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daringdelaney's review
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: Abortion, Physical abuse, Death of parent, Violence, Toxic relationship, Death, Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Rape, Pedophilia, Infertility, Hate crime, Grief, Emotional abuse, Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual assault, Incest, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Cancer
bookworm_ran's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Grief, and Incest
Moderate: Racism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts and Racial slurs
keats1787's review
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Addiction
Moderate: Child abuse, Medical content, Physical abuse, Cancer, Death of parent, Drug use, Incest, and Infertility
inthemoonforcheese's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Classism, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Infertility, Addiction, Blood, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Cursing, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Slavery, Terminal illness, Violence, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Medical content, Self harm, Drug use, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Racism, Abortion, Child death, Sexism, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, and Pregnancy
amalas_bookstop's review against another edition
5.0
She was completely open and unfiltered. I love that we are reading how she finds herself and her voice is so powerful in this book. I love that she took the power to write this about her life. I cannot imagine the courage it must have taken to write something so vulnerable.
She had me in tears by the 3rd chapter and laughing at the end.
I recommend you do the full experience of having her voice in the audiobook read this to you as you follow along with a physical copy. It will completely grip you. This without a doubt is my favorite read of the year. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
Graphic: Abortion, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Fire/Fire injury, Infertility, Racial slurs, Racism, Addiction, Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, Incest, Physical abuse, Violence, Domestic abuse, and Rape
kcbas1's review
4.25
Graphic: Child abuse, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Infidelity, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, and Incest
Moderate: Abortion
jessspeake's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Alcohol, Death, Medical content, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, Rape, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Addiction, Body shaming, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Incest, Pregnancy, Sexual violence, Violence, Animal death, Blood, Cancer, Medical trauma, Racism, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
stephanieheld's review
4.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Death of parent, Cancer, Racism, Bullying, and Gore
Moderate: Abortion, Alcoholism, and Sexual violence
Minor: Incest and Addiction
hannah_and_her_stories's review
5.0
Graphic: Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Cancer, Racism, Violence, Medical content, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Death, Animal death, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Classism, Death of parent, Drug use, Drug abuse, Sexual assault, Bullying, Cursing, Grief, Medical trauma, and Addiction
Moderate: Abortion, Vomit, Terminal illness, Animal death, Misogyny, and Incest
eni_iilorak's review against another edition
5.0
Listen to the audiobook! It is outstanding, and hearing the story told in Viola Davis' own, expressive voice adds a lot to the book.
Graphic: Drug abuse, Infertility, Medical content, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Pregnancy, Incest, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body shaming, Classism, Addiction, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Racism, Sexual assault, and Abortion
Moderate: Drug abuse, Grief, Slavery, Cancer, Infidelity, and Bullying