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danielavasquez's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Alcoholism, Violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Abortion
rachel_saund's review against another edition
4.0
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, and Physical abuse
kaylaboevers's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault and Physical abuse
ali1004's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs and Racism
Moderate: Sexism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse
Minor: Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Infertility, and Sexism
isajidy's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abortion, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Miscarriage, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Infertility, and Grief
Minor: Drug abuse
bethanyt123's review against another edition
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Toxic friendship, Death, Racial slurs, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Child death, Death of parent, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Infertility, and Bullying
murph_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Viola speaks about so many incredibly difficult moments with the kind of grace one only gains by surrendering to loving people for exactly who they are. Her love for her family is her driving force.
Would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook! It feels like having coffee with a lifelong friend with an incredible story.
Moderate: Abortion, Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Addiction, Animal death, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, and Racism
cmorrisclark's review against another edition
4.0
I felt very proud of Davis for telling her story and being brave enough to claim her story. It's clear she has done so much work to get to where she is, professionally and emotionally.
I feel like the book could have benefitted from a little more guidance in the editing stage-- at times it felt very "stream of conscious" with the narrative jumping from idea to idea, even in the same paragraph at times. I think the editors could have helped guide some of the bigger picture narratives at well, which sometimes felt unfinished or anemic.
Overall, this was a fascinating read. Viola Davis is an incredible woman, and it was really fun to cheer her on in the latter half of the book. The first half of the book, which detailed her trauma, is a difficult read, but of course her story is part of what makes Davis the woman she is today.
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Emotional abuse
dorhastings's review against another edition
5.0
I thought about starting this review with "if ever a memoir earned five stars, it's this one" and that then felt somewhat judgy of me. I mean, sure, I am literally judging the book by rating it with stars, but really, what am I judging? The author's authenticity? A good story that I deem to be enjoyable? Good writing? Memoirs can be tricky things to write. How do you know you've experienced *enough* to write one? I have judged some memoirs as being less than because I didn't like the story, the personality, or the writing, but they were certainly authentic. Some folks want more details, while some authors just don't feel comfortable doing so. It's their memoir, after all.
What makes this book so powerful, for me, is all that Davis endured throughout her life, especially in her younger years. She knows poverty, and embarrassment of poverty, and she is generous and visceral in her descriptions. It was hard to hear about her father beating the crap out of her mother on a regular basis. You wonder "why didn't her mother just leave her father?" and the answer isn't simple. Especially when you learn years later how much her father has changed.
Davis is heartfelt and thorough in her explanation of her life circumstances, her resistance to listening to her therapist, her insight on the racism and sexism that plague the world in general and her profession in particular. She actually talks very little about the specific roles, with some exceptions, but that in no way makes the memoir less than. This isn't a *fun* read. It's a hard read. She is all the more impressive and amazing for all she has gone through, for her determination, and her love.
If you are someone who likes audiobooks, this one is an easy choice. Davis narrates her own memoir and it is tragic and beautiful.
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death
mathenam's review against another edition
4.25
Memoirs seem to always have a narrative that skips around, but that’s the nature of telling a story about a real life. It still felt a little too disjointed in places.
Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Animal cruelty, Terminal illness, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Infertility, Incest, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Abortion, Rape, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse