Reviews tagging 'Fire/Fire injury'

Finding Me by Viola Davis

46 reviews

gabi_715's review against another edition

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funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0


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kathshiroma's review against another edition

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4.5


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oxfordcommas91's review

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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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youmns's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.75

Oof. Viola Davis is one tough lady. This whole book should come with a giant trigger warning.

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yreluctant's review against another edition

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

5.0


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kristinescorner's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0


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itscassie's review

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dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

Viola’s storytelling ability coupled with the depths of vulnerability and healing she shares had me in awe throughout each chapter. I felt I saw a distant relative telling me their life lessons and speaking to the young girl, adolescent in me. 

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mathenam's review against another edition

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dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.25

This story is inspiring and heartbreaking and difficult to process. 

Memoirs seem to always have a narrative that skips around, but that’s the nature of telling a story about a real life. It still felt a little too disjointed in places.
Also the story about the man who killed the cat in front of them and chased her sister around town felt unbelievable to me

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lea's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

Amazing audiobook. Her childhood was unfortunately so relatable and hit me hard. I don't watch TV or movies much so I didn't know her but I'm definitely a big fan now. This was beautiful written.

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inthemoonforcheese's review against another edition

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

4.5


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