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luna_98's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Child abuse, Abortion, and Bullying
Minor: Violence, Classism, Death of parent, Racism, Sexism, Rape, Misogyny, and Racial slurs
caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to the audio. There's a reason why this memoir won an Audie Award and a Grammy for narration. When she's reading the parts of her parents, she leans into the acting chops that won her a Tony, and Emmy and an Oscar. Her voice is strong. SHE is strong. When Viola discusses her interactions with other Broadway and Hollywood greats, it doesn't sound like she's name dropping. Viola is too authentic to be fake, and even though she might not have loved/believed in herself as a younger woman, her talent has always been so great that it's made clear that she's not just famous, she's a brilliant actor.
To me, what made this memoir strong is the fact that Viola has been to therapy, and it shows. She doesn't just trauma dump. She discusses her childhood and young adulthood with the eye, and heart, of someone who's walked through hell, and survived. But she does it with love for that little girl that suffered so much to get to where she is now.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Abortion, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Infertility, and Pedophilia
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
sprimus18's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Bullying, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Addiction and Racial slurs
Minor: Sexual assault
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
katieg4's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racial slurs, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Abortion
agworek's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Racism, Animal death, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Sexual assault
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