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youmns's review against another edition
3.75
Graphic: Racism, Alcoholism, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Pregnancy, Abortion, Body shaming, and Infidelity
Minor: Pedophilia, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Dementia, Infertility, Medical trauma, Kidnapping, and Cancer
yreluctant's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcoholism, Misogyny, Body shaming, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Abortion, Blood, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Addiction, Rape, Vomit, Animal cruelty, Cancer, Cursing, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infertility, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Alcohol, Child death, Death of parent, Miscarriage, and Animal death
kristinescorner's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction and Abortion
sbcrra's review
Graphic: Racial slurs, Bullying, Grief, and Abortion
Minor: Animal death
krystalandherkindle's review
5.0
Viola Davis is one of my favorite actresses and she is an amazing role model. We often see celebrities as gorgeous, rich, famous, etc. but we forget that they are human too. To hear and read about her childhood and experiences broke my heart- I even cried in one chapter. To see what she had to go through to get where she is now and what she had to overcome…she is truly a strong and powerful woman and reading her story made me realize why I love her so much.
This was an AMAZING memoir and I’d recommend it to anyone.
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Racism, and Rape
Minor: Animal cruelty, Vomit, Animal death, and Abortion
ryliereadss's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, and Animal death
Minor: Rape, Abortion, and Incest
bethanyt123's review
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Racism, Toxic friendship, Death, Racial slurs, Violence, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Classism, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Child death, Death of parent, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Infertility, and Bullying
aclark225's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and Animal death
murph_reads's review against another edition
5.0
Viola speaks about so many incredibly difficult moments with the kind of grace one only gains by surrendering to loving people for exactly who they are. Her love for her family is her driving force.
Would definitely recommend listening to the audiobook! It feels like having coffee with a lifelong friend with an incredible story.
Moderate: Abortion, Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Addiction, Animal death, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, and Racism
dorhastings's review against another edition
5.0
I thought about starting this review with "if ever a memoir earned five stars, it's this one" and that then felt somewhat judgy of me. I mean, sure, I am literally judging the book by rating it with stars, but really, what am I judging? The author's authenticity? A good story that I deem to be enjoyable? Good writing? Memoirs can be tricky things to write. How do you know you've experienced *enough* to write one? I have judged some memoirs as being less than because I didn't like the story, the personality, or the writing, but they were certainly authentic. Some folks want more details, while some authors just don't feel comfortable doing so. It's their memoir, after all.
What makes this book so powerful, for me, is all that Davis endured throughout her life, especially in her younger years. She knows poverty, and embarrassment of poverty, and she is generous and visceral in her descriptions. It was hard to hear about her father beating the crap out of her mother on a regular basis. You wonder "why didn't her mother just leave her father?" and the answer isn't simple. Especially when you learn years later how much her father has changed.
Davis is heartfelt and thorough in her explanation of her life circumstances, her resistance to listening to her therapist, her insight on the racism and sexism that plague the world in general and her profession in particular. She actually talks very little about the specific roles, with some exceptions, but that in no way makes the memoir less than. This isn't a *fun* read. It's a hard read. She is all the more impressive and amazing for all she has gone through, for her determination, and her love.
If you are someone who likes audiobooks, this one is an easy choice. Davis narrates her own memoir and it is tragic and beautiful.
Moderate: Physical abuse
Minor: Animal death