A review by onemorepagecrew
Finding Me: A Memoir by Viola Davis

challenging emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

5.0

Celebrity memoirs tend to be “hit” or “miss” for me with the main factors being 1) their willingness to be vulnerable 2) their ability to tell a story 3) their self-awareness.  For others it might be humor and celebrity stories, or some other combination of factors.  Regardless of what you’re looking for in a memoir, celebrity or not, it’s still someone’s life poured into a book and available for strangers to consume – that’s not for the faint of heart and I applaud the bravery.  I think of memoirs not as reviews of their story and writing, but more of a description of what to expect in the book and how it impacted me as a reader. 
 
In Viola Davis’ memoir, Finding Me, she brings the reader back to her childhood years in Rhode Island and paints a vivid picture of her family and her school.  She carries the reader through an entire coming-of-age journey both in her relationships and with her acting career, while weaving in what she has learned about those experiences now as an adult.  She approaches every story from her life with honesty, reflection, and self-awareness.  It’s brutally sad at points and full of joy at others.  One chapter stopped me in my tracks and I was tearing up – not from the sadness, but from the profound forgiveness Viola showed to a loved one, and my awe in her self-growth to get to that point.  
 
For me, this memoir was top notch and deeply moving.  It’s one of the most honest and vulnerable celebrity memoirs I’ve read and it’s clear she has invested time in her mental health and her journey to wellness, all while becoming a phenomenal actress.  I was captivated and moved by her story. 
 
Content warnings: Abuse (domestic, physical, sexual, drug), Death (child, parent), Racism 
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