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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
dazzlingreader_'s review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcohol, Child abuse, Racism, Sexual harassment, Alcoholism, and Bullying
Moderate: Death of parent, Violence, and Abortion
Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death
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
princesslo's review against another edition
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Death of parent, Child abuse, Cursing, Abortion, Death, Physical abuse, and Racism
lizzydiazortiz's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Addiction, Bullying, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, Incest, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, and Infidelity
imanimckoy's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Incest, Addiction, Violence, Sexual assault, Death of parent, and Grief
Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Infertility, and Abortion
lily_sutton's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Racism
Moderate: Sexual assault, Racial slurs, and Misogyny
Minor: Death of parent, Abortion, and Rape
emma_reards's review against another edition
5.0
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.
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
ramseyreadsbooks's review against another edition
Minor: Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Racism, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Alcoholism, Bullying, Pedophilia, and Sexual assault
bzliz's review against another edition
5.0
I don’t want to play the “who had it worse?” game but it’s hard not to compare this to some other memoirs and think to myself what the hell are you whining about? You haven’t faced any real hardship. It’s impossible to not think about how minor struggles can be a person’s complete undoing, yet someone who essentially started life at rock bottom and has had to fight for decades just to get to even ground can still rise above and flourish.
The story’s timeline is jumbled around in that way many memoirs are but I didn’t mind it as much here as I have in others. So much of her life was shaped by chaos so why should her story be told in a straight line?
Graphic: Racism, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Abortion and Death of parent