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darlingmoira's review against another edition
4.5
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.
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
oxfordcommas91's review against another edition
4.5
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.
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
gigireadswithkiki's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty
Moderate: Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Classism, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Grief, Sexual violence, Alcoholism, Alcohol, Body shaming, Infertility, Excrement, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Abortion, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death, Bullying, Chronic illness, Sexual harassment, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer
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
jessicastephenson's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Violence, Abortion, Terminal illness, Blood, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Grief, Infertility, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Medical content, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
littlecozyreaderr's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Toxic relationship, Chronic illness, Pedophilia, Infertility, Bullying, Cursing, Physical abuse, and Racial slurs
sparringego8's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Death, Domestic abuse, Abortion, Alcohol, Drug use, Cancer, Child death, Emotional abuse, Violence, Drug abuse, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Chronic illness, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Pregnancy, Racism, Death of parent, Medical trauma, Grief, and Addiction
sydney_abigail25's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Bullying, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Chronic illness, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Sexual violence, Rape, Infertility, Drug use, and Sexual assault
lilybear3's review against another edition
5.0
While I'm normally not into celebrity biographies, there are a handful that I loved and this is one of them, so much that I consider this required reading. Ideally, you should listen to the audiobook (again, Grammy-winning audiobook). Viola pulls you in and doesn't let go. Her autobiography is all encompassing from birth to present, all the details from her childhood to working in Hollywood. I don't know what else to say other than to read this book. It is incredible.
Graphic: Chronic illness, Violence, Alcohol, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Racial slurs, Addiction, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Alcoholism, Bullying, Cancer, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Sexual harassment, Classism, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Racism, Misogyny, Physical abuse, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Confinement
madamenovelist's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Incest, Cancer, Medical trauma, Terminal illness, Emotional abuse, Sexual harassment, Racism, Rape, Death, Death of parent, Medical content, Grief, Bullying, Body shaming, Animal death, Chronic illness, Drug use, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Drug abuse