Reviews tagging 'Chronic illness'

Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis

24 reviews

lilybear3's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

I couldn't put this book down.  Viola Davis is a force of nature and her autobiography, the Grammy-award winning audiobook that she earned EGOT status for, is further evidence, if you weren't already swayed.  

While I'm normally not into celebrity biographies, there are a handful that I loved and this is one of them, so much that I consider this required reading.  Ideally, you should listen to the audiobook (again, Grammy-winning audiobook).  Viola pulls you in and doesn't let go.  Her autobiography is all encompassing from birth to present, all the details from her childhood to working in Hollywood.  I don't know what else to say other than to read this book.  It is incredible.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Chronic illness, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racial slurs, Addiction, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Classism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Racism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Confinement

madamenovelist's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Incest, Cancer, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Racism, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Grief, Bullying, Body shaming, Animal death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Drug abuse

coco_bibliophile's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I listened to this while walking and shed tears all over my neighbourhood. Viola’s memoir is incredibly moving, thought provoking and incredibly well told. Thank you so much Viola for sharing your story and wisdom. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, and Physical abuse

runningjenw's review against another edition

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

5.0

The audio version is stunning. The acting is phenomenal. What a life Viola Davis has lead. I highly recommend this read or listen. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Incest, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Body shaming, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, and Misogyny

zameenal's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Chronic illness, Alcohol, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Racism, and Sexual assault

jaduhluhdabooks's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Wow. Just sitting with a lot of these words and shared experience with Viola. I have genuinely never seen so much of myself … my own narrative unraveling in another person. I resonate so deeply with this journey, even though I have lived very little of life so far. I feel seen and understood in such a deep and beautiful way. 

I will be digesting and processing these words for such a long time. 

Thank you Ms. Davis for opening up your heart and your life and sharing it with the world through so many works. From the screen to this novel. Thank you for portraying pain and anguish in depth that only some may ever truly understand. Thank you for gifting words to my own struggle, some of which I haven’t been able to voice or give language to. And thank you for allowing me to journey alongside you in finding who you are. Wishing I could return the sentiment. 

A truly, beautifully hard, real, and binding book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Vomit, Blood, Death, Medical trauma, Racism, Rape, Abortion, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Grief, Infertility, and Physical abuse

rebekah_florence's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

What a treat to hear her own story in her own words in her own time.  I love Viola Davis. Her work meant so much to me from the moment I saw her in The Help at 12 years old.  Immediately after returning home, I furiously searched everything I could about her, her acting career, and how I could EXACTLY what she did- represent dark-skinned Black women on screen. Viola tells stories in such a captivating way that, even in time jumps, they flow seamlessly.  I don’t know if I believe in rating a memoir below 5 stars. I don’t know if I believe in rating a memoir at all, however, if someone has the courage to share their story, amen to that. Viola exposes some of the deepest parts of herself- trauma, abuse, bullying, self-doubt and ultimately forgiveness.  So many parts of the book had me in tears because I could relate to them.  I see how the stories she decided to share connect to her work.  This was raw and inspiring and beautifully done.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Sexual harassment, Bullying, Cancer, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Blood, Cursing, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Animal death, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Medical content, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, and Rape

Minor: Drug abuse

mariasilva's review against another edition

dark emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Violence, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death of parent, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Grief, Racism, Sexual violence, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Animal death, Drug abuse, Rape, Excrement, Pedophilia, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Child death, Death, Incest, Infertility, and Medical trauma

oliviapincin's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Chronic illness, Abortion, Cancer, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism and Sexual assault

kcelena's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring relaxing sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Violence