Reviews tagging 'Grief'

Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis

97 reviews

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.5

Davis has lived a life full of good and bad times, torture and fame, love and grief. While reading, I consistently found myself wanting more — details, anecdotes, snapshots of the past. What has been written is engaging, entertaining, and at times even inspiring but I still wished for more. Davis’ role as Annalise Keating is one of my absolute favorite television roles and I would read two more books this length about her life, her time on different sets, and the people she’s worked with who she came to love and respect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Terminal illness, Violence, Racial slurs, Sexism, Physical abuse, Racism, Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Dementia, Excrement, Grief, Bullying, Alcoholism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault

youmns's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.75

Oof. Viola Davis is one tough lady. This whole book should come with a giant trigger warning.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Pregnancy, Abortion, Body shaming, and Infidelity

Minor: Pedophilia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Infertility, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, and Cancer

yreluctant's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Rape, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Alcohol, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Animal death

kristinescorner's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Sexual harassment

Moderate: Addiction and Abortion

morebookspls's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

4.5

The audio book was incredible! What an impressive woman. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Abortion, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, and Racism

sbcrra's review against another edition

funny inspiring medium-paced

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Bullying, Grief, and Abortion

Minor: Animal death

ali1004's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abortion, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Miscarriage, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Infertility, and Grief

Minor: Drug abuse

itscassie's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Viola’s storytelling ability coupled with the depths of vulnerability and healing she shares had me in awe throughout each chapter. I felt I saw a distant relative telling me their life lessons and speaking to the young girl, adolescent in me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Sexual violence, Classism, Death of parent, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Bullying, and Alcoholism

Moderate: Cursing, Sexual violence, Abortion, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Toxic relationship

Minor: Medical trauma

hellokaley's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

Viola describes the definition of a hero as someone born into a world where they don't fit in, they are then summoned on a call to an adventure that they are reluctant to take. This is her hero’s journey from poverty, abuse, and trauma to an Oscar-winning actress. 

This story is heavy with content warnings galore. And truthfully, after the first half of the book, I was ready for the second part of the story- the part where she is triumphant. Because that first half is hard and uncomfortable and her circumstances were unimaginable. Her story is truly phenomenal. 

I loved her approach with talking about the Hollywood industry. She not only talks about the work of character development and figuring out how to understand and portray the person on the script, but she spoke about the challenging logistics of working actors. From auditioning, rejections, pay, insurance, traveling, and often not always a place to call home, it’s not all glamorous. She also highlights the challenges that Black actors face in the industry. 

Viola’s performance in the audiobook is powerful. She is honest and raw in her words and her delivery and did a beautiful job. I have learned so much about her through her book and am happy I read it. “The purpose of life is to live it” and Viola Davis is doing just that.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Racism

Moderate: Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Pedophilia, Bullying, Abortion, Cancer, Alcohol, and Child abuse