Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Finding Me by Viola Davis

209 reviews

juliaarcisz's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring reflective tense

4.75

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Content Warnings

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

nataliebootlah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad

5.0

“I knew my life would be a fight, and I realized this: I had it in me.” 

 

Oooooof, this was hard to read. Viola candidly shares the story of her life—through every trauma she’s faced—as well as the reality of how hard it is to actually, finally “make it” as an actor. 

 

Viola’s story is one of resilience. Racism, shame, abuse, food insecurity, poverty, assault, domestic violence, infidelity, grief and trauma were all a part of the long, arduous journey to find herself. Today she is healed (though there’s always work to do), strong, and full of joy. One must read this book themselves to trulybeare witness to the struggles she faced and how she overcame them. 

 

Finding Me humbled me. It reminded me that you never know what someone has gone through or is going through. While gut-wrenching to hear about the horrors she experienced, her grace shined through the good, the bad, and the ugly. Plus, the audiobook is narrated by Viola herself which was a treat. This is one hell of a memoir.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Bullying, and Racism

Moderate: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Death of parent, Alcoholism, and Misogyny

Minor: Child death and Abortion

kathshiroma's review against another edition

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Infidelity, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Sexism, Racism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Sexual harassment, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Abortion, Cancer, Incest, Addiction, Pedophilia, and Death of parent

darlingmoira's review

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.5

This is a beautiful book. Viola Davis has been one of my favorite actresses for many years and when I heard about her book and the praise it was getting I knew I had to give it a try. The book is beautiful and sad and moving. Her writing so deeply has her voice behind it. Her life and the stories are so clear you can picture every moment. 
I have so much respect for her and her drive. I would love to just sit with her and continue to hear her life’s stories. She deserves all the praise she is getting and I hope she realizes the power she has brought to women (especially black women) by telling her story. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Chronic illness, Addiction, Racism, Sexual assault, Blood, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Dementia, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Pedophilia

dazzlingreader_'s review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

A beatiful book into the life of a great woman whose talent only seems to amaze everyone around her. Reading this book cemented to me that VIOLA DAVIS IS THE CINEMATIC INDUSTRY!!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, and Bullying

Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, and Abortion

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death

oxfordcommas91's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

4.5

This memoir blew me away. I listened to it on audiobook and listening to Viola Davis narrate the story of her life was powerful beyond belief. Her story is at once heartbreaking and inspiring - she persevered through nearly impossible odds to be the famous Hollywood A lister she is today. 
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.

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Content Warnings

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

princesslo's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

4.5

Quite unrelenting in the pain but also inspiring 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Child abuse, Cursing, Abortion, Death, Physical abuse, and Racism

lizzydiazortiz's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Addiction, Bullying, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Incest, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity

imanimckoy's review

inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

I listened to the audiobook version, and Viola is an incredible story teller. Her Grammy for her reading of it was absolutely deserved. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Incest, Addiction, Violence, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Infertility, and Abortion

lily_sutton's review

emotional inspiring sad fast-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Misogyny

Minor: Death of parent, Abortion, and Rape