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caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
5.0
I listened to the audio. There's a reason why this memoir won an Audie Award and a Grammy for narration. When she's reading the parts of her parents, she leans into the acting chops that won her a Tony, and Emmy and an Oscar. Her voice is strong. SHE is strong. When Viola discusses her interactions with other Broadway and Hollywood greats, it doesn't sound like she's name dropping. Viola is too authentic to be fake, and even though she might not have loved/believed in herself as a younger woman, her talent has always been so great that it's made clear that she's not just famous, she's a brilliant actor.
To me, what made this memoir strong is the fact that Viola has been to therapy, and it shows. She doesn't just trauma dump. She discusses her childhood and young adulthood with the eye, and heart, of someone who's walked through hell, and survived. But she does it with love for that little girl that suffered so much to get to where she is now.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Bullying, Child abuse, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Abortion, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Animal death, Blood, Domestic abuse, Infertility, and Pedophilia
annaeslane's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Racism, Drug abuse, Domestic abuse, Bullying, and Classism
Moderate: Animal cruelty and Animal death
Minor: Abortion
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
megbetweenthepages's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Bullying, Racial slurs, Animal cruelty, and Classism
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Sexual assault
fblair's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Classism and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Terminal illness, and Racial slurs
Minor: Abortion, Animal cruelty, and Toxic relationship
kristinescorner's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Death, Animal death, Blood, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, Bullying, Cancer, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Addiction and Abortion
morebookspls's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Grief, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Abortion, Addiction, Domestic abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, and Racism
bethanyt123's review against another edition
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
itscassie's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Cancer, Sexual violence, Classism, Death of parent, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Addiction, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Infertility, Bullying, and Alcoholism
Moderate: Cursing, Sexual violence, Abortion, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Medical trauma
lea's review against another edition
4.75
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Abortion, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Bullying, Violence, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Grief, Classism, Cancer, and Addiction
Minor: Blood, Child death, Cursing, Slavery, Pregnancy, and Fire/Fire injury