Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Finding Me by Viola Davis

42 reviews

fblair's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Classism and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Racial slurs

Minor: Abortion, Animal cruelty, and Toxic relationship

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

bethanyt123's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

Truly worth ten reads. Enlightening, inspiring, devastating, painful, and moving. Viola manages to open the doors to exploring the intricacies of racism in a welcoming, inviting, and honest way. I’m convinced the only way to read this is via audiobook, recorded by Viola herself. The performance is enrapturing. Thank you, Viola Davis, for opening your heart to us.

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Content Warnings

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

murph_reads's review against another edition

emotional hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

5.0

I wish everyone could read this and understand how beautifully tormenting it is to heal your inner child.  It’s something so many people refuse to believe they need to do, when it’s the root of so many vicious cycles in life. Hug them, believe them, reassure them, they will learn to feel safe.

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. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abortion, Bullying, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Alcohol, Addiction, Animal death, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Domestic abuse, and Racism

mathenam's review against another edition

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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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Violence, Animal cruelty, Terminal illness, Pedophilia, Alcoholism, Fire/Fire injury, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Infertility, Incest, Animal death, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Racism, Kidnapping, Body shaming, Abortion, Rape, Pregnancy, and Physical abuse

inthemoonforcheese's review against another edition

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

4.5

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Content Warnings

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

booksalacarte's review against another edition

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abortion, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Hate crime, Addiction, Emotional abuse, Infertility, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child abuse, Classism, Cursing, Death of parent, Excrement, Gaslighting, Domestic abuse, Grief, and Racism

ilariachillea's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Pregnancy, Blood, Death of parent, Terminal illness, Sexual violence, Abortion, Addiction, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Violence, Toxic relationship, Cancer, and Child abuse

jessicastephenson's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

I will admit I mostly knew Viola Davis from How To Get Away With Murder, but after reading this book I want to consume every bit of media she's been a part of. She is incredibly vulnerable and emotional throughout this book, unveiling traumatic experiences from her childhood to present life and how they shaped her. It was difficult to listen to her tell her stories. At times I became deeply upset hearing her recount things, specifically those that I could relate to and knew the pain of all too well. This immediately became one of my favourite books ever just a few minutes in - Viola's narration is beautiful and adds another layer to the stories. 

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Content Warnings

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

heisiiri's review against another edition

challenging emotional inspiring medium-paced

4.75

Viola Davis is exactly the kind of person who should be writing a memoir, and she executed it amazingly. That's it, that's the review. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse and Racism

Moderate: Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Death of parent, and Alcoholism

Minor: Animal cruelty and Drug abuse