evolve from adversaries to something resembling friendship was both unexpected and beautiful. It caught me off guard emotionally—and made me reflect on how people can choose to respond to even the most painful circumstances with grace and empathy.

Knox’s commentary on the “single victim fallacy” was particularly eye-opening. She articulates the difficult truth that society often refuses to acknowledge more than one victim in a crime, leaving the wrongfully accused without compassion or space to heal.

Amanda is a writer, and it shows. Free is a deeply introspective, thoughtful memoir that doesn’t dwell on the past so much as it considers what comes after—and how to live with, and beyond, injustice.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I’ve always been interested in Amanda Knox’s story. Amanda’s story was beautifully written. I was in Italy weeks after Meredith’s tragic murder and similar age to Meredith and Amanda. I love that she met Monica Lewinsky and inspired each other. Amanda does a wonderful job taking us into her reality and horrible struggles. She has shown how she came out on the other side with grace. She has turned a horrible situation into a positive. I am in awe she befriended her prosecutor. It was wonderful conclusion to know that Amanda is now living a happy life. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

This book was raw and heartbreaking. I remember so vividly watching this case unfold and I just can’t imagine what she went through, but reading it all in her words made it even more painful. I’m glad that she finally got out but she never should have gone through that to begin with.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an e-ARC of Free by Amanda Knox.
I got this book right before a trip to Italy. The story of Amanda Knox became something I was pulled toward. Not knowing anything about her arrest, I found the book very interesting yet unsettling. Free is a solid memoir that offers hope and positivity in the face of adversity.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing this read. All opinions are my own.
Free is a powerful and compassionate exploration of Knox's life after experiencing wrongful incarceration. It's incredibly thought-provoking - I feel that Knox really invites us inside her exploration of what her life was going to be like after being freed. Of course, the media circus surrounding her court case means that she's had to fight to reestablish herself as the owner of her story; something that can be a re-victimization, but that I think Knox uses to transform and grow. Beautifully written and poignant. Something we hope to never experience but also can't help ourselves from wanting every salacious detail.

Amanda Knox is known as the girl who went on trail for the murder of her roommate, Meredith Kercher. Her first book,'Waiting to be Heard,' tells mostly about the trail. 'Free' tells a bit about the trail, her time in prison, and her life since.

I enjoyed this book because I can remember her trail. She spent 4 years in prison, then 8 before she was finally cleared by the Court of Cessation, that like the US Supreme Court, but in Italy.
I have to say she's a better person than me. There's no way I would have gone back to Italy and then met the man who put me in prison for something I didn't do. No way! She's a very strong person. I am glad she has gotten married, has a family, and seems to be doing good with her life.

Published March 25, 2025

Thanks to Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Amanda Knox for the E-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

😊 Happy Reading 😊

#Netgalley #GrandCentralPublishing #AmandaKnox #Free #ARC #Read2025

I wanted to give this a shot but I feel like it was hard to find any footing in the narrative. Very stunted writing and hard to feel like any of the conversations were real...It all felt like manufactured dialogue.