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leefox's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Rape, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, Vomit, Pregnancy, Infertility, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Dementia, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Grief, Abortion, Racism, Cancer, Addiction, Animal death, Sexual harassment, and Sexual assault
joslynhebda's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Death of parent
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Physical abuse, Bullying, and Racial slurs
Minor: Abortion, Addiction, and Infertility
juliaarcisz's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Physical abuse, Bullying, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Abortion, Death, Death of parent, Grief, Infertility, Racial slurs, Rape, and Sexual violence
gabi_715's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Alcoholism, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Violence, Medical content, Addiction, Grief, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
googie_puvdan's review against another edition
5.0
Moderate: Body shaming, Sexual violence, Racism, and Domestic abuse
parmnoodles's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse and Sexual violence
oxfordcommas91's review against another edition
4.5
The majority of her memoir takes place in her formative, early years - first, as a highly impoverished child who is bullied relentlessly for both being black and poor, then as a teen and young adult who was still both black and poor but learning about her true passion and chasing it fervently.
While parts of this book were incredibly difficult to listen to (please do note the content warnings on this book and take them seriously - it dives deep into some very traumatic topics like sexual abuse, domestic violence, and losing a parent to cancer), it somehow remained hopeful. Davis’s story was woven with expertise as she shared her thoughtful reflections on these different points in her life and how she arrived to where she is now. This book gives a true, honest account that doesn’t turn away from difficult topics like racism in the film and acting industry. It forces the reader (or listener) to confront difficult truths about how even at the height of her career, Davis herself still felt like an outsider, forced to take the “fun best friend” roles and not the leading lady roles, reserved for her lighter skinned counterparts.
I laughed, I cried, and am so grateful to Viola for sharing her life with the world.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Death, Racial slurs, Racism, Excrement, Sexual violence, Grief, Bullying, Cancer, Fire/Fire injury, Death of parent, Medical content, Physical abuse, Classism, Domestic abuse, Violence, Dysphoria, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Cursing, and Drug use
allisonkhenson's review against another edition
5.0
“It was trying to save someone else while I was drowning”
“Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a different past”
Hearing her narrate her story like this was so captivating.
Graphic: Rape, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Racism
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
hayleyrosedean's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual violence, Racism, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault