Reviews tagging 'Drug abuse'

Finding Me by Viola Davis

98 reviews

oxfordcommas91's review against another edition

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

koslo1aj's review

dark emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Incest, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, Racism, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, and Racial slurs

emma_reards's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective tense fast-paced

5.0

I loved Viola Davis as an actress before reading her memoir, but I now have so much respect and admiration for her as a person. The trauma she endured as a child is something I couldn’t even begin to fathom, and the perseverance and tenacity she had to push through and overcome those traumas to get where she is today is truly inspiring.

This book is about Viola learning to love herself despite never feeling worthy of that love. She learns to recognize her trauma rather than suppress them, and gives herself permission to forgive and grow from it.

Viola’s childhood is heartbreaking, but her evolution as a person is inspiring. I think everyone can learn some important lessons from this book.

 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse, Grief, Racism, Rape, Physical abuse, Animal death, Abortion, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, and Mental illness

kyrstin_p1989's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

3.5

Davis has lived a life full of good and bad times, torture and fame, love and grief. While reading, I consistently found myself wanting more — details, anecdotes, snapshots of the past. What has been written is engaging, entertaining, and at times even inspiring but I still wished for more. Davis’ role as Annalise Keating is one of my absolute favorite television roles and I would read two more books this length about her life, her time on different sets, and the people she’s worked with who she came to love and respect. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Terminal illness, Violence, Racial slurs, Sexism, Physical abuse, Racism, Addiction, Animal death, Cancer, Dementia, Excrement, Grief, Bullying, Alcoholism, Abortion, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Death, Death of parent, Blood, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Toxic relationship, and Sexual assault

alexiusr's review against another edition

dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Racism, Sexual assault, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Physical abuse

yreluctant's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

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

jlferrazzo27's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Racism, Infertility, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Violence, Child abuse, Bullying, Abortion, and Drug abuse

isajidy's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Toxic relationship, Abortion, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Racism, and Violence

Moderate: Miscarriage, Child abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Infertility, and Grief

Minor: Drug abuse

ayandell5's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Such a powerful story.  One that is absolutely heartbreaking and painstakingly beautiful at the same time.  If you can listen to this audiobook, I highly recommend that option.  Viola is, as many know, a magical storyteller.  I shed a few tears throughout, and wept at the end of the last chapter.  I jotted down so many quotes from this book.  I didn’t expect to relate and yet there were moments I did, and she gave me new perspective in those moments.  I have been a fan of Viola’s for some time now, but this just gives me a new level of respect and love for her.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug abuse, Addiction, Racial slurs, Racism, and Infertility

pagesandpixels's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

4.0

So poetically written. I listened on audiobook and it was beautiful and engaging. What a life Viola lived and what an honor to listen. Another great book that reminds us why we need to buy/listen to women voices and stories.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Medical trauma, Sexual harassment, Rape, Racism, Death of parent, Torture, Slavery, Blood, Abortion, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Incest, Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Drug abuse, Excrement, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Eating disorder, and Racial slurs