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kristinescorner's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Moderate: Addiction and Abortion
shellbell31's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racial slurs, Racism, and Sexual assault
Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Cancer, Blood, Abortion, and Death of parent
mc860's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Racism, and Death of parent
Moderate: Sexual assault and Abortion
itscassie's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Death of parent, and Classism
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Abortion, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: Medical trauma
pagesandpixels's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Blood, Medical trauma, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Bullying, Cursing, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Incest, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Excrement
hellokaley's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Cursing, Pedophilia, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Alcohol
lea's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction, Cancer, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Child death, Cursing, Slavery, Blood, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury
gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Excrement, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, and Classism
Minor: Cancer
daringdelaney's review against another edition
5.0
5/5
Would I recommend the book:
Absolutely! With trigger warnings (Graphic Domestic abuse, Racism, Physical abuse,
Sexual assault, Abortion, Addiction... Possibly more)
And a warning about it's use of profanity but it's mostly direct quotes.
My favorite part was:
How intelligent and articulate Viola Davis is.
And:
“My biggest discovery was that you can literally re-create your life. You can redefine it. You don’t have to live in the past. I found that not only did I have fight in me, I had love.”
"Memories are immortal. They're deathless and precise. They have the power of giving you joy and perspective in hard times. Or, they can strangle you. Define you in a way that's based more in other people's tucked-up perceptions than truth."
"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are"
“I now understand that life, and living it, is more about being present. I’m now aware that the not-so-happy memories lie in wait; but the hope and the joy also lie in wait.”
Do i think the book is well written? Why is or isn't it? Was engaging, delightful, or inspiring? Was it staid, boring, or contrived?
She did an amazing job sharing her life stories and her family's stories. The words she chose to portray intense times were eloquent, flowy, and emotion evoking.
I loved her (movie) work before this book but now I'm starting to love Viola Davis.
The immense respect and admiration I have for her is deep. The things she endured as a child and throughout every phase of her life I can honestly say that I've never experienced. I've never missed a meal for days. I've never had to lay in my own urine and go to school the next day reeking. I've never had to fight with huge rats over my bed & pillow. I have never opened the door to my father's mistress completely naked without a care to hide an affair. I've never witnessed my father beat my mother within an inch of her life and I've never experienced racism on the level that Viola has for being too dark or "not pretty enough" She has been through more than any woman ever should have to. What she went through for being dark skinned, what her mom went through...absolutely terrible! She wrote about her awful struggles without comparing them to others which can easily happen when discussing such things. Viola's biggest life defining moments were when she fell to her knees. She's been baptized and has had many moments when all she had was God to rely on. There is a lot to admire in this woman and I hope she maintains her relationship with Jesus Christ.
This book is beautifully written and wonderfully (self) narrated into an audiobook. I'm so so glad I impulsively grabbed this one.
Was it what you expected it to be?
Not at all. It exceeded my expectations.
How I discovered the book:
Searching my library app for a nonfiction autobiography less than 10 hours long (Barbara Streisand's is 45 hours long!)
Format I read it in: Audiobook read by the author 🤩
Graphic: Cancer, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Abortion, Death of parent, and Sexual harassment
thefemale_nickmiller's review against another edition
5.0
I also have to add how happy Viola sounds when talking about her daughter. I can literally hear her smile.
Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Gore, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, and Death of parent