nebraskanwriter's review against another edition
5.0
This book is one that I know will stick with me.
Graphic: Abandonment, Abortion, Addiction, Alcohol, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Death, Death of parent, Physical abuse, Slavery, Stalking, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Infertility, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Rape, Sexual assault, Animal cruelty, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Vomit, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual violence, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Excrement, Bullying, Cancer, Medical trauma, Racism, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Alcoholism, Animal death, Classism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Body shaming, and Sexual harassment
ireanirean's review
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse and Violence
Moderate: Rape, Pregnancy, Alcoholism, Racism, Racial slurs, Addiction, Grief, Bullying, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Abortion, Infertility, Infidelity, and Death of parent
emmak788's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse
Moderate: Cancer, Infidelity, Death of parent, Sexual assault, Racism, Alcoholism, and Infertility
Minor: Addiction and Abortion
coreyarch9's review
3.5
I love Annalise MF Keating, but I didn't know too much about Viola Davis. In Finding Me, Viola talks less about her career as an actress and more about the systemic poverty and racism and the coinciding internalized struggles that she had to overcome to be the woman we know today. And she doesn't hold anything back.
She talks a lot about what society deems beautiful, worthy, or correct. During her time at Juiliard, students were discouraged from hosting an MLK Day program or anything that might highlight their differences from their white counterparts. She talks about the typecast roles that she would be cast in or invited to audition for. She talks about what it was like to be called beautiful for the first time. She talks about therapy.
In the end, she talks about finding herself, writing, "I am no longer ashamed of me."
I will never know firsthand what it's like to experience the abject poverty and racism that Viola grew up with. And that's why it's so important to read about. When she talked about being called beautiful for the first time, I started to wonder, when was the last time I told somebody they were pretty? When was the last time I told a woman of color that she was beautiful? When was the last time I supported a black-owned café instead of just picking up a latte at my local Tim Hortons? When did I last show kindness to a stranger?
Moderate: Bullying, Classism, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Alcohol, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Racism, Cancer, Child abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Infidelity, Rape, Abortion, and Sexism
Minor: Slavery, Animal death, Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Toxic relationship, Sexual harassment, and Kidnapping
nrogers_1030's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death of parent, Grief, Injury/injury detail, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Cursing, Rape, Domestic abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Racial slurs, and Sexual assault
Moderate: Abortion, Pedophilia, Incest, Infertility, and Pregnancy
Minor: Terminal illness, Cancer, and Medical content
leonormsousa's review against another edition
4.0
- Viola Davis' narration in the audiobook: she is a powerhouse!
- What a life story!
- Great insights into the world of acting (theatre, cinema and tv), including the difficulties in “making it” and the prejudice within it
- The way Viola’s dedication to her art is palpable is incredible and inspiring
- It’s a very raw book and it definitely appeals to your emotions
THINGS I DIDN'T ENJOY
- There are sections where the book jumps back and forward in time, without references, and it gets a bit confusing/hard to follow
- If you’re into memoirs, you’ll probably like this one!
- Viola Davis fans and appreciators of the art of acting will probably like this one particularly (the second half especially)
- This is a strong one and I found myself selecting almost every item from the TW list, so be aware of that going in!
Moderate: Addiction, Grief, Animal death, Infidelity, Injury/injury detail, Medical content, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Bullying, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Abortion, Cancer, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Racism, Death of parent, Rape, Infertility, and Vomit
kcelena's review
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, Racism, Alcoholism, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Medical content, Rape, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Abortion, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Incest, Infertility, Injury/injury detail, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, and Violence
aloy's review against another edition
4.25
Graphic: Abortion
Moderate: Pedophilia, Medical trauma, Medical content, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Child abuse, Cancer, Addiction, Sexual violence, Vomit, Violence, Toxic relationship, Terminal illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, Blood, Alcoholism, Racism, Physical abuse, Infertility, and Domestic abuse
janaycleaver's review
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Domestic abuse, Rape, Incest, and Violence
Moderate: Abortion, Animal death, and Classism
Minor: Pregnancy, Death of parent, and Infidelity
entropydoc's review
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Racism, Medical trauma, Incest, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Classism, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Drug abuse, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Animal death, Eating disorder, Infidelity, Bullying, and Fatphobia