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A review by ryliemcbreen
Finding Me by Viola Davis
5.0
I have no words for this book. It is one of the most profound, courageous and beautifully written stories I have read. I found myself wanting to highlight every line; remember all of the revolutionary words, feelings, advice portrayed. I could not put it down (clearly, as I read it in 2 days). The effortlessness, openness, rawness of this book is indescribable and anything I write will not do it justice. She is brutal, straightforward, honest and so, so vulnerable in her writing.
The words extend beyond Violas story and provide a sense of relatability to your own trauma, your own story, with guiding words of encouragement and healing, while also, through her immersive writing style, allows you to understand the extent of her own pain and healing that is unthinkable to most. Before reading, while I was familiar with her stage presence and acting, I was unfamiliar with her personal life and the journey she has went through. My respect and admiration for her, her strength, her perseverance is astronomical. Through poverty, racism, abuse, hatred she persevered with courage, determination, and passion.
The way in which Viola wrote perfectly communicates her pain, growth and reflection. She skillfully intersects complicated family dynamics and love, gut-wrenching topics of abuse, poverty, addiction, anxiety, race, colorism, sexuality and her journey from her childhood to her professional life and adult private life. She extends compassion and forgiveness (to others and herself) and truly takes on a difficult and remarkable healing process. You walk away from the story with a weight of sadness but a massive sense of pride. It is an honor to us all that Viola found the comfort later in life needed to share this story.
The words extend beyond Violas story and provide a sense of relatability to your own trauma, your own story, with guiding words of encouragement and healing, while also, through her immersive writing style, allows you to understand the extent of her own pain and healing that is unthinkable to most. Before reading, while I was familiar with her stage presence and acting, I was unfamiliar with her personal life and the journey she has went through. My respect and admiration for her, her strength, her perseverance is astronomical. Through poverty, racism, abuse, hatred she persevered with courage, determination, and passion.
The way in which Viola wrote perfectly communicates her pain, growth and reflection. She skillfully intersects complicated family dynamics and love, gut-wrenching topics of abuse, poverty, addiction, anxiety, race, colorism, sexuality and her journey from her childhood to her professional life and adult private life. She extends compassion and forgiveness (to others and herself) and truly takes on a difficult and remarkable healing process. You walk away from the story with a weight of sadness but a massive sense of pride. It is an honor to us all that Viola found the comfort later in life needed to share this story.